Liquid Ferts With Carbon Filtration

Hello.

I actually have a couple questions about plants. Really wanting some amazon swords, java fern, maybe wisteria, and maybe hornwort. Moss balls too off course.

1. I read that carbon in your filter will remove liquid ferts. Is this true? How could I get around it?

2. Pest snails! This is unacceptable if I ever do manage to start live plants. How can I avoid them? I've heard about dips and quarantine. What exactly does this mean? Any other practices? Wouldn't be as worried if I could get a few Assassin Snails. I can't do this though because I have other snails (nerites and a mystery).

 

Yes, no way to get around it. You either take the carbon filter out (which isn't really necessary) or not dose liquid ferts.
You inspect the plants manually very carefully and then dip the plants in potassium perganmanate or alum.

 

Running carbon will not remove the ferts you are adding. It's a common misconception, but not true.

Buying plants for forum members, or some of the smaller online vendors can assure pest free plants.

 

Do you have any logic behind the fact that is not true? I think adsorption is what removes certain nutrients from the water. It also depends on how much you change the carbon filter.

 

I do not use carbon in filter, I keep if I need to clean out meds. This is a quote from Seachem Website "Activated carbon will remove some of the trace elements and minerals used by plants. A better alternative to carbon is to use Purigen"

 

Do you have any logic behind the fact that is not true? I think adsorption is what removes certain nutrients from the water. It also depends on how much you change the carbon filter.

Yes. Carbon does not absorb fertilizer. It actually absorbs no nutrients at all. Check out Tom Barr's forum.
I figured this out before finding Tom Barr. I had never heard of carbon being a problem when adding ferts. I had been adding ferts to carbon tanks for years before I heard this one. So personally experience in high tech tanks that I add fresh carbon to weekly to keep the water crystal clear, as well as dosing the EI method tells me this is a urban legaend I guess. It's just not true. Not only in my opinion. But from one of the most respected person in the planted world community.

 

I do not use carbon in filter, I keep if I need to clean out meds. This is a quote from Seachem Website "Activated carbon will remove some of the trace elements and minerals used by plants. A better alternative to carbon is to use Purigen"

Those trace elements and minerals used by plants, if actually true, does not effect the plants at all.

 

Whether carbon pulls some nutrients out or not, I find Purigen a better alternative. I especially like its ability to take some tannins out-of water if you have driftwood.

 

How could I use Purigen, and what is it? Where could I find it? Can it be used in an Aquaclear HOB filter? I don't know anything about this stuff, sorry. Does it do all the same things as carbon like absorb smell, clear water, etc.?

 

You inspect the plants manually very carefully and then dip the plants in potassium perganmanate or alum.

What exactly would I look for, and where can I find those?

 

Works just like carbon, but can be recharged. If you want crystal clear water, filter floss will do the same thing. If there is an odor in your tank, finding the source of it will be easier and cheaper than adding something to your filter.

 

Works just like carbon, but can be recharged. If you want crystal clear water, filter floss will do the same thing. If there is an odor in your tank, finding the source of it will be easier and cheaper than adding something to your filter.

So, I put it in a bag or something? How do you recharge it? Sorry, answers cause more questions with me.

 

What exactly would I look for, and where can I find those?

You would look for snails and snail eggs. Snail eggs look like gel patches with little eggs inside them.

 

Yes. Carbon does not absorb fertilizer. It actually absorbs no nutrients at all. Check out Tom Barr's forum.
I figured this out before finding Tom Barr. I had never heard of carbon being a problem when adding ferts. I had been adding ferts to carbon tanks for years before I heard this one. So personally experience in high tech tanks that I add fresh carbon to weekly to keep the water crystal clear, as well as dosing the EI method tells me this is a urban legaend I guess. It's just not true. Not only in my opinion. But from one of the most respected person in the planted world community.

I'm having trouble moving around in the site. Could you link me to an exact article or post by him? If you are dosing EI I would guess you are oversaturating the carbon with nutrients to the point where it really doesn't matter if it absorbs them or not because its already full.

 

Carbon does not absorb fertilizer. It took me some time and research to find this from accurate sources. With so much information at our fingertips, it may take you awhile to find the correct information. Join the Barr report. There are plenty of members who would be more willing to point you in the right direction.

Dosing EI has nothing to do with anything, because carbon does not take in ferts.

I also dose low tech tanks with carbon. I have test kits for all the ferts I add. Carbon or not, the levels are never affected by it.

 

So, I put it in a bag or something? How do you recharge it? Sorry, answers cause more questions with me.

 

If carbon removed most nutrients, then our nitrates would be gone. I can see some trace elements being removed though. Whether that would be a significant problem with constant dosing of micros I don't know. I suspect not.