Why Does Amano Always Use Active Carbon On His Tanks?

[Graeme Edwards]

I orderd 3 copies of the ADA journals off AE like WOW man

You wouldn't believe how much more Amano hints tips and techniques are in those journals, i am well impressed.

Any hoo!

Reading articles on specific tanks it gives a write up on how he goes about setting up the tank composition ect and gives far more stats with the layout than in the books, listing No2, No3 ect.

I keep seeing that he always uses Bio Rio and Carbon, why does he always use the carbon?
I was under the impression that carbon would neutralize the liquid ferts added.
Could it have something to do with his ADA brand of liquid ferts, is it that they dont get striped buy the carbon?

 

[anvil63]

Good question, could it be that since the step 1 ada ferts don't contain macros that it is ok to use carbon? I don't really know how effectively carbon adsorbs micros as opposed to macros.

Carl

 

[craynerd]

WOW! i didnt realise he did.....can anyone explain? I presume a-carbon will absorb both macros and micros surely? Does it not have a bash at the CO2 as well?



Chris

 

[high noon]

Not to hijack the thread. I don't know the answer to the question, but I've been doing alot of research on planted tanks and would appreciate a link on where the ADA journals can be ordered. Sounds like it would be a great resource.

 

[oldwhitewood]

The carbon is used in both the filter and the substrate, the substrate stuff is called Clear Super, not sure on exactly what that does substrate wise. In the past it has always been a combination of power sand, clear super and bacter 100 (dormant bacteria additive) but now with the Power Sand Special I suspect this is not used as much as the power sand special already has those two additives and represents better value for money.

The carbon in the filter is used first to absorb impurities etc, after it has been exhausted it is kept in the filter as the granuals will be colonised by bacteria and just serve as extra biological filtration. This is the case with the carbon offered by ADA and is dicussed in more detail in the english aquajournal 36 I think.

High Noon as you are in the US have you tried http/www.adgshop.com/Aqua_Journal_subscription_s/8.htm

 

[Graeme Edwards]

I haven't read 36 yet I'm on 33.

Interesting though OldWhite, i couldn't see that the subscription was in English or Japanese and Werther or not its a new subscription ( this year or as soon as you subscribe) or old back issues, or if it was available for people in the UK to subscribe.

I guess an email to ADG would be good way to find out.

 

[George Farmer]

ADA ferts are added daily I think, this ensure there's enough nutrients present even with carbon filtration. Personally I'd avoid carbon filtration, the plants are an excellent chemical filter. ADA advocate carbon I presume for more ££$$.

 

[Graeme Edwards]

Yeh that could be the case, was always on the understamding that if you dont remove carbon after say 2 weeks of use then anything it has filtered out will leach back into the tank.
I think using carbon in the first 2-3 weeks of set up will do the tank no harm at all.

Reading the Aquajournals in the stats next to example tanks, it says in nerly all that are listed that they get dosed with Brighty K and Grean brighty step: ( what ever number it might be) daily, it must cost a fortune on some of the larger tanks.

 

[oldwhitewood]

ADA state that the carbon does not leach back into the water and instead just adds more biological filtration. This might be a load of old rubbish but that is what it says.

 

[anvil63]

ADA state that the carbon does not leach back into the water and instead just adds more biological filtration. This might be a load of old rubbish but that is what it says.

From my research experience, that is absolute rubbish. Activated Carbon bonds to almost everything to a varying degree. It will release some substances to preferentially bind to another. I don't think the leeching is harmful though as it is a slow leaching of relatively benign chemicals, and old carbon does add a lot of surface area for nitrifying bacteria.

Carl

 

[oldwhitewood]

I'm just repeating what it says in the aquajournal I read so I dunno.