Activated Carbon - To Use or Not to Use

[CammieTime]

I just bought an aquaclear hang on back power filter. It comes with activated carbon. Should I put the carbon in the filter?

I've heard rumors that carbon is bad for discus? Why?

[pcsb23]

do a search, plenty of debate :D

With the level of w/c's carbon is really not needed. It has it's uses, like removing nasties when they are suspected and removing meds, but save your money and do w/c's.

There is anecdotal evidence that regular use of carbon in soft water strips trace elements which the fish need so causing an issue.

[William Palumbo]

Save the carbon incase you ever have to medicate, and you need to remove the meds after a treatment...Bill

[kenhappen2u]

you can put another sponge pad or bio pellets in place of the carbon to increase the bio load the filter can handle .or the amount of sponge surface ..this way you can rinse out one sponge or pellets at a time and not destroy your bio .

Ken

[Hattawi]

That’s exactly what I did with my filter. I replaced the carbon with another sponge for larger surface area.

This would bring me to another thought. Imagine if there are light large spaced sponges that are present all along the tube coming from the canister to the tank. This will increase the surface area a lot. Since the water had already been filtered, clean water will unlikely to have debris to block these sponges. And at the end, imagine if that tube is blowing the water right into gravel (if you have it) from the side. This will for sure create a huge surface area for the good bacteria.

[CammieTime]

What is the 2017 consensus on activated charcoal? Regardless of WC schedule, should you use it to help keep your water clear? Is there really any issue with it?

[Phillydubs]

No need...

[CammieTime]

No need...

Does activated carbon hurt the fish?

[pitdogg2]

That’s exactly what I did with my filter. I replaced the carbon with another sponge for larger surface area.

This would bring me to another thought. Imagine if there are light large spaced sponges that are present all along the tube coming from the canister to the tank. This will increase the surface area a lot. Since the water had already been filtered, clean water will unlikely to have debris to block these sponges. And at the end, imagine if that tube is blowing the water right into gravel (if you have it) from the side. This will for sure create a huge surface area for the good bacteria.

If you have ever had a canister filter for any length of time you would see a huge amount of BIO-FILM that line the inside of those output hoses. That increase surface area would seriously slow down the filter and possible inhibit the filter from doing its job correctly.
If I understand you correctly.


Does activated carbon hurt the fish?

NO


What is the 2017 consensus on activated charcoal? Regardless of WC schedule, should you use it to help keep your water clear? Is there really any issue with it?

it is just slower acting than carbon. It most of the time has not been heated as high as carbon is to get the carbon pore structure.

[atlantadiscus]

What is the 2017 consensus on activated charcoal? Regardless of WC schedule, should you use it to help keep your water clear? Is there really any issue with it?

Todays products are actually activated carbon,and yes it will create crystal clear water as it adsorbs tannin and phenol from the water.Carbon also adsorbs organic compounds from the water.Some say it is not necessary if you are doing large daily water changes,but it does perform the functions I listed......personally,I do not perform large daily water changes and use both activated carbon and purigen as a component of my overall filtration system.

[Debow]

I use to run bags of it in my sump but phased it out, never ran it again didn't see a purpose.

[Quintin]

I dont use it as after sum time it leaches nasties back into the water

[bluelagoon]

I dont use it as after sum time it leaches nasties back into the water

I think that is a myth.I is locked in until heated with very high heat.

[bluelagoon]

The main reason why most folks don't use charcoal/activated carbon in discus tanks is because water is changed frequently and in large volumes.I stopped using it in all my other species tanks.It's not really needed if you keep your WC'd.I think most of the inserts and absorbent stuff at the LPS are a waste of money.

[atlantadiscus]

I dont use it as after sum time it leaches nasties back into the water

Is that myth still circulating?

[Hart24601]

I would also agree with the majority here, it does no harm but if someone is doing 50% to 100% daily WC there is little need of it.


From the salt world there has been a lot of debate and a few studies about lateral line erosion with tangs and carbon. It would seem that very dirty less refined carbon has a lot of dust that even when rinsed could be released into the water and on a electron microscopic level it's very abrasive and might cause irritation leading to lateral line degradation. However the more refined pressed pellets and higher quality carbon doesn't seem to carry that risk. I keep my systems on RO water which goes through a carbon prefilter so I guess that I use it, lol.

Should it be of concern purigen from seachem works on the same principle but might have slight different affinities for compounds.

[pitdogg2]

I dont use it as after sum time it leaches nasties back into the water

I also think this is a myth I have in all my years of using carbon, some for very long periods of time have never had it belch out what it has captured.

[pitdogg2]

I would also agree with the majority here, it does no harm but if someone is doing 50% to 100% daily WC there is little need of it.


However the more refined pressed pellets and higher quality carbon doesn't seem to carry that risk.

These type of carbons also do not adsorb/absorb (which ever is the correct term here) as fast as granulated carbon from my experience. They do work very well none the less. I did my test using Methylene blue and black water extract. My Marineland carbon and Dr. Foster smith removed it in hours, My pelleted both Dr. Foster Smith and Kent took a lot longer to remove.

I have heard that pelleteized carbon does last longer than granulated this I personally have not tried to find out.

[atlantadiscus]

I have been happy using both the RedSea Reef Carbon and the Marineland Black Diamond carbon.I mix small amounts of both the carbon and Purigen in a bag and place in filter.I replace both monthly.Both adsorb organic compounds from the water and therefor reduce ammonia/nitrite/nitrate due to the biological filter not having to process the waste.Similar to how a saltwater skimmer strips organics so the biological filter has a smaller load.

[Hart24601]

These type of carbons also do not adsorb/absorb (which ever is the correct term here) as fast as granulated carbon from my experience. They do work very well none the less. I did my test using Methylene blue and black water extract. My Marineland carbon and Dr. Foster smith removed it in hours, My pelleted both Dr. Foster Smith and Kent took a lot longer to remove.

I have heard that pelleteized carbon does last longer than granulated this I personally have not tried to find out.

Here is a great bulk reef supply video where they did a test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVpRGzerJFI

[pitdogg2]

Here is a great bulk reef supply video where they did a test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVpRGzerJFI

While i agree that pelleted carbon was developed for air cleaning I have problems with that video. To me it is a commercial for THEIR carbon, I would look at it more favorable if it was done by an independent non-bias company.

[Hart24601]

While i agree that pelleted carbon was developed for air cleaning I have problems with that video. To me it is a commercial for THEIR carbon, I would look at it more favorable if it was done by an independent non-bias company.

Pretty sure they sell every type they tested, not just pellets - yes it's their carbon but a valid comparison between different types that should hold up to other manufacturers. Most places will probably buy from the same source and just repackage anyway. Besides, it's just activated carbon, I don't feel a need for super strict 3rd party analysis on setting up this very basic visual demonstration. It's something you could easily test at home should one be so inclined.

This isnt intended to be a marineland vs brs video, but between various grades of carbon which you can find with several brands.