My New Tank

[Ian1357]

Just a quick resume. After a 40 year hiatus I am going to set up a 36 gallon Bow front tank with guppies. I have decided on some things but as yet nothing is set in stone. Well apart from the tank.
Substrate, Pool filter sand.
Wood and pebble type rocks and planted as heavily as wallet will allow.
I have at present an un used topfin HOB filter PF40. Which has a carbon cassette. This raises a question, I recently read on the internet, dangerious I know, that the carbon filter will remove nutrients benifical to plant growth, is this true?
However I am seriously thinking of going with something like an Aquaclear 70 and leaving out the activated carbon. Is this a wise move?
BTW any advice will be greatfully recieved.

 

[Back in the fold]

Carbon seems to be out of style these days . Years ago I used it in box filters and hang on back ( HOB ) power filters all the time . I still think it has benefits because of its ability to remove chemicals from the water . City water systems use chlorine and or chloramine and city water plants don’t filter out everything that’s harmful , just the worst of it to make it drinkable . Fish live in it and are affected by the things , like copper and lead among other things , that we larger organisms are told are okay for us in small amounts . I don’t believe it . Someone will inevitably post a reply saying that dechlorinators and Seachem type products neutralize the chlorine and chloramine and make it safe . I only believe that to a certain degree . Using one chemical to kill another chemical still leaves something behind that the fish have to live with and carbon can fix that and make your water as good as it can be without going to reverse osmosis water that you remineralize . I don’t think carbon will remove any necessary plant nutrients and if it does the fish and their byproducts will more than make up for it . This is just my personal opinion and not scientific at all . I’m not a scientist , I’m just a guy who’s kept tropical fish since 1965 and has very few unexplained and untimely fish deaths . End of rant .
I like that you are going with a large aquarium for your guppies . They will thrive and look better for you in it . I like guppies and my twenty gallon full of them is my favorite aquarium . Guppies are just so fun to watch and they do well in spite of people who don’t lavish a lot of attention on them . They’re a great choice for anyone but especially for new people .
Forty years away from the hobby ? You will surprise yourself with what you remember and you will enjoy your new aquarium .
As far as plants go be sure not to neglect floating plants . The sure to appear young will need that . I like hornwort as it is very easy to grow but water sprite as a floater is nice too .
Yes ! Reading the internet is dangerous . You will find that your instincts will serve you better .
Be sure and post of a picture of your new aquarium . I will watch for it .

 

[Ian1357]

Carbon seems to be out of style these days . Years ago I used it in box filters and hang on back ( HOB ) power filters all the time . I still think it has benefits because of its ability to remove chemicals from the water . City water systems use chlorine and or chloramine and city water plants don’t filter out everything that’s harmful , just the worst of it to make it drinkable . Fish live in it and are affected by the things , like copper and lead among other things , that we larger organisms are told are okay for us in small amounts . I don’t believe it . Someone will inevitably post a reply saying that dechlorinators and Seachem type products neutralize the chlorine and chloramine and make it safe . I only believe that to a certain degree . Using one chemical to kill another chemical still leaves something behind that the fish have to live with and carbon can fix that and make your water as good as it can be without going to reverse osmosis water that you remineralize . I don’t think carbon will remove any necessary plant nutrients and if it does the fish and their byproducts will more than make up for it . This is just my personal opinion and not scientific at all . I’m not a scientist , I’m just a guy who’s kept tropical fish since 1965 and has very few unexplained and untimely fish deaths . End of rant .
I like that you are going with a large aquarium for your guppies . They will thrive and look better for you in it . I like guppies and my twenty gallon full of them is my favorite aquarium . Guppies are just so fun to watch and they do well in spite of people who don’t lavish a lot of attention on them . They’re a great choice for anyone but especially for new people .
Forty years away from the hobby ? You will surprise yourself with what you remember and you will enjoy your new aquarium .
As far as plants go be sure not to neglect floating plants . The sure to appear young will need that . I like hornwort as it is very easy to grow but water sprite as a floater is nice too .
Yes ! Reading the internet is dangerous . You will find that your instincts will serve you better .
Be sure and post of a picture of your new aquarium . I will watch for it .

Thank you.

 

[gwand]

I think carbon has a role in our hobby. Following a water change after the tank was treated with medication, carbon will bind up any excess medication. It is a terrific absorbent. If your tank water starts to smell and a water exchange doesn’t help, carbon will take care of that. Carbon binds to steroid hormones which accumulate in crowded tanks and may effect the well being of the fish population. Carbon binds chemicals from poop breakdown that are precursors to ammonia production. So yet another helpful use. Less ammonia precursors, less ammonia accumulation. But there are other ways to handle each of these problems. So it is not essential.

 

[Back in the fold]

Another benefit to carbon is its water polishing effect . Carbon filtered water has a sparkle to it . A trick most have never heard of is this - boil your carbon to renew its absorption properties .