carbon

[Incaico]

Do any of you guys run your tanks with out any carbon? Or say if you have more than 1 filter per tank do you only keep carbon in one of the filter so that it's easy to remove if you need to add any meds?

[rolloffhill]

None

[biggin]

I do not run carbon on any of my tanks....9 right now....

Only if I am at the end of a treatment....even then most of the time I do not.

[Incaico]

so you just run biological and mechanical? I was told that carbon was good...was that just a gimmick to get you to spend more $$$? I know it's good to use at the end of a treatment to remove the chemicals.

[supersmirky]

I do not run carbon in my tanks either. Mainly because it would remove the fertilization that I put in my tank for the plants but also, they have a tendency to leach phosphates after they are used up.

[radioaktiv]

zero carbon on my tanks

[AndrewH]

Yeah, no carbon necessary. It doesn't last very long to be a beneficial "all the time" filter media.

Only use it in the filter to get meds out of the water.

[Incaico]

how much of a water change and how often. I've been doing about 15% weekly water changes. on my 135, and two 55 gallons

[jabbott]

I do not run carbon in my tanks either. Mainly because it would remove the fertilization that I put in my tank for the plants but also, they have a tendency to leach phosphates after they are used up.

So the Penguin filter cartridges are pulling my ferts out of the water? Not cool. Should I cut the cartridges open and dump out the carbon? Or should I take a break from ferts for a few days after adding a new cartridge?

[biggin]

Not a gimmick, but I think misunderstood.

It has it's place but I do not think it should be in the tank 100% of the time and it has a lifespan in your tank. It could end up doing more harm then good.

Yup, I have Bio and Mech...that's all.

so you just run biological and mechanical? I was told that carbon was good...was that just a gimmick to get you to spend more $$$? I know it's good to use at the end of a treatment to remove the chemicals.

[supersmirky]

Correct, Just dump the carbon if you have plants. All you need is mechanical really

supersmirky added 0 Minutes and 43 Seconds later...

how much of a water change and how often. I've been doing about 15% weekly water changes. on my 135, and two 55 gallons

This is good. Sometimes I forget water changes for a couple of weeks.

Sounds like you have a good schedule

[Incaico]

can you elaborate on when you would use it other than to remove medications?

[OOwl]

You can use it if your water is looking a bit aged (yellow) and it will clear it right up (but then if you're doing regular water changes it will seldom be yellow). You can use it if your sister comes over and then sprays her kids down with OFF right next to your fish tank when you're in the other room. You can use it if your nephew puts something toxic (like his grubby hand) in your tank. I don't use carbon on a routine basis in any of my filters but I do keep some on hand for special situations and have been known to use it for a few days at a time, just to polish up the water. My corals always look GREAT right after I use it a couple of days. It has its place in the maintenance of aquariums but really should be in place for a short period of time due to its relatively short life usage.

[thebassepidemic]

I dont use it at all, after running my tanks with it for a couple of months I finally noticed that all the trace minerals that my discus need was being removed by the carbon. Took the carbon out now my fish and my plants are super happy.... At the same time if you get any type of bad chemical in your tank I would slap that carbon right back in for at least 48 hours.

[Incaico]

Thanks guys for all the information. Now I have a better understanding of when and how to use carbon in my tanks!

[Typical Tony]

wow lots of new info and helpful ones too.

i guess i shall be removing all my carbons then. no wonder my plants arent growing as fast with all these ferts.

[kewlkatdady]

I've used carbon once in my tanks...

to remove meds...

thats it.

Never needed otherwise.

[alta678]

Very good thread and information. Thanks.

[Incaico]

Do any of you guys that don't use carbon what do you do with your HOBs do you just use the black sponge or bio wheel and no changeable filter cartridge?

[kewlkatdady]

thats why I use aquaclears...
no cartridges...I can fill them with anything I want too...

[masroberts9]

man i have spent hundreds of dollars on filter cartridges. just when you think you know it all....boom.... a bunch of stuff you dont know. but i remember reading about this not too long ago and i cut up a bunch of filters to use.

[kewlkatdady]

i barely have spent "hundreds of dollars" on my filters...

:brandy:

[masroberts9]

yeah i was going through at least 6 filters a month. sometimes i changed after 2 weeks due to overfeeding or something. i never rinsed the floss... just tosssed em and stuck new ones in. i bought like 24 ritesize E a couple weeks ago, 18 pen pax cascade 300 filters, countless ritesize A and topfin. :spend::spend::spend: well you live and learn! :hehe: