Chemical filtration

[ptray1982]

Where do you stand on chemical filtration? I had carbon leach ammonia back into the tank and have now all but eliminated it from my system. Do I need to keep it or find a replacement like purigen or can I effectively run a system without it?

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[BBradbury]

Chemical Filtration

Where do you stand on chemical filtration? I had carbon leach ammonia back into the tank and have now all but eliminated it from my system. Do I need to keep it or find a replacement like purigen or can I effectively run a system without it?

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Hello pt...

The carbon stuff isn't needed. Save your money and put more effort into removing and replacing the tank water. Small tanks up to 30 gallons need half the water changed every week. The larger tanks can typically go a couple of weeks between the 50 percent changes. The water change will safely remove any toxins in the water and does a much better job than the carbon medium.

B

 

[ptray1982]

I have a 250g and all my parameters have been fine for over 6 months. I'm building my own canister filter and was hoping to leave it out

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[Old Scales]

Carbon is useful for smells and removing meds. If you have neither the minuses outweigh the pluses. With good filtration and a decent WC schedule it is absolutely unnecessary. Save your time and money. Activated carbon is a holdover from the old days when not much was understood about the chemistry of aquariums and it was thought you had to have a "balanced aquarium" where WC's were not done except for top offs. Filters were crappy back then and act. carbon was the desperate attempt to make up for that. JMHO. OS.

 

[pip walters]

Hello pt...

The carbon stuff isn't needed. Save your money and put more effort into removing and replacing the tank water. Small tanks up to 30 gallons need half the water changed every week. The larger tanks can typically go a couple of weeks between the 50 percent changes. The water change will safely remove any toxins in the water and does a much better job than the carbon medium.

B

With respect, it is not the size of tank that governs water changes, it is bioload. For.an extreme example, you wouldn't need to change half the water weekly in a 30g if you kept one neon in there!

Activated carbon can still help with water clarity as it adsorbs tanins and dissoved organic compounds that stain the water that yellowish colour. In marine tanks, protein skimmers are used instead, although skimmers can also be used in fresh water tanks.

It isn't really necessary, but it isn't a bad thing either.

 

[Luananeko]

I only run carbon in my tanks when I need to remove meds or tannins. Otherwise I don't feel it's worth the money since it needs replacing so frequently. I've been running my 75 gallon planted community and my 36 gallon bowfront + 20 gallon sump carbon free for over a year with no problems. Just add extra bio media and physical filtration instead of the chemical filtration and clean the physical filtration regularly.