Should I use Carbon??

[holbritter]

I've noticed that some of you never use carbon in your filters. My fluval came with a bag of it, so I put it in.
Why do you not use carbon? Do I really need it? If not, can I safely take it out without messing up the tanks water? I'm almost at the end of my cycling.

TIA.

[jeffs99dime]

there's no need for carbon unless you are removing meds from the water. yes, you can safely remove it from your filter at any time. --jeff

[Fishguy2727]

It can remove trace elements that are vital for certain functions in the fish and is believed to possibly contribute to Hole in the Head and Head and Lateral Line Erosion.

[Lady Hobbs]

Some fish actually do better without it. Angelfish, for one, should not have it.

[jman]

basically try not to use it if you don't have to.

[holbritter]

Thank you all. I will take it out. :)

[minabird]

I agree with reptileguy and would add that live plants also need the trace elements that the carbon removes.

[jeffs99dime]

definitely don't use carbon in a planted tank!!!

[jman]

i just put some nice begginer plant in my tank don't remember what they are called but i like them i know they go with the dwarf's i have!

[holbritter]

"It can remove trace elements that are vital for certain functions in the fish"


Then this is not good, right?

[Cichlid_Man]

I only use carbon briefly to remove any chemicals left behind AFTER you may have medicated your fish for a disease.
Other than that...everybody here is right on the money.
No carbon.

[Fishguy2727]

Yes, removing vital trace elements is a bad thing for fish and plants. No need for carbon unless you have had to use meds, whcih hopefully you won't.

[Lady Hobbs]

I do think I read somewhere that carbon is better for the cycling process and helps reduce nitrites. Is this correct?

[Incredulous_Ed]

Wait a minute, I;ve been using carbon with a hang on back power filter in a planted tank for a long time. Should I take it out and just put that cotton filter stuff there instead?

[Lady Hobbs]

Ed, I think you have to do what you feel is correct. I don't care for it because I don't want that bacteria being transferred back and forth with my water changes. I know people use the same ones for weeks at a time and "my feeling" is that bad stuff is living there that I don't want in my water. Rinsing off that filter is not killing anything.

Angelfish and Discus should not have carbon filtering at all because they are sensitive fish. That tells me that the carbon is not good for them and that's good enough for me.

My water also stays cleaner using the fiber filter and you don't see trace flecks in the tank. I believe it keeps the water much cleaner and those tiny specks are getting trapped better.

I do recommend that if you use a fiber type, you should keep it in fiter bags so none of it gets in the tank and floats around. I hated the stuff I just bought from Walmart but love the stuff I get for stuffing pillows. It is heavier and picks up more stuff. And stays in the tank. Perhaps it was only the brand I got from Walmarts and other types would work better.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Well, my filter came with the tank and the cartridge has a wooly thing on it and then carbon in the middle. this in a planted tank. Should I:
remove the thing?
put the cotton in there and rinse it once in a while?
leave the thing in there?
or cut open the wool and remove the carbon?
I'm just worried about the carbon taking out the pant nutrients.

[Lady Hobbs]

I would keep the filter media intact incase you want to use it to remove meds at some time and cram that space with filter floss.

The carbon is only good for a couple weeks but people continue using those filters for weeks......some months. If you did want to remove meds, the carbon would no longer be useful anyway.

I noticed that Auqa Tech has bags that you add the charcoal to (that comes with it in the box.) I've been thinking of getting some of those, myself, but instead of using the carbon, filling those bags with the floss and keep the carbon for medication removal. They can be cut down to fit in other types of filters.

[Incredulous_Ed]

ok, I'm going to take out the carbon and stuff the space with filter floss instead. This way, I save money and improve filtration :smile: