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Marineland filter supplement questions

2K views 6 replies 3 participants last post by  frdfandc 
#1 ·
Anyone have any experience with adding Marineland activated carbon or 'White Diamond' to their tanks?

Other than added costs and added maintenance ( changing the media bag once a month ) are their any known problems caused by adding these?

Im not sure what is in the White Diamond but it is sold as an ammonia remover and I figured that was a good thing, then I started reading about different filter media causing pH changes and I dont think that is a good thing.

Opinions? Experiences? Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
Assuming from your other threads and PM, this is a planted tank (live plants). If this is correct, you don't need to waste your money on either carbon or ammonia remover. Carbon removes (as it is intended to do) nutrients that the plants need, or can better remove themselves. And plants certainly need ammonia in the form of ammonium; in acidic water ammonia basically converts to ammonium, and in basic (alkaline) water the plants internally do the conversion from ammonia to ammonium; so either way, they use it. The nitrosomonas bacteria get what's left, and they colonize every surface in the aquarium. The only thing you need in teh filter in a planted tank is media (including pads) to remove the suspended particulate matter to keep the water clear. Plants keep it clean, which is a very different thing.

Byron.
 
#4 ·
So what you are saying Byron is to remove the carbon and leave the rest in place?

How about removing the carbon and installing a polisher filter in its place?
Since you haven't corrected me on this being a planted tank, I assume it is, so the only thing you need is a filter that slowly moves the water column through the media and pads to remove the particulate matter, in other words, clears the water. I used the polishing pad for the first week of my new tank, then removed it (it doesn't last more than a couple weeks anyway, like carbon wears out as well). I have in my filters the ceramic discs that only trap the larger particles (bits of plant leaves that get through, etc) but do nothing to the water quality, then the biological media (unnecessary in a planted tank, but not doing any harm so I left it but I'll never replace it), finally the fine white pads that trap the very fine particles.

I'm an advocate of minimal mechanical filtration in planted aquaria. Plants do a better job of cleaning the water, so I prefer to let them get on with their function. Keeping the water column clear is the job of the mechanical filter, and you can put more pads in it to do more of this.

Byron.
 
#6 ·
Sorry that I kind of hijacked this thread.

But yes, my tank is planted. So I'll take out the carbon and leave the rest alone - ceramic/bio balls/pad material.
You know, I didn't even noticed this was a different member posting:shock:. So much for my alertness;-).

Yes, agree. Byron.
 
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