Carbon Removal Before Adding Treatments

[twiggy636]

Hi I am just setting a new upgraded tank I have bought, but someone.has told me to remove the carbon out.of my fluval 305 filter before adding the tap safe treatments etc as the carbon takes out a.lot of the stuff needed to make safe! Is this correct or do I just add treatments etc?? Look forward to your reply thanks....martin

 

[carpking]

as far as im aware carbon will remove meds etc not sure about water conditioner

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I would suggest removing the carbon and holding on to it in case you need to remove the meds.  No sense in having the carbon in the filter until its needed.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Agreed with Eagles, carbon is basically used for removing metals and meds in tank water, however these carbons only last a few weeks then just becomes essentially useless.  

 
So hang on to the carbon and have it handy should you (touch wood you won't ever need it!) need it when finished medicating your tank stock as this would remove the leftover meds in tank water.
 
You can add another piece of filter media sponge or floss in the empty carbon slot in the filter. 

 

[dave840f1]

Ch4rlie just to say don't last just a few weeks then are useless. When carbon stops absorbing elements from the water take it out of the filter and boil it in a stainless steel pan for a while and it becomes usable again.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Ch4rlie just to say don't last just a few weeks then are useless. When carbon stops absorbing elements from the water take it out of the filter and boil it in a stainless steel pan for a while and it becomes usable again.

 
Ok, first I've heard of that to be honest.
 
Most folks on this forum have said that once active carbon has been spent then does become pretty much useless, makes a fairly decent home for bacteria if anything.
 
Once carbon loses its quality, during water changes, it will leach out back into the tank the meds or metals it had collected over the previous period of time.
 
So boiling it might do something, I dunno, but reckon it might be better to preserve the unused carbon for when its needed and just fill in the empty filter carbon slot with filter media.

 

[dave840f1]

I don't keep carbon in filter all the time only when required because I have peat in the filter to keep the PH stable.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Ch4rlie just to say don't last just a few weeks then are useless. When carbon stops absorbing elements from the water take it out of the filter and boil it in a stainless steel pan for a while and it becomes usable again.

 
 
Just a point of order, carbon "aDsorbs" it doesn't "aBsorb".
 
 
For anyone who doesn't know the difference it would be worth a google.

 

[dave840f1]

adsor'|b v.t. (Of solid) hold (particles of another substance) to it's surface; ~ption n. [AD-,ABSORB] ENGLISH OXFORD DICTIONARY.
I don't have to Google.

 

[ShinySideUp]

 

Ch4rlie just to say don't last just a few weeks then are useless. When carbon stops absorbing elements from the water take it out of the filter and boil it in a stainless steel pan for a while and it becomes usable again.

 
 
Just a point of order, carbon "aDsorbs" it doesn't "aBsorb".
 
 
For anyone who doesn't know the difference it would be worth a google.
 

 
Thanks for that little snippet, I did not know that. Although TBH, absorb, while not technically correct, will probably do for most discussions outside the chemistry lab.
 
I can't see why boiling the carbon will remove the impurities it has adsorbed (see what I did there?), if anything I might have thought that heating it up might even increase it's capability to ad(b)sorb impurities.

 

[dave840f1]

I have to say it probably only works once or twice. I have to say I did get this info off another Forum a few years ago and I have tried it and it did take out the copper from the water that I had been treating. You do have to take the carbon out of the water while it is still boiling so that it does not read(b)sorb the impurities. On a personal note I think if we were friends I think we would get on great as our sense of humor is the same.!!
If ever you come to Cyprus you must visit me.