Another Carbon Question

[Lolly123]

Hi all,

So ive setup my new 250l tank, it has an external 1000L/H and im also running the internal thats meant to turn over 900L/H. Ive got java moss, java fern and some dwarf sag on the way which should be here by tomorrow/weds.

Ive got quite a big sack or carbon in both filters because the water is quite foggy still due to the black gravel and I want it cleared, hence the carbon.

My questions is, as i've read different opinions...will the carbon suck up my tpn+ and flourish excel if i leave it in after the tank has cleared? I dont want the money ive spent on those to get wasted and affect my plants.

Thanks alot.

 

[roadmaster]

Hi all,

So ive setup my new 250l tank, it has an external 1000L/H and im also running the internal thats meant to turn over 900L/H. Ive got java moss, java fern and some dwarf sag on the way which should be here by tomorrow/weds.

Ive got quite a big sack or carbon in both filters because the water is quite foggy still due to the black gravel and I want it cleared, hence the carbon.

My questions is, as i've read different opinions...will the carbon suck up my tpn+ and flourish excel if i leave it in after the tank has cleared? I dont want the money ive spent on those to get wasted and affect my plants.

Thanks alot.

In the future,,rinsing the gravel real good before placing it in the aquarium will help keep clouding to a minimum.
I would remove the carbon once the tank has cleared.
Carbon could remove Iron that may be present in fertilizer and that plant's need.

 

[aaronnorth]

Hi all,

So ive setup my new 250l tank, it has an external 1000L/H and im also running the internal thats meant to turn over 900L/H. Ive got java moss, java fern and some dwarf sag on the way which should be here by tomorrow/weds.

Ive got quite a big sack or carbon in both filters because the water is quite foggy still due to the black gravel and I want it cleared, hence the carbon.

My questions is, as i've read different opinions...will the carbon suck up my tpn+ and flourish excel if i leave it in after the tank has cleared? I dont want the money ive spent on those to get wasted and affect my plants.

Thanks alot.

Only neglible amounts, and once the carbon becomes saturated it will not adsorb any more and it ebcomes an excellent breeding ground for bacteria due to the high surface area - leave it in, I do.

Thanks, Aaron

 

[pauld]

Hi all,

So ive setup my new 250l tank, it has an external 1000L/H and im also running the internal thats meant to turn over 900L/H. Ive got java moss, java fern and some dwarf sag on the way which should be here by tomorrow/weds.

Ive got quite a big sack or carbon in both filters because the water is quite foggy still due to the black gravel and I want it cleared, hence the carbon.

My questions is, as i've read different opinions...will the carbon suck up my tpn+ and flourish excel if i leave it in after the tank has cleared? I dont want the money ive spent on those to get wasted and affect my plants.

Thanks alot.

Only neglible amounts, and once the carbon becomes saturated it will not adsorb any more and it ebcomes an excellent breeding ground for bacteria due to the high surface area - leave it in, I do.

Thanks, Aaron

throw it out after the tank has cleared more media in a filter reduces flow , i see your running two filters i use one for biologal and one for mechanical filtration , i do this to minimize the contents of the filter to maximise flow .

 

[Lolly123]

Thanks for replies, for ease i could leave it in, but ill see how it goes once all the plants are in, i'll prob take out one and leave one sack in.

Cheers.

 

[aaronnorth]

Hi all,

So ive setup my new 250l tank, it has an external 1000L/H and im also running the internal thats meant to turn over 900L/H. Ive got java moss, java fern and some dwarf sag on the way which should be here by tomorrow/weds.

Ive got quite a big sack or carbon in both filters because the water is quite foggy still due to the black gravel and I want it cleared, hence the carbon.

My questions is, as i've read different opinions...will the carbon suck up my tpn+ and flourish excel if i leave it in after the tank has cleared? I dont want the money ive spent on those to get wasted and affect my plants.

Thanks alot.

Only neglible amounts, and once the carbon becomes saturated it will not adsorb any more and it ebcomes an excellent breeding ground for bacteria due to the high surface area - leave it in, I do.

Thanks, Aaron

throw it out after the tank has cleared more media in a filter reduces flow , i see your running two filters i use one for biologal and one for mechanical filtration , i do this to minimize the contents of the filter to maximise flow .

IME I can't say I have seen a difference (in terms of plant health/ algae) from leaving carbon in, but each to their own
Thanks, Aaron

 

[pauld]

Hi all,

So ive setup my new 250l tank, it has an external 1000L/H and im also running the internal thats meant to turn over 900L/H. Ive got java moss, java fern and some dwarf sag on the way which should be here by tomorrow/weds.

Ive got quite a big sack or carbon in both filters because the water is quite foggy still due to the black gravel and I want it cleared, hence the carbon.

My questions is, as i've read different opinions...will the carbon suck up my tpn+ and flourish excel if i leave it in after the tank has cleared? I dont want the money ive spent on those to get wasted and affect my plants.

Thanks alot.

Only neglible amounts, and once the carbon becomes saturated it will not adsorb any more and it ebcomes an excellent breeding ground for bacteria due to the high surface area - leave it in, I do.

Thanks, Aaron

throw it out after the tank has cleared more media in a filter reduces flow , i see your running two filters i use one for biologal and one for mechanical filtration , i do this to minimize the contents of the filter to maximise flow .

IME I can't say I have seen a difference (in terms of plant health/ algae) from leaving carbon in, but each to their own
Thanks, Aaron

throw it all out filters you wont regret it lol

 

[aaronnorth]

throw it all out filters you wont regret it lol

I didn't even use it years ago, as I was told it would leach the toxins back into the water after a few days & it adsorbed the majority of the plant nutrients.
Once I actually saw some evidence against this, I have just left it in for the bacteria to breed on, can't say I have seen any difference when it was out, so I won't be removing it.

I can only assume you have seen significant benefits while its removed?
In my current tank I do have a powerhead though so it is like having one filter with it in, and one without, like the OP intends to do. I didn't on my old tank though, and that had carbon & purigen in, as I got bored of regenerating the purigen all the time lol

Thanks, Aaron

 

[Lolly123]

This is my first real go at planted, my tanks in the past have all been useless when it comes to plants, because i didnt know what i needed to do.

Now with a better idea I am hoping that I can atleast grow some moss and java fern Id like to go co2 but for now thats not an option.

Ive taken one bag of carbon out and left one in so we'll see in the coming weeks how my plants will do. Im sure the carbon wont make a huge difference, if my plants die im sure its something im doing wrong and not the carbons fault lol.