What Is Wrong With Carbon?

[nukeonekitty]

I agree bud, show some respect for fellow fish lovers! We are all here for the same reason!

 

[DazedNCoNfUsEd]

Just curious, do you think lighting insence in my room would hurt my tank? You know you gotta set the mood! Fish tank AND insence is basically taking the girls clothes off for you hahaha

LOL. Thats awesome, I had the insence going back when I was single but unfortunately didn't get in to fish till after I got married.

 

[xoedusk]

Just curious, do you think lighting insence in my room would hurt my tank? You know you gotta set the mood! Fish tank AND insence is basically taking the girls clothes off for you hahaha

I'd say watch your fish. If not affecting them, you're okay.

 

[raptorrex]

Just curious, do you think lighting insence in my room would hurt my tank? You know you gotta set the mood! Fish tank AND insence is basically taking the girls clothes off for you hahaha

I'd say watch your fish. If not affecting them, you're okay.

lol i dont think he will have much time to look at his fish if that works.

 

[nukeonekitty]

 

[xoedusk]

Heh, oh yeah.

 

[Kuhni]

seeing as a few people here seem to know their stuff about carbon.

I was just wondering does carbon negate the effects of peat?

 

[AlphaBetta]

Quick question, how does carbon "remove" anything? Until you take the carbon out it is still in the system, just tied up in the carbon. Once you remove the carbon it will take out whatever is tied up on/in it.

Carbon isolates substances out of the water circulation loop on a continual basis. These substances are completely removed when the carbon is replaced which is a "required" every few weeks. If you're the irresponsible/lazy type, don't use carbon.

However, carbon will only adsorb things that it will adsorb. There will be other things it will not touch.

That was already addressed on page 1. As mentioned it does not eliminate the need for water changes to remove nitrate etc.

A water change is indiscriminate. If you do a 50% water change then (provided there are no pollutants in the new water) you know you have removed 50% of the pollutants in the water. Water changes are the BEST form of waste disposal. I woul feel far heppier setting up a system that has a huge amnount of water changed a day (barring the consciene on using upsuch a huge amount of water in a day) than any filter as it gets rid of all pollutants.

Yes water changes are good as has already been mentioned but carbon still has advantages. The only way to mitigate these advantages is if you do large water changes on a daily basis. Why do you think most people use carbon to remove medications instead of just doing large water changes?

What else can you need to remove from the water that water changes cant do, without the dangers? The only claims proponents of carbon filtration ever make is the clarity of their water, i have never heard of any other beneficial claims. this is indeed true, but the same effect can be achieved, with a combination of over filtration, and regular water changes. given the potential dangers, with carbon, being safe is better than having to relate the death of some fish, on the forum.

This was already mentioned on page 1. In my house the air freshener is on 24/7, the carbon keeps those perfumes/chemicals out of the aquarium water. That's just one example. Other examples are people who smoke. Water changes alone cannot accomplish this in those situations unless you do huge water changes on a daily basis.

 

[d3tained]

Hi all.

I would say teh only reason NOT to use carbon is if you have a planted tank or if you cannot afford it, otherwise carbon is good.

 

[andywg]

Yes water changes are good as has already been mentioned but carbon still has advantages. The only way to mitigate these advantages is if you do large water changes on a daily basis. Why do you think most people use carbon to remove medications instead of just doing large water changes?

Do most people use carbon? I don't know. I have never seen a poll of any sorts that asks the question

In my house the air freshener is on 24/7, the carbon keeps those perfumes/chemicals out of the aquarium water. That's just one example. Other examples are people who smoke. Water changes alone cannot accomplish this in those situations unless you do huge water changes on a daily basis.

How does carbon keep them out of the water? Do you mean to say that they are still there, just not reacting with the fish (you hope)? How do you know that the carbon will deal with the perfumes and chemicals before other organic compounds in the water?

As to smoking, I know of plenty of aquarists who have seen no ill effects from smoking near their fish despite . I don't see CFC with carbon in his filters yet I do know that both he and I have smoked while watching his rays feed.

If you are pumping that many chemicals into the air that a 20% per week water change cannot handle it then I would be inclined to believe that the carbon won't either, unless replaced very often (daily going by the sources posted earlier in this thread).

I would be interested to see some actual science on exactly what carbon does and does not remove from the water and what the order of preference is together with information on how long it is actually effective for. We know it does not have any effect on chlorine, so there are likely to be a number of other chemiclas, elements and compounds which it does not have an effect on.

 

[Underwurlde]

If you're the irresponsible/lazy type, don't use carbon.

You what?

 

[raptorrex]

Quick question, how does carbon "remove" anything? Until you take the carbon out it is still in the system, just tied up in the carbon. Once you remove the carbon it will take out whatever is tied up on/in it.

Carbon isolates substances out of the water circulation loop on a continual basis. These substances are completely removed when the carbon is replaced which is a "required" every few weeks. If you're the irresponsible/lazy type, don't use carbon.

However, carbon will only adsorb things that it will adsorb. There will be other things it will not touch.

That was already addressed on page 1. As mentioned it does not eliminate the need for water changes to remove nitrate etc.

A water change is indiscriminate. If you do a 50% water change then (provided there are no pollutants in the new water) you know you have removed 50% of the pollutants in the water. Water changes are the BEST form of waste disposal. I woul feel far heppier setting up a system that has a huge amnount of water changed a day (barring the consciene on using upsuch a huge amount of water in a day) than any filter as it gets rid of all pollutants.

Yes water changes are good as has already been mentioned but carbon still has advantages. The only way to mitigate these advantages is if you do large water changes on a daily basis. Why do you think most people use carbon to remove medications instead of just doing large water changes?

What else can you need to remove from the water that water changes cant do, without the dangers? The only claims proponents of carbon filtration ever make is the clarity of their water, i have never heard of any other beneficial claims. this is indeed true, but the same effect can be achieved, with a combination of over filtration, and regular water changes. given the potential dangers, with carbon, being safe is better than having to relate the death of some fish, on the forum.

This was already mentioned on page 1. In my house the air freshener is on 24/7, the carbon keeps those perfumes/chemicals out of the aquarium water. That's just one example. Other examples are people who smoke. Water changes alone cannot accomplish this in those situations unless you do huge water changes on a daily basis.

lol we are back to ish again, last things first, your house air cleaner, can have little to do with your aquarium!!!! I use one too but that is for my little girls chest, and to keep the furniture and décor clean. the relationship between carbon working in air and underwater, is mute, indeed the processes are quite different, IMO.

though there are proponents of carbon filtration, a little research will find that carbon is not used by the majority of, experienced keepers, the Fish Greek, true it is placed in many filters as you buy them, but like changing your sponges every few months, has more to do with retail profits than good fish keeping practice.

I have said that there is a place for carbon in an aquarium. but long term use is probably not one of them. true it does some of the things you claim, but it also removes vital trace elements from your water!!! some if not most can not be replaced by water changes alone.

I will post some links to try and answer "andywg" but skimming through them one thing becomes clear, if you do use carbon, it will not work well in an ordinary filter set up, you need to drastically reduce water flow for carbon to become anything like effective.

http/www.agr.gc.ca/pfra/flash/filtration...rationtxt_e.htm

http/www.oscarfish.com/cms_view_article.php?aid=606

http/www.aquariumsecrets.com/aquarium_filters.htm

http/www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_chemical.php

If you're the irresponsible/lazy type, don't use carbon.

perhaps a more informed and less childish attitude would serve you better.

 

[andywg]

Some interesting posts, though sadly none actually refer to any science papers dealing with what carbon will adsorb first and over what period and how much.

 

[Squid]

Just curious, do you think lighting insence in my room would hurt my tank? You know you gotta set the mood! Fish tank AND insence is basically taking the girls clothes off for you hahaha

I'd say watch your fish. If not affecting them, you're okay.

Definately keep an eye on it. We bought (ehem.. i meant the missus) a scented candle for the lounge. On the packet it gave a warning about using it in a room with aquatic life. Anything in the air can get into the tank. After all, thats how some of the beneficial bacteria got there in the first place, so why not the bad stuff.

Just my 2p anyway on the "lady" factor mentioned earlier..!

Squid

 

[battersby81]

ok now my head hurts!
I have a fish r fun 90l aquarium that comes with a built in filter that uses bio tube thingies, carbon and what looks like a really crap sponge.

It has 3 compartments, bio things either side of a big bit with carbon and sponge. stupidly i thought a filter was just a filter!

Can i change these for something else? like the carbon for example, swap it for sponges or something? Oh god i am soooo new to this, thought i'd done my research but....