Okay...I didn't want to get complicated, but one of my military specialties is Water P. P is for Purification. And just the common know is that used carbon can cause small release of the very contaminants it captured. And it doesn't take these" beyond measurement swings of temp and
ph" to do it either! those factors were barely even mentioned as such in class. There was more mention on the amount of organic compounds (like a aged tank has...hmm?) and particulates that cause the carbon to solidify. The re-release in
ppm is no prob for large animals with a effecient filtration system such as ourselves..... but we are talking it's application for fish.
And remember; if the army becomes cautious of something, it has to have really continually failed. After all, they are always LAST to stop using a health hazardous but useful product.
:? remeber when PCP was the chemical of choice to treat pallets with for wood preservation?
8O
And Murph? Quoting a company with vested interested in selling carbon products to the consumer is no way to get my vote on having done your research thoroughly.
here..example of a problem to humans:
Granular Activated Carbon
Material Safety Data Sheets
8x30 BC Liquid Phase Carbon MSDS
12x40 BC Vapor Phase Carbon MSDS
CAUTION!!! Wet activated carbon removes oxygen from air causing a severe hazard to workers inside carbon vessels and enclosed or confined spaces. Before entering such an area, sampling and work procedures for low oxygen levels should be taken to ensure ample oxygen availability, observing all local, state, and federal regulations.
(so don't just throw it in a tank!)
Here is a link or two
http://www.cpeo.org/techtree/ttdescript/liqphs.htm
www.frtr.gov/matrix2/section4/
http://www.arcesystems.com/products/carbon/theory.htm
I'll dig my old workbooks out and scan the easy to understand (remember the average test score of an army applicant) caveats and instructions for the equipment use.. And I will prolly post a an article with it.
I didn't realize how much trust was placed in carbon until the past thre four posts about it lately.
My main point is: don't place too much trust in mechanical means.. the best water standard is fresh water! Just like nature provides. Even the dankest swamp gets rain! If you have special needs fish (radical pH or Salt)..age a bucket of water ahead of time. My fish in my dutch tanks are my healthiest and fastest growing. Why is that? Water changes. And these are pH and acid sensetive fish like chocolate & licorice gourami.
There is a good reason most large species public Aquariums are always near a water source like a River or the Sea (look at the location of every aquarim you can google..and marineland/sea world parks...see a trend?).
if mechanical means were that effecient there would be a marineland Iowa or Dakota.
You should get some interesting replies Conker, but remeber that the
PPM that alarge mammal can process of a dangerous molecule is not what poor fish can handle.... 'safe" and "fine " are relative terms.