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Mr.Trips
03-06-2003, 07:02 PM
Ok someone tell me again, why not to use Carbon, or that White stuff to get rid of Amonia?

I am using 2 Magnum 250's with Biowheels, and using carbon in the filter housing with the prefilter.

The tank is 75 Gallons, and I do weekly water changes, I change the carbon once a month. Have had no problems with my fish, but am I asking for trouble?

Thanks!

Fisheyes
03-06-2003, 07:36 PM
The thought is that after a short time the carbon leaches back into the tank the stuff that it extracts only now it worse.
Personaly I do not use it for disc but always have it for my other fish
I like you am just going on more experianced suggestions
Ken

Ardan
03-06-2003, 10:17 PM
Hi,
Here is a good article that addresses some of the carbon thoughts/issues.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=1122

hth

The white stuff to get rid of ammonia may inhibit beneficial bacteria from growing (it locks up the ammonia)


It would be better IMO to increase wc's to at least 30% three times/wk.
This will help keep impurities out of the water.

Mr.Trips
03-08-2003, 10:51 AM
Excuse my Ignorance, but what does IMO mean?

darcy
03-08-2003, 11:41 AM
IMO= in my opinion, IME= in my experience.
darcy

03-08-2003, 11:43 AM
IMO= In my opinion
IME= In my experience

IMO...if your doing the amount of water changes that max out discus health and growth....you dont need carbon. If there are dissolved organics in your water due to fish waste and decaying matter, your not changing enough water.
It works great for removing meds though.

The "white" stuff....amrid is one name....I agree with Arden. It starves the nutrifying bacteria in your filter. A healthy biological filter will achieve the same end....without the additional cost.

Tony

njdiscus
03-08-2003, 11:41 PM
When carbon starts "leaking" back to the tank, it will "eat" into your discus's fins and head area. This happened to me a few years back. Now, I only use sponge filters and do daily water changes.

Don't use any "conditioners" either!

Mark

Karen
03-09-2003, 03:22 AM
Hi,

I don't use carbon, but only because my setup doesn't seem to need it and when reading any info when medicating it says to turn the carbon filter off. Though I didn't know that it "leaked" back in and can "eat into the discus's fins, ect. How (or why) does this happen? I would be very interested to know.

Karen

Smokey
03-09-2003, 09:01 AM
Howdey.. maybe I can shed some light on Carbon..
Carbon is an ''ADSORBANT'' MATERIAL. Unlike a sponge, which is an ''aBsorbant material''. A sponge can be cleaned by squeezing and rinising in clean water.

Carbon - aDsorbes chemicals into its microscopic pores and retains them . However, when the carbon is ''full'' / exhausted , it can no longer adsorb. What happens now, the carbon, actually the adsorbed chemicals can and do escape/leach back into the water. Contaminating the water.
It does not take long for carbon to become ''full''.
Unfortunately carbon can not be ''rinised'' clean. Unless you have a furnance capable of temperatures exceeding 1200 F..
Also, carbon does change the gh/kh of water, slightly.

The ultimate answer is..... WATER CHANGES . Nothing less.

HTH.

Smokey

Ardan
03-09-2003, 09:04 AM
Hi,
I am not an expert, but what I understand is that carbon has many little pores or holes that collect the impurities in the water. When the holes get full, or the carbon starts to break down or crumble, the ipurities go back to the water

hth

Aquarius
03-09-2003, 10:58 AM
Hi, I would be very interested in reading up on this Carbon and Leaching back into the water...

Any good links on this?

Ardan
03-09-2003, 11:42 AM
Hi,
Try these

http://enchanteddiscus.com/watcarbon.htm

http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/management/greenfield%20straughan_activated%20carbon.html

http://www.thekrib.com/Chemistry/carbon.html

hth

Aquarius
03-09-2003, 03:23 PM
Thanks for the links.. The one i was looking for I read a long time ago, it had some nice info on Carbon..

Someone did a real world test and had the results listed in a nice article.
I'll try my best to find it..

Mr.Trips
03-09-2003, 10:35 PM
Wow, lots of good info! Then answer this for me, im running 2 Magnum 250 Pros, with Bio Wheels on a 75 Gallon tank, if I run the sponge filter (the one that fits over the housing that can contain carbon) I think its called a pre filter, what else do I need to run for filtration, or am I good?

Thanks for all the info!