Carbon...

[Paradise3]

So how often should carbon actually be changed? I've read anywhere from monthly to yearly!

I've been changing mine every couple of months so far and just wondering if maybe that's too often?
 
I'm only using it because I have wood in the tank which is still leaching tannins despite being in a tank before mine and being in my tank for months now... It's not even a large amount of wood!

 

[Byron]

Carbon adsorbs (rather than absorbs) substances and at some point, which depends upon the level of the substances and the amount of carbon, its capacity to adsorb is exhausted.  This is when you would replace it, if you still need/want the substances to be removed.  I have never come across any guidelines for this, but if they exist I'm sure someone will post.
 
I don't use carbon in any of my tanks because they are all planted and carbon does remove useful and vital plant nutrients, not least of which dissolved organic carbon.  I know tannins is your issue, and personally I would just leave them.  Each water change will remove some of them, so increasing these may get the job done faster.  Some wood is worse for tannins than others.  Tannins are harmless to fish and invertebrates and plants, and beneficial to many soft water fish, so I wouldn't worry about them.
 
Byron.

 

[star4]

This is a "how long is a piece of string" question. Carbon is only affective until its adsorption properties are used up and there is no real way of telling when this is. For clearing tannins then yes every couple of months you would need to change it, if there is lots of wood then even every couple of weeks.

 

[Paradise3]

I've removed the carbon for now as I actually need the tannins from an IAL for a few nips and tears. I usually don't mind tannins and find them beneficial and will leave them. The problem was this was getting to the point of not being able to see properly and it was becoming detrimental to my plants because light was being dimmed. As for "A lot of wood" - It's really not This is the whole amount of wood in the tank. In fact, below is a picture of the tank itself too. You'll have to excuse the state of the tank right now. As I said, a lot of my plants suffered from the tannins in the wood(I tried to keep it for a while and then had to do something) and I have recently had to get rid of BBA. I have more plants coming tomorrow or Saturday to fill it out a bit and a black background is definitely in order at some point... Tank is 2ft long, second hand hence the background...

I'm tempted to stop using carbon to see if it will get better on it's own, as I say I like tannins... Just not when they start killing my plants. I also do weekly waterchanges of about 20-25%. That wood has been in my fiancé's tank before mine and then it's been in mine since I got the tank which was..... About 2 months a go. It's redmoor.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

If you are dealing with tannins, then there is a large amount of 'chemicals' that would need to be adsorbed.  So, the frequency you need to change the carbon will be much higher.  The timing for that, unfortunately, is completely a matter of guessing.  
 
 
Here's a resource on the benefits of carbon, and recommendations on its use in the aquarium.
http/www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/library-presentations/aquarium-hobby/activated-carbon
 
I'll highlight a few things:
1 - be sure to have good mechanical filtration BEFORE the carbon, so that it does not become clogged.
2 - rinse the carbon weekly in tap water (no fears here, since you are changing it frequently, you aren't relying on it for biofiltration)
3 - change it every 2-3 weeks for 'heavy use'.  I'd suggest your use is heavy.
 
 
But, I love tannins.  (As do you as well, apparently, seeing your recent post)
 
I'd suggest not relying on the carbon to remove the tannins, and maybe just boosting your water change frequency or amount.  As I see it, changing the water twice a week, or 50% weekly (whichever works for you) is a much cheaper method of removing the tannins.  And you can use the old tank water on house plants or the garden (when the weather turns nice again).   You get a double benefit from using the water change method, rather than the carbon.  Probably a triple benefit, as I believe fish also benefit from large water changes, rather than the smaller ones.   

 

[Paradise3]

If you are dealing with tannins, then there is a large amount of 'chemicals' that would need to be adsorbed.  So, the frequency you need to change the carbon will be much higher.  The timing for that, unfortunately, is completely a matter of guessing.  
 
 
Here's a resource on the benefits of carbon, and recommendations on its use in the aquarium.
http/www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/library-presentations/aquarium-hobby/activated-carbon
 
I'll highlight a few things:
1 - be sure to have good mechanical filtration BEFORE the carbon, so that it does not become clogged.
2 - rinse the carbon weekly in tap water (no fears here, since you are changing it frequently, you aren't relying on it for biofiltration)
3 - change it every 2-3 weeks for 'heavy use'.  I'd suggest your use is heavy.
 
 
But, I love tannins.  (As do you as well, apparently, seeing your recent post)
 
I'd suggest not relying on the carbon to remove the tannins, and maybe just boosting your water change frequency or amount.  As I see it, changing the water twice a week, or 50% weekly (whichever works for you) is a much cheaper method of removing the tannins.  And you can use the old tank water on house plants or the garden (when the weather turns nice again).   You get a double benefit from using the water change method, rather than the carbon.  Probably a triple benefit, as I believe fish also benefit from large water changes, rather than the smaller ones.   

 
Will try boosting my waterchange regime to twice weekly.
The tank isn't too bad tonight as it's only tonight that I took the carbon out. By tomorrow I'm expecting the tank to be a light shade of brown, by the end of the week probably a very dark shade of brown. Though I think the wood is starting to ease up now, but I have a decent sized IAL in there now as can be seen XD
 
Oh the endless cycle - Hopefully it'll settle down now, not putting carbon back in after having it confirmed that it does take out the helpful plant nutrients. I wasn't sure if it did or not and couldn't find a conclusive answer. I assumed it did but obviously some things break the rules lol.

 

[Byron]

That's quite nice.  On the black background, the least expensive is plain black construction paper that you can buy in an art or crafts store.  Just cut and tape (if necessary) to fit the back.  I use this on all my smaller tanks (up to three feet).  The back is not really visible, so it adds depth, and the plants and fish stand out nicely.
 
I would also suggest increasing the volume of your water changes, to half the tank.  Once a week, or twice for a time if you decide to, is fine.  I've found over many years of doing this that not only the fish but the plants too seem to like it.
 
Byron.

 

[Paradise3]

That's quite nice.  On the black background, the least expensive is plain black construction paper that you can buy in an art or crafts store.  Just cut and tape (if necessary) to fit the back.  I use this on all my smaller tanks (up to three feet).  The back is not really visible, so it adds depth, and the plants and fish stand out nicely.
 
I would also suggest increasing the volume of your water changes, to half the tank.  Once a week, or twice for a time if you decide to, is fine.  I've found over many years of doing this that not only the fish but the plants too seem to like it.
 
Byron.

 
Thanks, just needs filling out with plants now. Yeah, I was planning that with the background

A 50% waterchange would be doable but I'd have to try and work it around other stuff(as I already do but it would take longer obviously) so will have to gradually increase so I can get it done properly

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Rooibos tea will be more helpful to your fish than catappas. I have both and use the rooibos as a mild med at times. If you have serious fin rot it will often require an anitiobiotic.
 
Here is most of what appears in my rooibos handout:
 

• [SIZE=12pt]Is beneficial for fish, 100% caffeine and tannin free and you can drink it too.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=12pt]Will stain water like peat, almond leaves or alder cones and can be used with them.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=12pt]Will not soften water or lower pH. It is more likely to bump pH up by 0.1. [/SIZE]
• [SIZE=12pt]Can be brewed like tea and poured into the water or can be put into a bag in one’s filter. Once brewed it can be stored refrigerated for about a week.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=12pt]When brewing, allow it to boil for a bit after the tea is added to the hot water.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=12pt]It is hard to overdose. Start with about 1 rounded tablespoon per 10 gal. (38 L) of water and adjust from there to find the color you like.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=12pt]Buying Rooibos helps to support the local farmers in South Africa.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Rooibos tea (meaning red bush in Afrikaans and pronounced roy + boss) has nothing to do with traditional tea, which comes from the Chinese plant Camellia sinensis in the family Rosaceae. Rooibos comes from the plant, Aspalathus linearis, a legume in the family Fabaceae- it is related to peas and beans. The bush is more like a broom than a bush. The top of the bush is cut off, dried and oxidized before packing in tea bags or sold as loose tea.[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=12pt]Wikipedia (at [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]http/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooibos[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt])[/SIZE] [SIZE=12pt]states:[/SIZE]
 
Rooibos is becoming more popular in Western countries, particularly among health-conscious consumers, due to its high level of antioxidants such as aspalathin and nothofagin, its lack of caffeine, and its low tannin levels compared to fully oxidized black tea or unoxidized green tea leaves. Rooibos also contains a number of phenolic compounds, including flavanols, flavones, flavanones, and dihydrochalcones.
 
[SIZE=12pt]For fish keeping we are interested in the plant phenolic compounds that act as antioxidants and also as antibacterials (it won’t harm filters). This is similar to the humic acids found in natural “tea” stained water. Oak leaves contain a lot of the plant phenolic quercetin (from the Latin name for the oak tree, Quercus robur) and rooibos also contains some quercetin plus the compound aspalathin, which is closely related to quercetin. [/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=12pt]Research at the University of Stellenbosch shows that rooibos also has natural stress relieving properties.[/SIZE]

 

[Paradise3]

It's not fin rot Just a few nips, the IAL is all I have right now and I've had good results from it in the past. Currently I have no spare cash to get some Rooibos tea but will remember that in future to try it out in future if needs be