Carbon ...

[Dee]

Hi All :D

Im going to use carbon to treat my water at the prep stage. Here's my set up ....

Water prep tank (standard 3ft Tank - 150L), with two corner filters filled with carbon (same principal as sponge filters). The water is heated and airated (by corner filters) for 24 or so hours.

How much carbon do i need to treat 150L ? I'm using 250g's (about 2 good handfulls).

How long should the water be filterd with carbon to get the nasties out ?

How often should i change the carbon, before it leeches the nasties back into the water ?

I understand carbon removes medicines, heavy metals and tainnins ect from the water. Does it have any effect on PH or Hardness ?

Just thought id ask before i start using carbon treated water for my main tank ! :)

Cheers

D

[Annie]

Carbon from what I have found only lasts 4-6 days. After that it does very little.
And yes, carbon does pull the meds out of the tank and does pull a few of the other things out of the tank that you have mentioned.
I guess I must be missing something here, I am wondering...is this a new tank? No Discus right?

[kalebjarrod]

carbon should last a few months? shouldn't it?

[Chris McMahon]

carbon should last a few months? shouldn't it?Carbon's like a bucket - once it's full, it's full. Seachem and others put out carbon like materials that change colour once they become "full". Some can also be "cleaned" and reused.

[Annie]

I think it depends. I know that it is said that in filer media as in the cartridge that goes into my HOB's the carbon generally only lasts from 4-6 days. On some medications for tanks, it will say to be sure that the carbon is somwhere around 6 days old at least. With that said, what I take it as, that it isnot actually doing anything, otherwise, why would they reccomend or say to leave the carbon in the filter if it is that old. If the carbon was still good, it would just pull the med out of the tank and it would be useless.
But from what I also understand, carbon like wat I by to fill the bags that go to one of my natures whisper filters are suppose to up a couple of months lasting. But I seem to see that it needs to be changed out every copule of weeks.