Cycling A Tank With Or Without Carbon Filter?

[lon1000]

Hi,
i've just started to cycle my tank.. my question is should i put the carbon filter into the filter or not? its a rena filstar xp2 and it comes with a carbon type filter.. didn't know if it would affect the cycling or not?

thanks
chris

 

[Rooster]

Without... its going to be doing nothing !

 

[GRJ]

From what i was told, you really only need to use carbon when you have administered medication, the carbon removes it. You have to be carfull with carbon as after a while it will start to leech back into the tank water aparantly. GRJ

 

[lon1000]

hi,
ok thanks for the help.. i wonder why they include it with the filter? its the rena Bio-chem zorb filter media.. and they don't include anything useful like bio-chem stars or cermic rings?!

rgds
chris

 

[backtotropical]

It is included because it can be helpful in your filter. It will remove a lot of nasties from your water, and makes your water crystal clear. Lots of people dont rate it very highly, and only use it to remove medication. It wont do anything while you are cycling so leave it out. You could put it into the filter when you get your fish if you want to try it.

If you do use it, make sure you remove / change it after about 4 weeks as it can leach the nasties back into the water if it is left too long.

 

[three-fingers]

And what 'nasties' need to be removed using carbon? It's doing basically the same job as the biological media.

If your tap water is bad enough that you need to use carbon to remove the chemicals, you should be using different water in the first place, or filtering it using an RO unit or similar before making your fish swim through it...
Carbons really just there to make the filter companies money through replacement pads.

If you were to leave it in while cycling, your tank would go through a mini-cycle when you took it out, so certainly don't use it for now .

 

[backtotropical]

And what 'nasties' need to be removed using carbon? It's doing basically the same job as the biological media.

Not entirely true! The biological filtratiion converts ammonia and nitrite into nitrate and its function stops there. Activated carbon can absorb a variety of other impurities such as dissolved gases which are not desirable in an aquarium. It is especially useful for uncovered aquariums where the water is exposed to the air and it's impurities. Impurities don't all arive in the tank through the tap water.

I am aware that a lot of people share your views on carbon (that its useless), but i am not so sceptical. It may not be useful for everyone, but certainly has its uses IMO.

I do agree that it is marketed as 'essential' by some manufacturers and this is misleading.

 

[three-fingers]

Activated carbon can absorb a variety of other impurities such as dissolved gases which are not desirable in an aquarium. It is especially useful for uncovered aquariums where the water is exposed to the air and it's impurities. Impurities don't all arive in the tank through the tap water.

Comes back to the same thing, if you have an open top tank in an environment where it is exposed to enough 'impurities' that it's damaging the fish, the correct course of action is move the aquarium rather than add carbon to adsorb them. Carbon in your aquarium filter isn't exactly a reliable way for removing any impurities anyway...

Besides what are these 'impurities' anyway and why are they so bad for our aquariums?

The reason I hate carbon is the amount of people who end up going through mini-cycles and losing fish, or medicate with out taking it out. The fact that aquarium/filter manufacturers include it as a necessity leads to so many problems.

 

[backtotropical]

if you have an open top tank in an environment where it is exposed to enough 'impurities' that it's damaging the fish, the correct course of action is move the aquarium rather than add carbon to adsorb them.

I agree entirely, in an ideal world, but unfortunately it is not always practical to just move the aquarium. My point is that if any 'impurities' do arrive in the tank, through any means, carbon is a good way to remove them. ie. the reason it is used to remove medication.

It certainly doesn't do "basically the same job as the biological media".

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

The main usefulness of activated carbon in a freshwater tank (aside from removing medications) is the removal of Dissolved Organic Compounds (DOCs) like tannins and phenols. Tannins are that yellow color that leaches out of driftwood, but can also come from decaying waste, and phenols are what cause the "fishy smell". So if you are using driftwood you may want to use activated carbon to help keep the water looking clear, but otherwise you can most likely go without it. As for phenols...I don't use activated carbon in my filters, and even with a slightly overstocked tank it smells like a clean body of water so I think as long as reqular water changes take place, phenols should not be a major issue.

 

[Jonno]

will the carbon filter remove my plant fertalizer?

 

[iihay]

The main usefulness of activated carbon in a freshwater tank (aside from removing medications) is the removal of Dissolved Organic Compounds (DOCs) like tannins and phenols. Tannins are that yellow color that leaches out of driftwood, but can also come from decaying waste, and phenols are what cause the "fishy smell". So if you are using driftwood you may want to use activated carbon to help keep the water looking clear, but otherwise you can most likely go without it. As for phenols...I don't use activated carbon in my filters, and even with a slightly overstocked tank it smells like a clean body of water so I think as long as reqular water changes take place, phenols should not be a major issue.

I agree except phenol doesn't have a "fishy smell", more like tar. Amines cause the fishy smell and are likely from decomp.

My tank is still new but I don't use a carbon filter. From a chemistry perspective I agree totally the dilution effect from a regular water change should be enough for these unless you have a lot of wood. I would be inclined to stick it in to clear meds or perhaps for a couple of weeks every few months. Certainly not worth following the manufacturers guidelines!

Cheers

Iain

 

[Bungy]

I have just finished cycling a 377L tank where my carbon filters remained in the my external Fluval 405 throughout as nobody said otherwise - and the stats are finally looking good after approx 5 weeks. I have however just added some meds to clear up whitespot however on advice I did remove the carbon bags (4 of them) prior to putting in the meds. Are you saying that as a result I may expect to see a mini-cycle and perhaps end up with sick or dead fish.....?