going back to the basics

[tropicfishman]

well I read a few articles, piddled and experimented, I think I'm going to go back to using some carbon in my tank, my tank just hasn't seemed as healthy, as compared to when I did use it. its only 6 bucks to give it a try and see what happens, maybe my water will become just a bit more clearer lol

 

[neilanh]

Let me know, I can't seem to get my water to clear up (could be underfiltered though) but I've been contemplating running some carbon just to see.

 

[tropicfishman]

I'll let ya know a couple days after I put it in, that way it has time to kick in and what not

 

[Mosaic]

Try some wisteria in there instead. You don't have to change it out every week and it oxygenates too.

 

[7Enigma]

What do you mean by hasn't seemed as healthy?

 

[tropicfishman]

my tank looked brown, sojmewhat hazish ya kow, most likely tannins, no odors, but just unsightly, so I'm trying carbon since its so cheap b4 I drop money on something like a DE filter or purigen lol

 

[Idealconcepts]

tropicfishman - What size is your tank, how many fish and what kinda of fish do you have in there? What type of filtration do you use, what is your water change schedule? This info might help us give you better advice/suggestions.

If you have tannins and the water is brown, I had a similar problem with large pieces of driftwood that I got from the beach and pea gravel. I tried the carbon for a few weeks and it didn't help. I ended up doing very large water changes about 50% sometimes 60%-75% each week, this was on a large tank, and about 2-3 weeks the water was noticeably clearer. If you want to try the large water changes, just make sure your water from the tap is the same temp as the tank, Ph/KH/GH are relatively similar, and use dechlor and probably a little Aq salt.

 

[physicsdude]

yea idealconcepts, i was about to say driftwood would leach tannins into the water. if the tank is planted, you can use carbon no problem but it is a two edged sword. it will clean the water but will absorb the nutrients and stuff that may/may not be dosed. personally, i have a planted tank with an aquaclear 70 running. i got malaysian driftwood in there. the wood with the chems, flourish, excel, and iron stuff, color the water a yellowish tinge. about once every 2 moths i run carbon for a few days in the filter to clean the water. works fine; no fish loss; no ph or kh or gh drops either from my tests. plants do fine; still trimming them and dividing them. hth...

 

[tropicfishman]

oh man I never thoguht about that, I do use florapride for my little plants, do ay think the carbon is going to hurt them by absorbing the nutrients I added in???????????

 

[Idealconcepts]

tropicfishman - could tell you. I only use carbon to remove meds, I leave it in the tank for long periods of time. Others, like physicsdude, use it to clean up the water when needed so they too aren't leaving it in the tank very long either. My personal opinion, is you don't need carbon unless your removing meds or try to clear up the water. From what I have read and heard carbon is only effective in tank for a week or two, maybe 3, I can't recall the exact time that was stated.