# Activated carbon and shrimp



## Jsu

I just got a new AC 30 for a 8 gal shrimp tank. Should i take out the activated carbon and does anyone here use the activated carbon in their filter for shrimp tanks? Why and why not?


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## Darkblade48

I do not use carbon in my planted shrimp aquarium. Carbon will adsorb chelated iron, so is generally not used in planted aquariums.

In addition, carbon exhausts itself relatively quickly (dependent on the amount of dissolved organic compounds in the water column), and will often have to be replaced frequently, adding to the cost of this hobby.


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## CrystalMethShrimp

It's your own personal choice.
I've always used carbon and have found it improves the water quality. 
If you on a budget get a reusable filter bag and buy the carbon in bulk and refill yourself.


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## Beijing08

Carbon will be useful during initial set up to polish the water up. But like Darkblade said, it's definitely not worth the investment especially in a shrimp tank. you should double up on the BIO filtration, though.


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## igor.kanshyn

In a planted tank, plants will use metals and minerals that come from your tap water and not good for shrimps/fish
If there is no plants or small amount of them, carbon can be used for this.

As CrystalMethShrimp said, use it in initial setup (you probable got it with a new filter), add live plants and replace carbon with a sponge in a month.

BTW, carbon decrease hardness of water, this can be good for crystals


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## CrystalMethShrimp

When I was in Japan some of the crs shops I went to used carbon in their canister filters along with ceramic bio balls. Why is this? The tank was heavily planted with co2.

I agree that you should add as much bio media as possible, althought my intial belief was that after a month or 2 every surface area in the tank (plants/substrate) became a surface for bio film and bacterial to grow.


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## Darkblade48

CrystalMethShrimp said:


> When I was in Japan some of the crs shops I went to used carbon in their canister filters along with ceramic bio balls. Why is this? The tank was heavily planted with co2.


It could just be ignorance on the store owner's part, and/or the carbon may simply be in there to polish the water temporarily.

However, it will adsorb (not absorb) any chelated iron, regardless. Once it is exhausted, however, it will no longer adsorb it.


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## Jsu

I decided to leave the carbon in the filter for a week or two then take it out since the tank setup is still fairly new (little over a month) and im also using top soil. its been two days and i noticed that the clarity of the water is better. 

Ill keep an close eye on the health of my shrimp, fish and plants. If i sense something is wrong then ill take out the carbon. 

Another uncertainty i have. I was told to put the carbon in the filter for a day right after WC to remove heavy metals and other stuff in tap water. Does anyone do that and agree with this method?


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## Darkblade48

Jsu said:


> Another uncertainty i have. I was told to put the carbon in the filter for a day right after WC to remove heavy metals and other stuff in tap water. Does anyone do that and agree with this method?


Too much effort, so I do not do this.

In addition, what kind of heavy metals are you looking to pull out? I use Prime treated water for my shrimp aquariums with no problems whatsoever.


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## CrystalMethShrimp

Anthony, I picked up more hc cuba for a new tank but the leaves are much larger. I like the smaller ones you had and I recalled you saying that you grew yours submerged which contributed to the small leaves. How big were the small hc cuba you started out with in the submerged batch?


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## Jsu

Darkblade48 said:


> Too much effort, so I do not do this.
> 
> In addition, what kind of heavy metals are you looking to pull out? I use Prime treated water for my shrimp aquariums with no problems whatsoever.


I currently living in waterloo and the water here is really hard and it taste awful.


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## Darkblade48

CrystalMethShrimp said:


> Anthony, I picked up more hc cuba for a new tank but the leaves are much larger. I like the smaller ones you had and I recalled you saying that you grew yours submerged which contributed to the small leaves. How big were the small hc cuba you started out with in the submerged batch?


The HC Cuba was likely grown emersed. Given time underwater, it will change its leaf structure back to the smaller form.

I am not sure what you are asking for your final question. I initially grew my HC emersed, so the leaves were quite large. After about 3-4 weeks submersed, they changed to the much smaller leaves.


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## igor.kanshyn

CrystalMethShrimp said:


> Anthony, I picked up more hc cuba for a new tank but the leaves are much larger. I like the smaller ones you had and I recalled you saying that you grew yours submerged which contributed to the small leaves. How big were the small hc cuba you started out with in the submerged batch?


Last week I was in Menagerie and they had different species HC for sale. They looked similar, but one had bigger leaves. 
You might got not that species that Anthony has.


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## Darkblade48

igor.kanshyn said:


> Last week I was in Menagerie and they had different species HC for sale. They looked similar, but one had bigger leaves.
> You might got not that species that Anthony has.


If I recall correctly, Menagerie gets their HC from Tropica, which grows their HC emersed, I believe.


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