Activated Carbon

[newfishaddict]

Hi all,

Do you use activated carbon in your planted aquarium?

I have heard from a sales person at my LFS (their plant aquatic plant "expert") that he does not use carbon because it removes micro-nutrients required by plants...

Is this true?

What micronutrients specifically?

All comments appreciated.

 

[kenneth_kpe]

Yup ive been always reading that activated carbon removes trace nutrients... im not really sure but im guessing Fe....

 

[Dubby]

Its true that activated carbon removes trace nutirents. It removes these by trapping the molecules within the spaces created when the carbon is 'activated'. To understand which molecules will be trapped, possibly means understanding the size of these spaces and molecular sizes

 

[dgwebster]

would it not also depend upon the type of carbon? e.g. bone, coconut or coal?