CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

Not quite sure where this thread belongs.

As far as carbon goes.. People here have posted telling me it effects amonia levels, which I wasn't aware of, and I know it removes medications from your water.

Is Metholyne Blue a medication carbon'll remove? What else is effected by carbon?

It's allso recomended by some here to not use carbon-- what sort of media do you use to do what the carbon does?

Thanks.

Austin

I had never heard that carbon affected ammonia levels directly either. I have read that after a very short time (I think it was about a week), the carbon becomes "used up", and the rocks become a host for your bacteria. This would indirectly affect the ammonia levels by improving you bio-filter.

It's allso recomended by some here to not use carbon-- what sort of media do you use to do what the carbon does?

I do not use carbon at all. I used to, but after reading all the debates, I figure why chance it. I'm also not exactly sure what benifit carbon has except (reading directly from the label on Black Diamond premium activated carbon container), "removing odors, unsightly discoloration, and dissolved organic waste". I could be wrong, but I believe these can all be accomplished by good filtration, and regular, weekly water changes.
DonB

Carbon does effect amonia - it absorbs it but it can only absorb so much and then it lets it leach back out. Thats one of the problems with carbon
thats where the "dissolved organic waste". part fits in from the label dissolved organic wastes is what turns into amonia

Is Metholyne Blue a medication carbon'll remove? What else is effected by carbon

Carbon will/can supposely absorb almost any chemical or gas known but once it's full it'll spit it back out.


I guess the carbon could give a place for bacteria to live but a sponge in the same space as a filter insert would give more area for bacteria.
I don't really use carbon anymore either (unless I need to) but I often do large water changes.

I gave a friend of mine a little 10 gallon recently with a few tropical fish in it. He wants to put a carbon cartridge in the little Penguin filter that I gave him. He asked me if the carbon will remove water conditioner and I didn't know how to answer.
Does it?

I don't know about removing water conditioner, but to solve the problem just use a 5 gallon bucket to add the water to the tank and put the conditioner in the bucket stir it around then add it. This is what I do.
Also I've been told the carbon removes minerals out of the water that the fish find helpful. Thats a big reason I don't use carbon. Also carbon will mask a lot of the problems in a tank because it will remove the oder from the water. This is caused by high nitrates. If you maintane you tank you shouldn't have to use carbon. I also like to know when something is wrong so I can fix it.