Carbon And Salt

[fry_lover]

if i use carbon in a filter for 24 hours to clear some tannins in my Molly Brackish Set-Up will the carbon interfere with my salinity levels (remove any salt)??? thanks

 

[nmonks]

No, carbon doesn't affect salinity.

Be sure and remove the carbon when you're done (esp. if you add any medications).

Cheers,

Neale

 

[kanzaris]

No, carbon doesn't affect salinity.

Be sure and remove the carbon when you're done (esp. if you add any medications).

Cheers,

Neale

Hi
I am getting a bit worried reading this. I did put carbon in my external filter last weekend to clear my tannins. As the piece of wood I have in my tank is huge I have left the carbon in the filter. It has helped a little bit but now it is getting darker again. Someone told me that as bigger the wood as longer it takes to clear the tannins. Should I take the carbon out ?

Sabby

 

[nmonks]

I'm just not a big fan of carbon. It doesn't do anything particularly useful. It interferes with the work of medications so needs to be removed before treatment, and each batch of carbon will only work for a couple of weeks before it needs to be replaced.

If you have a big lump of bogwood, it's going to be leaking tannins out for months, if not years. In a brackish aquarium the hardness of the water, plus regular water changes, will prevent any significant change in pH unless you have masses and masses of bogwood in there. If we're talking two or three bits, then don't worry about it. The fish couldn't care less about the tannins, and in fact the coloured water will be much more like a real estuary than otherwise.

Cheers,

Neale

I am getting a bit worried reading this. I did put carbon in my external filter last weekend to clear my tannins. As the piece of wood I have in my tank is huge I have left the carbon in the filter. It has helped a little bit but now it is getting darker again. Someone told me that as bigger the wood as longer it takes to clear the tannins. Should I take the carbon out ?

 

[kanzaris]

I'm just not a big fan of carbon. It doesn't do anything particularly useful. It interferes with the work of medications so needs to be removed before treatment, and each batch of carbon will only work for a couple of weeks before it needs to be replaced.

If you have a big lump of bogwood, it's going to be leaking tannins out for months, if not years. In a brackish aquarium the hardness of the water, plus regular water changes, will prevent any significant change in pH unless you have masses and masses of bogwood in there. If we're talking two or three bits, then don't worry about it. The fish couldn't care less about the tannins, and in fact the coloured water will be much more like a real estuary than otherwise.

Cheers,

Neale

I am getting a bit worried reading this. I did put carbon in my external filter last weekend to clear my tannins. As the piece of wood I have in my tank is huge I have left the carbon in the filter. It has helped a little bit but now it is getting darker again. Someone told me that as bigger the wood as longer it takes to clear the tannins. Should I take the carbon out ?

Hi Neale

It is Mangrove Swamp Wood. Has that got the same effect then Bog Wood ? I tested the the ph and it's about 8.

Thanks

Sabby

 

[nmonks]

Unless the pH drops to below 7.5, I wouldn't worry about it. Brackish water is so hard and well buffered, it takes a lot of wood to acidify it. Assuming you're doing a water change every 1-2 weeks, you should be fine. Check the pH is the fish start acting loopy for no reason, but I've used bogwood in brackish tanks many times and never seen problems.

Cheers,

Neale

It is Mangrove Swamp Wood. Has that got the same effect then Bog Wood ? I tested the the ph and it's about 8.