Originally Posted by Shawnie

my question is, im wondering if randrjax is even following this thread ?

Originally Posted by Isabella

Fishbum, in case you haven't noticed, nowhere do I say "What I'm saying is right and my 'theory' is right". If you read carefully, my words include "I think", "I believe", or "According to my readings". All of these phrases in no way imply that I have some fixed theory and that I'm right. As I've said before, I don't have any "theories" as to carbon, but what I've said previously is based on my personal research (i.e. various readings and cumulative experiences/opinions of others). My opinion may be wrong, sure, I don't know that 100%. BUT that doesn't mean I can't at least try to give an advice that to the best of my conscience isn't misleading and will not cause harm to the fish of the fish keepers using my advice. That's the best I can do.

Now, there is always a "safety" measure a fish keeper can take. Firstly, we don't know 100% (or at least I don't know, since I am not a scientist who can examine activated carbon activity on a molecular level) whether the carbon's efficiency expires after a few hours, a few days, or a few weeks. Personally, I'd assume that the more toxins are in the water, the sooner the efficiency of a.c. runs out - so it would depend on how loaded with toxins one's tank water is. Now, since a.c. manufacturers recommend to change it about once a month, maybe there is a reason for it, don't you think? Don't you think they'd have to do a research on a molecular level to see how soon the efficiency of a.c. expires before actually selling a.c. to the masses? So, going back to the "safety" measure. Not being exactly sure when the efficiency runs out, it would never hurt anyone to take a precautionary step and change the a.c. BEFORE, rather than AFTER, its efficiency expires. We don't want to risk our fish dying of some toxic poisoning because we've kept the a.c. in our filters for too long as a result of which it leeched the toxins back to the tank. Therefore, it won't hurt to stay on the safe side. And that's my "theory" of the efficiency of activated carbon, Fishbum. And unless you can scientifically examine the activity of activated carbon on a molecular level, as well as the effects of it on tank water and fish health - also on a molecular level - and provide us all with a detailed and definitive report, I don't think you have a valid "theory" either, as none of us do.


That's exactly what I said and what I was trying to convey/make clear in my previous post - did you read it? And I definitely agree with it.

Originally Posted by fishbum

Sorry,sirdarksol,but nothing you've said actually shows much of anything either.It seems to me like a few of you in this forum have come up with a theory that activated carbon only works for a few hours,and that now you expect everyone to believe you.The fact that you said you want to try some "experiment"proves that this is a theory,and that like most people here,what you think and give as advice,may very well not be true.