Red wag platy

Okay guys so you told me not to use carbon in my tank, but now I'm being told to use it. I was on a forum for amphibians and someone told me that carbon was needed because it provided chemical filtration. I understand that amphibians requirements are different from those of fish, but surely fish need some type of chemical filtration too, right? Is there some other source of chemical filtration or is it not really required? They also told me that if my carbon is saturated within a week that I have some major problems with my tank. And also that is is really necessary in planted tanks because there are plenty more organic waste substances than aquaria bacteria can break down. Can someone please explain?

Red wag platy

Nevermind, he was just proved wrong by one of the moderators!

COBettaCouple

LOL.. Yea, it's just a simple biological/chemical process that Dino can explain the best and his advice on carbon has helped our tanks out.

vin

I'm staying away from the use/don't use carbon topics.......

Shawnie

me too~!

pepetj

My experience with charcoal (if really activated or not, that's another issue) comes from the old days (when no water testing was ever made, no one ever knew about "the cycle", and chlorine -not chloramines, was the only thing to worry) is to use it and replace it monthly, and remove it if medication is going to be used. I test -since my return to fishkeeping, for GH and KH at least once a week, no big swings observed yet. Charcoal is not expensive at all, at least not for my small tanks HOB filters.
Water does smell "worse" (not sure about the taste, no one addressed that in "drinking your tank water?" thread) without charcoal in the filter.

Pepe
Santo Domingo