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Sorry,
Again I find that this might belong to another area, but hope I can post this here.

First, by "what method" does charcoal remove bad chemicals from tank water? Is it porous, and let the water pass THRU it trapping harmful chemicals?

(next part of post after you guys explain that to me, please?)

thanks,
(Loving to learn...and "being" part fish myself!)
dS
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http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/wsh0207/en/index6.html

This is where all this info came from. There is a lot more info there as well.

All I know about charcoal it works and must be removed.


2.3 Charcoal and activated carbon adsorption
Charcoal and activated carbon have been used extensively as adsorbents for water treatment in the developed and developing world. The main application is the reduction of toxic organic compounds as well as objectionable taste and odor compounds in the water. In developed countries granular or powdered activated carbon are used in community water treatment and granular or pressed carbon block is typically used for point-of-use or household water treatment (AWWA, 1999; LeChevallier and McFeters, 1990. Although fresh or virgin charcoal or activated carbon will adsorb microbes, including pathogens, from water, dissolved organic matter in the water rapidly takes up adsorption sites and the carbon rapidly develops a biofilm. Therefore, carbon is not likely to appreciably reduce pathogenic enteric microbes in water over an extended period of time. If anything, carbon particles are e to shedding heterotrophic plate count bacteria and other colonizing microbes into the product water, thereby reducing the microbial quality. In many point-of-use devices the carbon is impregnated or commingled with silver that serves as a bacteriostatic agent to reduce microbial colonization and control microbial proliferation in the product water. Fecal indicator bacteria, such as total and fecal coliforms, and opportunistic bacterial pathogens, such as Aeromonas species are capable of colonizing carbon particles and appearing in product water. For these reasons, activated carbon is not recommended as a treatment method to reduce pathogenic microbes in drinking water. Additional treatment, such as chemical disinfection, often is needed to reduce microbe levels in carbon-treated water. Mixed media containing carbon along with chemical agents effective in microbial retention have been developed and evaluated. For example, carbon filters containing aluminum or iron precipitates have been described, and these filters have achieved appreciable microbial reduction in laboratory scale tests (Farrah et al., 2000). Therefore, it is possible that granular activated carbon filter media prepared with chemical agents more effective in retaining microbes may eventually become more widely available for point-of-use treatment of household water. However, the conventional charcoal and activated carbon media currently available for water treatment are not recommended for use at the household level to reduce microbial contaminants. Only charcoal or activated carbon media that been combined with other materials to improve microbial reductions should be considered for household treatment of collected and stores water and then only if there are performance data or certifications to verify effective microbial reductions.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info
Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Hi,
Here is a link that you should find informative:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/question209.htm

Next??

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

The second part was (I'll have to read your replies again...but the answer to my second question seems to be there...Not a good idea...), since I'm using Black Gravel in my tank...after using the charcoal in the filters....can I wash it, soak it well, and/ot treat it somehow to remove the bad stuff it might have in it from filtering...and then add it to the substrate for any more benefit?

I would say a BIG NONO for the following reasons
1 I dont think it would be possible to remove all the mix of chemicals in the charcoal

2 Even if it was possible and you mixed it with your substrate it would start collecting more chemicals.

3 After a period of time you would finish up with a very toxic tank.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info
Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Yeah, I had that suspicion....but somehow it seemed like an interesting idea.

Is there any way to tell when the charcoal in my Emperor 400 filter power cartriges is no longer good?

Hi,
Short of a laboratory, I don't know of a way to determine
when carbon in a filter has reached its point of saturation
and becomes just another mechanical filter.

It depends upon the amount of impurities that are in the
tank and water. That depends upon the size and number
of fish, the amount of feeding and the type of foods as
well as what you have for "hardscape" such as driftwood.
Your tap water can also contribute to shortening its
lifespan as it will adsorbe things like iron and copper
from the water.
Along with all of that include any medications that
may have been used.

In general, I'd say that the carbon runs its course within
two weeks to a month.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I use soft water in my house, so I guess Im "a little" ahead of part of that.

WOW...(2 weeks to a month?)!
Where can I get activated charcoal at a low price online in BULK? Please?

Hi,
I guess what we are trying to say, and the
underlying thread throughout the replies
is actually that one does not NEED to use carbon (charcoal)
in their filters. If you are trying to remove tannins from
new driftwood, or, if you are trying to remove the last
vestiges of medications from a tank after an outbreak,
Then, you should use carbon in the filter. But, if your
tank is not visiting any of those causes, it is simply not
necessary. Keep in mind, also, that carbon will remove
many of the nutrients that plants use. If you have a
planted tank, and add fertilizers with carbon in the filter
much of what you add will not reach the plants, instead it
will "gunk up" the carbon.

You can get bulk carbon from any of the larger wholesale
suppliers on line. I have a 1.87L container of MarineLand
Carbon that I've had, sealed, for a decade, should I have
a problem in my tank that needed it. No, I don't have
any inkling of what it cost me, it was too long ago.

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

My tank plants are Flourishing like crazy with my new "Daylight" flourescent bulb. And I do weekly 1/3 water changes to stay ahead of nitrates.

BUT I'm losing fish....at about 1 or 2 every day (various Tetra, so far)and I'm accumulating scum/algea. I'm seriously thinking about the carbon dioxide (that the plants put off at night when the light is off) levels and the corresponding PH change detrimentally affecting my fish.

The plants are growing like weeds.
But I'm consistantly losing smaller(so far) fish....!
(I've had a number of Serpae Tetra in my non-planted community tank for 4 years....and Never lost a single one)