Medical Charcoal Tablet to filter cloudy water?

[IWANSHRIMP]

Just a thought, I have some medicinal activated charcoal tablets on hand, those used for human consumption. Could I actually pop it into my filter (maybe crush it up a bit to increase surface area) to help clear up my cloudy water faster? Will it be harmful for shrimp/fish?

I assume it's pretty much the same thing (or even cleaner) as the activated charcoal sold at fish shops, since it's for human consumption and chemically should be the same thing?

 

[BigManAquatics]

Depending why it is cloudy, it may not actually do anything.

 

[A201]

Better be sure the pills are 100% activated charcoal & you'll likely need quite a few of them to do the job, depending on the size of the tank.
I know the prices of aquarium related products have become especially expensive, but IMO spending $10 - $20 (Outrageous) for aquarium safe activated carbon
would be the way to go.

 

[Flyfisha]

The question is why is the tank cloudy.

 

[HupGupp]

Is it a newly set up tank? I find all my new setups go through a cloudy phase at some time in the first few months. I just wait it out, and it seems to go away as things balance out and the new plants get established.

 

[IWANSHRIMP]

I see. Had the tank for 3 months thus far, but it is a walstad tank. No filter, many plants (hydrilla, water lettuce, Java moss, etc), but became cloudy. Probably either teeny tiny floating algae or a bit of overfeeding. Planning to filter it to clear up the water a bit.

Charcoal is a curious question. Couldn't find anything about using human medicinal charcoal pills online, but in my mind the logic would make senses that it is safe to use if it is free from harmful chemicals/contaminants.