Activate carbon

[Dipen]

Can i use activate carbon from local store not from aquarium shop.........are they safe for aquarium........nearby there is a shop of water tank filtration...i am planning to buy from there........its very cheap there......can i use them for my aquarium

 

[Davidiator]

I would think so.
I dont think there is a difference.

 

[Dipen]

Do carbon harms beneficial bacteria....what do you think of it....

 

[Davidiator]

NO,
My aquarium has carbon filter and it helps my beneficial bacteria
I just recently changed from gravel to sand and my only bacteria was on the carbon and i was expecting problems but i ended up have no problems

 

[Rocksor]

Carbon can affect the cycle by removing organic compounds that normally get eaten and turn into ammonia.

Not all activated carbon are equal. Lower grade can release phospate into the water column as well as "carbon dust".

You do not need carbon in the aquarium with proper maintenance and stocking. It's best used to remove medication from the water column.

 

[Steve_C]

Just wondering, is there a reason you want to use carbon? I never use it. Most the people I know don't either unless they want to remove meds without doing WC's. It won't hurt to use it, but you don't need to use it either, just use a good media like rings in its place if you want.

 

[Dipen]

I am trying to use carbon only for crystal clear...nothing else

 

[Davidiator]

Well my filter is a penguin 300 (i think) and it has filter pads/cartridges in it and those have carbon in them...

 

[Itsadeepbluesea]

The carbon will not effect the bacteria, it actually creates increased surface area for it. As far as whether the carbon is safe, it depends on what grade it is. Lower grade may be a problem, if it his higher grade it should be fine.

 

[Steve_C]

I am trying to use carbon only for crystal clear...nothing else

You can just use a poly fill/floss (store bought or quilt batting) and achieve crystal clean water without the use of carbon if you would like. In all my tanks canisters I always put a layer of floss in the last basket before the return to the tank to polish the water and it'll make it as clear as can be.

Well my filter is a penguin 300 (i think) and it has filter pads/cartridges in it and those have carbon in them...

Yep all the Penguin HOB's come with cartridges that have carbon in them. Throwing out the cartridge is always the first thing I do when I use a HOB that way there's more room for rings and floss in it. The main reason they come with carbon in the cartridge is to remove the smell. Most your average fish keepers that only keep a tank of fish don't keep up on WC's and tank maintenance the way most of us here on MFK do so after a while they wonder why their house/tank starts to smell. So the carbon in the store bought cartridges keep the smell down. Long as you do WC's and keep up with maintenance then smell isn't an issue and you don't need the carbon.

Again don't get me wrong, carbon won't hurt anything at all. It's just it's not actually needed. I've meet some people that think a filter "has" to have it and that's not the case. Carbon pretty much serves two purposes, to remove meds and smell. Other than that it doesn't do much and there's better options for media that will form beneficial bacteria colonies.