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So, I just read an article about proper black water aquariums.

It said that I should remove the filter carbon from the filter cartridges as it tends to remove the tannins that should be there.

My tank is plenty tea colored and I just assumed that the tannins were present.

Is this ONLY left over stain and am I removing the tannins with the carbon in my filter?

What does everyone think?

"A fish swims through the sea, while the sea is in a certain sense contained within the fish."
-mewithoutYou

Hi,
Carbon is one of the ways to remove the tannic acid from
the tank. If you like the black water look, or have fish
that would prefer it, then you will need to remove the
carbon filter. Conversely, if you want to remove the
black water look, then you will need to use carbon, and
replace it fairly regularly. Depending upon the bioload
of the tank, and the amount of tannic acid, you may need
to change out the carbon as often as once a week and also
perform regular water changes each week as well, until
the water clears up.

True tannins are the result of driftwood in the tank. The
amount of tannic acid depends on the type of wood and how
well it was cured before placement in the tank.
The amount of tannins that are leeched into the tank also
depends on how long the wood is in the tank. At first the
wood will leech large amounts of acid into the tank but it
tapers off as the wood ages and builds up a zone of
depletion around the outside of the wood called a weathering rind.

Frank

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

Will removing the carbon effect the amount of toxins in the water? Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, etc.?

Thanks.

"A fish swims through the sea, while the sea is in a certain sense contained within the fish."
-mewithoutYou

Carbon does not remove noticeable amounts of ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate. It removes chemical compounds that could be contaminating your water. There's a list somewhere of what all it removes. Alot of people with good water don't use chemical filtration at all. I have horrible water with tons of agricultural run off so I use seachem's purigen. It's rechargeable and lasts longer than carbon. If you can still see some brown then your carbon is not removing all the tannins. I've had a black tank you couldn't see into from all the tannins and had all the extra media sections in my 2 filters packed full of carbon. One reason I use the purigen or I wouldn't be able to see into my tank full of driftwood. While some fish like tannins they aren't necessary. Unless your breeding sensitive fish from blackwater there's no need to really create a brown tank beyond looks. The fact you can still see some discoloration probably means there's enough tannins left to get any benefits from it. Your carbon is probably not absorbing much else though since it's being saturated with the tannins.

if you are wanting to get rid of the tannins i have a solution that might sound a little weird. i had a big problem with it when i made a drift wood tank.I used a chemical i found at wal-mart called algea destroyer and it worked over night.I came in the room the next morning and the water was crystal clear.

If your fish eat a lot of bloodworm their excreta will someimes yellow the water a little. I had a couple of setups with no bogwood a few years ago that would yellow after a big bloodworm feeding. Something to do with the fish digestive juices and the haemaglobin in the bloodworm reacting together. Some blackwater extracts dont even colour the water brown, they just add the chemical compounds without the colour deepening.

Algae destroyer is a bad solution and not the best thing to put into any tank. It will kill plants and often times it's effects on fish aren't that great either. Most of those chemical solutions for clearing tanks or killing algae are harmful to other life in the tank and only a temporary solution. Quick fixes like that are best avoided and unneccessary if you maintain a tank properly.

I had no choice but to use it . i tried everythingelse i could and it was the only thing that worked.i will say i only use chemicals like that in half doses just to be on the safe side.I have dne a little research since then and i have found out that there are naturall phosphate and silicate removers that supposedly do a wonderfull job.

I don't want to get rid of the tannins. On the contrary, I want to have as much in the water as there is in nature. Happy fist are fish at home and all that.

My ultimate goal would be for my fish to breed. But since my tank isn't a species tank I doubt that will happen.

"A fish swims through the sea, while the sea is in a certain sense contained within the fish."
-mewithoutYou

Using carbon to remove tannic acid is a joke really. Carbon takes only a small about out if any. If you want the tannic in your tank, then by all means let it stay there.
Just FYI, tannic acids will love the PH of the water thus turning the water more acidic. Hope the fish you have like acidic water with a low PH, i.e. South American cichlids and tetras.
To really take out the tannic acid, or atleast enough to make the water clear for a few days is to do a decent water change.

"There is also a Clown Pleco in this tank some where. I am telling you, HE IS IN HERE."