To carbon, or not to carbon?

[Ben1020]

I have heard from different people that carbon can stunt discus growth and lead To other problems in discus is this true or just BS???

[Keith Perkins]

BS, but so is wasting money on it.

[a volar]

No need for carbon on discus tank due to frecuent water changes..

[Poco]

No need for carbon on a regular basis but is good to removes meds after a treatment.

[Ryan]

Carbon can actually reach a saturation point where it will no longer absorb impurities from the tank, then begin leeching those impurities back into the water. I don't think it's necessary as a long-term solution. Sometimes I'll throw a bag of it in my filter for 2 or 3 days if I'm removing medications from the water or trying to clear up discolored water (which happens with my tap from time to time). I never leave it for more than a couple days.

Some people used to say it lead to Hole in the Head in discus, but I don't think that was ever proven.

[GrayLadyPat]

Please, for the love of your discus friends, read this forum post before you say "absolutely no carbon" in your tanks...

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?102727-There-s-Something-(New)-In-The-Water!

[Chicago Discus]

I have heard from different people that carbon can stunt discus growth and lead To other problems in discus is this true or just BS???

Not true its people just making things up as they go along LOL..I use carbon to clean up the water after Meds or when I quarantine new fish....They seem fine....stunting will happen if you don't change water....josie

[Keith Perkins]

Please, for the love of your discus friends, read this forum post before you say "absolutely no carbon" in your tanks...

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?102727-There-s-Something-(New)-In-The-Water!

With this situation, I'd use a carbon block filter on my fish tank water source and still say no carbon in the tank.

[a volar]

Please, for the love of your discus friends, read this forum post before you say "absolutely no carbon" in your tanks...

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?102727-There-s-Something-(New)-In-The-Water!

Your situation is different, your problem was or is with your tap water, it's a very unusual situation.

But if anybody wants to use carbon in their discus tank they are very welcome.
Just in case that some one care, I don’t use carbon in my discus tank, however I use carbon sometimes in my community tank and African cichlids tanks :)

[warblad79]

I think that is some what true because carbon might also absorb some of the vitamins and minerals from the water. especially if you use in long term, I read it here somewhere that Discus absorb vitamins and mineral through their skins. That's why if you do a lot of changes Discus grow faster.

[alcastro]

i thought r/o removeded just about everything so carbon will remove what , order, taste, chlorine, meds, and ?

[warblad79]

i thought r/o removeded just about everything so carbon will remove what , order, taste, chlorine, meds, and ?

You don't need R/O for growing out juvies. Use R/O for breeding and wild.

[Keith Perkins]

You don't need R/O for growing out juvies. Use R/O for breeding and wild.

+1

[alcastro]

I ment some people use r/o for lots of reasons like to lower the ph or to remove all that might be bad, at the same time it removes things that are good, i think carbon will not remove all or alter your ph, i been using carbon for two weeks on my hang on canister and the health of my discus have improve 100%, after every water change they got sick, now i use carbon to age my water and all is looking good i might go r/o and add trace elements. I used prime only and it did not due too good, added amquel ammonia remover together now , i will remove carbon at my next water change. maybe my water have more toxins than other people.

[Keith Perkins]

Personally I just don't want to waste that much water and money using all RO. I run two 44 reservoirs with RO and two with filtered and softened tap. If I ran all RO that's 250 gallons of water down the drain to fill the other two reservoirs. Juvie's grow out in tap water but I run all mine through a 2 stage filter with a 10 micron prefilter and a carbon block filter. I've got an adjustable timer that will run up to 2 hours and that's just what it takes if my pair of 44s are empty and need to be filled to the overflow. I'm just not taking the chance the city won't get creative with the chemicals some day and I won't be cognizant of it. I've put too much time and effort into my fish.

[alcastro]

that's what i am trying to acomplish

[Keith Perkins]

Here's the final filter I'm using, it's the important one obviously.

http://www.home-water-purifiers-and-filters.com/pentek-cbr2.php

I can't take credit for it either, Paul Butler recommended it to me.

[alcastro]

Thanks

[Platylover]

There was a controlled and peer reviewed study that found carbon fines caused HLLE in marine surgeonfish.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/activated-carbon-affirmed-as-causative-agent-for-hlle-disease