Does the carbon inside your filter remove nutrients from the water?

AlanLe · 01-20-2013, 09:40 PM

Rich Guano · 01-20-2013, 11:03 PM

Yes, it does. But only for a couple of weeks, when it becomes so clogged with nutrients that it can collect no more. Then it is essentially reduced to being decent biological filtration.

Generally we only use carbon in the filter to remove (recently used) medications. It serves no other positive purpose in a well planted tank.

**mitchfish9** · 01-21-2013, 12:22 AM

People disagree about this, but in my tank's filter, I switched out carbon for purigen and my tank is clearer and the plants seem to be doing better since then. But rich is right, no need for carbon in a planted tank.

**Aquatic Delight** · 01-21-2013, 01:24 AM

i run carbon in my tanks as a safety measure. i have to much time and money invested in my tanks to not.

Bluek24a4 · 01-21-2013, 01:25 AM

I haven't used carbon in years.

musician71604 · 01-21-2013, 01:27 AM

I use carbon only when I have a concern about the tank, but most of the time it's only temporary and I remove it. I've never used purigen in my planted tanks before.

Diana · 01-21-2013, 01:44 AM

I thought activated carbon did not have a great affinity for most of the salts we use when we dose dry ferts or dose them wet.
I thought it (AC) could remove the chelated fertilizer (mostly iron). It would probably remove any fertilizer that is in some sort of organic compound.
But, as noted above it gets full of other things pretty fast and stops removing anything.

discuspaul · 01-21-2013, 02:04 AM

Pretty much agree with all the comments above.
Using carbon seems to be a reasonable clarifyer for a short period of time, and does remove unwanted meds after a treatment, but other than that, it seems quite suspect for doing any good after a while, perhaps even leaching unwanted elements back into the tank in time. I've avoided it for many years.

After much lengthy trial over the years, I much prefer Purigen, which does a great job on a long term basis at removing impurities, clarifying, polishing, and purifying.

Bubba Shrimp · 01-21-2013, 06:45 PM

Where do you get purigen filter pads I have a eheim 2213?

discuspaul · 01-21-2013, 08:00 PM

You can buy Purigen in it's own fine mesh bag (100 ml, I believe), or you can get the Purigen particles loose in a 250 ml jar, and bag it yourself in a suitable sized fine mesh bag, to more or less fit your filter placement.

The Purigen beads are very tiny though - so be careful you have a fine enough mesh bag to contain the particles, or double-bag so they don't escape. It can make a bit of a mess in your tank if they do.
You can get 2 sizes of suitable bags at most PetSmart stores (but double-bag).
Or you can buy different-sized Organza bags at gift shops/dollar stores, etc.
Or you can use doubled-up nylon stocking material.

01-20-2013, 09:40 PM	#1
AlanLe Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 299	Does the carbon inside your filter remove nutrients from the water? Does the carbon inside your filter remove nutrients from the water?

01-20-2013, 11:03 PM	#2
Rich Guano Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Arnoldsville, GA Posts: 149	Yes, it does. But only for a couple of weeks, when it becomes so clogged with nutrients that it can collect no more. Then it is essentially reduced to being decent biological filtration. Generally we only use carbon in the filter to remove (recently used) medications. It serves no other positive purpose in a well planted tank. __________________ Have an open mind, but not so open that your brains fall out. Think outside the glass box.

01-21-2013, 01:24 AM	#4
Aquatic Delight H is for Hillstream (View User Tanks) PTrader: (6/100%) Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: San Antonio TX Posts: 1,287	i run carbon in my tanks as a safety measure. i have to much time and money invested in my tanks to not. __________________ __________________________________ Will ________________________________ my 29g story To See all of my photos Click ME!

01-21-2013, 06:45 PM	#9
Bubba Shrimp Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: May 2012 Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada Posts: 327	Where do you get purigen filter pads I have a eheim 2213? __________________ So a guy walks into a Pet Store Guy: "I have a Algae on my drift wood!" Pet Clerk: "Take two Plecos and call me next week." EHEIM Classic 2213

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01-21-2013, 12:22 AM	#3
mitchfish9 Planted Tank Nation (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Oak Park, IL Posts: 874	People disagree about this, but in my tank's filter, I switched out carbon for purigen and my tank is clearer and the plants seem to be doing better since then. But rich is right, no need for carbon in a planted tank.

01-21-2013, 01:25 AM	#5
Bluek24a4 Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Queens, NY Posts: 733	I haven't used carbon in years.

01-21-2013, 01:27 AM	#6
musician71604 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: May 2012 Location: AR Posts: 127	I use carbon only when I have a concern about the tank, but most of the time it's only temporary and I remove it. I've never used purigen in my planted tanks before.

01-21-2013, 01:44 AM	#7
Diana Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Contra Costa CA Posts: 5,013	I thought activated carbon did not have a great affinity for most of the salts we use when we dose dry ferts or dose them wet. I thought it (AC) could remove the chelated fertilizer (mostly iron). It would probably remove any fertilizer that is in some sort of organic compound. But, as noted above it gets full of other things pretty fast and stops removing anything.

01-21-2013, 02:04 AM	#8
discuspaul Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 1,589	Pretty much agree with all the comments above. Using carbon seems to be a reasonable clarifyer for a short period of time, and does remove unwanted meds after a treatment, but other than that, it seems quite suspect for doing any good after a while, perhaps even leaching unwanted elements back into the tank in time. I've avoided it for many years. After much lengthy trial over the years, I much prefer Purigen, which does a great job on a long term basis at removing impurities, clarifying, polishing, and purifying.

01-21-2013, 08:00 PM	#10
discuspaul Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 1,589	You can buy Purigen in it's own fine mesh bag (100 ml, I believe), or you can get the Purigen particles loose in a 250 ml jar, and bag it yourself in a suitable sized fine mesh bag, to more or less fit your filter placement. The Purigen beads are very tiny though - so be careful you have a fine enough mesh bag to contain the particles, or double-bag so they don't escape. It can make a bit of a mess in your tank if they do. You can get 2 sizes of suitable bags at most PetSmart stores (but double-bag). Or you can buy different-sized Organza bags at gift shops/dollar stores, etc. Or you can use doubled-up nylon stocking material.