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Can anyone tell me if carbon in my filter (canister filter) will remove chemicals like stress zyme or other chemicals like it?
thanks

Any aquarium chemical should have instructions on the bottle whether or not to remove the carbon filter media when dosing. For example, Melafix is completely ineffective (unaffective? ) when dosing with carbon in the tank, so unless you want the carbon sucking up your money, you need to take it out.

I'm almost positive stress zyme wouldn't have you remove the carbon, because it's a type of bacterial additive, so I can't see why you would need to. I never have.

Many meds will require you take the carbon out, as it's entire purpose is practically to leech stuff like that out of the water. Before you dose, read the label, it's as simple as that.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

the bottles dont state wheter or not to remove the carbon, i also use ph buffers and things like that dont want to be wasting my money if the carbon takes it out

right now i am not using carbon but there is a slight smell and my nitrates are high, i am adding chemicals to adjust this but in the long run carbon might fix it, but i need to know if chemicals like stress zyme or stress coat are ok to use with carbon in the filter
thanks

If you have elevated nitrate readings, I would start a program of water changes and tank cleaning to reduce the nitrate levels before I add more chemicals to the water. If your nitrate level is above 30 ppm, I would do an initial water change of 50% followed by 25% daily water changes. The water changes should continue at that level for about a week or until your nitrate levels are consistently at 10 ppm or lower.

Nitrate is the result of the bacterial breakdown of ammonia to nitrite to nitrate that is the final stage of the natural biological metabolic waste conversion also known as the nitrogen cycle. Although less toxic than ammonia/ammonium and nitrite, nitrate as a nitrogen compound also causes stress at all levels making a fish’s organs work harder to adjust to it’s new environment. The increasing stress results in the loss of ability to fight diseases, the ability to heal itself, and the ability to reproduce.

Nitrates are potentially dangerous due to the effects on the water chemistry and on a healthy environment for your fish while nitrates are accumulating. The higher the nitrate levels the higher and severe the consequences due to the stress on your fish and the favorable conditions for a serious algae outbreak. Extremely severe stress is reached at levels exceeding 60 ppm.

Nitrate levels (NO3) should be kept under 10 ppm. As most of the test kits measure nitrogen – nitrate (N-NO3) the reading has to be multiplied by 4.4 to get the accurate nitrate (NO3) concentration.

Nitrate is also a key nutrient source for algae. Most of the pesky and unwanted algae thrive on poor water quality, high nutrient levels and excessive nitrate. Many initially cycling tanks experience an algae bloom due to this effect.


__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

thanks bob already aware of that but thanks again, have done water changes and cleaned the tank the levels have droped but not all the way, i have a 75 gallon tanks so 25% water changes daily are out of the question

however the question in this post is can i add certain chemicals while i have carbon in my filter, which should help reduce these levels
thanks

thanks everyone, i am going to add carbon to my filter probally today
thanks

LOL Oz, I have a 125 with 40% daily water changes!

__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright