# Does anyone still use Carbon?



## Hannibal (Dec 2, 2002)

I havent used carbon in my tank since I got that first carbon package with my new filter. I hear that activated carbon only works for like 2 weeks an dit gets expensive if you really keep up with it. All I use iis my sponge an dI clean it out every so often. Is this bad/good for my fish or what? I havent lost one fish in my tank due to the paramaters. I have hadseveral fish killed in my tank but not just up and die for noe reason. Am I overlooking something or is having carbon in the tank a good thing??


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## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

I only use it to remove unwanted chemicals, so I havent used any for a few years


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## Outie (Feb 19, 2003)

Doesn't carbon remove fish order? I could be wrong but thats why I continue to use it.


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## NIKE (Jan 27, 2003)

i need to use it in my 77gal with my oscars or water gets cloudy even with proper water changes :smile:


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## acidsurvivor (Feb 7, 2003)

Yeah. Carbon can take out fish odor, decrease ammonia, make the tank uncloudy, etc. I recommend it if you have these problems.


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## rosecityrhom (Feb 3, 2003)

I use carbon purely to keep it looking very clean...I have a fluval 404 for both my tanks including a wet/dry for each.


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## MPower (Jan 29, 2003)

How often are you supposed to change the carbon. I've heard if you don't change the carbon it becomes deadly. I haven't use carbon for 2-3 years.


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

I used it all the time, until I bought a new canister last week. I never had any problems with my water, but I wanted to use something more efficient, so I use *EHFISUBSTRAT* now...

This is what they say about it on the Eheim site (see link above):
_"To create biologically sound water as found in nature, you need EHFISUBSTRAT. Biological filtering is based on a natural decomposition of harmful substances using helpful bacteria. They convert ammonia and nitrite into relatively non-toxic nitrate. The efficiency of biological filtration is limited by the media that bacteria are growing on. With over 450 ml per litre (22, 000sq. ft. per lmp. gal. / 18, 3000 sq. ft. per U.S. gal.) EHFISUBSTRAT is a specially designed sintered glass. Bacteria are able to stick better to a surface which has a complex pore system. EHFISUBSTRAT has been specially developed to offer optimum sites for bacteria colonization. The effectiveness of these bacteria is linked to how much oxygen and toxins can flow by. With faster decomposition of toxins compared to other media. Highly effective, economically priced, it is the best biological media available to aquarium hobbyists."_
Well, I disagree on the "economically priced" part (it's pretty costly, especially when you have a large filter), but you can re-use it after cleaning.

Carbon is indeed mainly used to remove unwanted chemicals or medicine traces after disease treatment, and needs to be replaced each 2-3 weeks (when it's saturated, it releases those chemicals it absorbed earlier...)


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

I don't and never have in 16 years


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## Hannibal (Dec 2, 2002)

Well my water is crystal clear and people always comment on how clean my tank is. OAt one time my oscar had itch but it was from a bad feeder. I turned up the heat and threw in some salt and removed my carbon. My oscar got better and I discontinued using it. Ever since the I havent used it.

I think it would get kind of expensive to continue to get carbon every 2 weeks and keep up with all that.


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