Carbon in the filter

[bottlerocket]

Please help..... in my filter i run bio balls, carbon wraped in filter wool and then bio noodles. From what i understand the carbon is for water clarity but i have since read that it takes out nutrients for plant growth and any medication you put in for the fish. What do you guys recommend. The filter is one that comes with the blue planet tanks and i have a lot of plants in the tank, I hope this helps

[VinsonMassif]

Take out the carbon as it is only good for short term.

Water changes help keep the water clear better than a small packet of carbon ime.

But I wouldn't worry about it taking nutrients. What it does absorb it releases back into the tank when it breaks down.

Which is reportedly after only a few days.

A good product for short term use.

[Cricketman]

carbon works well, but only if you change it often (every month or so).

it will remove alot of things, meds, ferts, and other gunk that may be in your water.

i use it now only sometimes, ie, once a month, and have it in a fine-mesh bag in my ovewrflow. leave it there for a couple weeks, then remove it again. its great in small amounts, and definately can see an improvement in my water clarity.

others will sayt that it is useless and a waste of time. but thats thier experiences with it.

try it out, with and without, and make a conclusion yourself on how you want to use it, if at all.

hope that helps

Chris

[BikBok]

I have a blue planet tank

Those replacement media packs are expensive so instead I bought a big bag of filter wool and a box of filter carbon.

I chuck out the carbon every few weeks and just rinse the wool. I don't think you need as much carbon as what is in those packs either. I only replace the wool when it's looking too gunky .. about every 8 weeks.

[Wok]

When I first started keeping fish, 5 years ago, I used to use carbon.

now I don't bother with it, unless I need to take meds out of the tank.

you would be better off using extra porous media like ceramic noodles and the like.

the more porus the material, the more beneficial bacteria you are going to have, and having a sponge before the water returns to the tank is better than using filter wool... (IMHO) filter wool clogs up too fast for my liking.

[LYNDYLOO]

I would get rid of the Bio Balls and replace them with Ceramic Noodles, I use the Eheim Substrate Pro (Sintered Quartz), expensive but great stuff.

I just rinse it out in Fish Tank Water, when I clean out the Filter every 6 months.

Really no need for the Carbon, unless you are needing to get rid of meds in your Tank for some reason.

Filter Wool can be abit of a Pain, you maybe better replacing this with Sponges like Wok said.