Best active carbon?

[NickD]

Need best active carbon for my 29 gallon to absorb cloudiness and tannins. Provide links plz 

[lefty o]

for the most part, carbon is carbon. some is dustier than others, but its all the same.

[Tony s]

When i use carbon, I use the Marineland available at PetSmart. seems to have less dust than most.

Edited February 16 by Tony s

[NickD]

@Tony si don’t have a hang on back filter to put it into, but some kits come with bags, can I just plop it in there filled with carbon? 

[Tony s]

It works best when put in flowing water. either a cannister or hang on back is best. just putting it in the tank won't work. Its porous nature is what traps the fine particulates,

It doesn't dissolve at all

[NickD]

@Tony scan I just put the carbon in the bag and tape it on top of the aquarium where the sponge filter is bubbling?

Edited February 16 by NickD

[nabokovfan87]

"best" for me would be something that comes in the shape of a sphere.  It's very arbitrary, but just avoid something that's basically powder or very fine granules.  They make them in all sorts of shapes.

Seachem


penn-plax "pellet" style.


marineland


fluval / aquaclear


It all works. It's all "fine".  Get what you can.  preference for me for use is just the little sphere type.

On 2/15/2024 at 6:28 PM, NickD said:

@Tony scan I just put the carbon in the bag and tape it on top of the aquarium where the sponge filter is bubbling?

Put it on the top of the sponge filter, wrapped around the uplift tube or laying on top of the air stone if you don't have a sponge filter.

[Tony s]

Yeah, I suppose that would work fine 

On 2/15/2024 at 9:30 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

It all works. It's all "fine"

Yeah. I put it in an empty hob cartridge. As long as I’m not covered in black dust and it doesn’t bleed into the water, it’s good. 

[Galabar]

I'm not sure activated carbon would absorb cloudiness, especially if that is being caused by a heterotrophic bacteria bloom...

 

[Tony s]

Didn’t say anything about a bacterial bloom. It does help with fine particulate 

[lefty o]

On 2/15/2024 at 8:55 PM, Tony s said:

Yeah, I suppose that would work fine 

Yeah. I put it in an empty hob cartridge. As long as I’m not covered in black dust and it doesn’t bleed into the water, it’s good. 

you should rinse your carbon in cold water first to get the dust out.

[Tony s]

Correct. I should.  But often don’t.  Got out of the habit. Not much dust in mine. And don’t use it much anymore. For my 36 gallon black glow fish tank, I use small pouch of purigen. Which does get rinsed 

[Pepere]

Placing it in a box filter works well, and those are cheap enough.  I think just putting it above the outlet of a sponge filter tha majority of the water will flow around it rather than through it.

https://www.amazon.com/Lees-Triple-Flow-Corner-Filter-Large/dp/B0002APX0U/ref=sr_1_1_pp?crid=32D7XA1NBHLC2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.So2Ccqn2z_Zka-2JyV9ubhH2bkSRt2m0As6SfRaUXWTMCR16wSuJZN6Eyqc90CAFfzrSeMb1VB7X_kM0CoLthdmyWkpLrDWU2HmKNkX0bJ8.AihznmgWxd5n5D1BcStsUFtyyFe_vGCVlY7QQOkCL-A&dib_tag=se&keywords=Lee's+triple+flow&qid=1708096415&s=pet-supplies&sprefix=lee's+triple+flow%2Cpets%2C89&sr=1-1
 

 

[Pepere]

On 2/15/2024 at 6:29 PM, NickD said:

Need best active carbon for my 29 gallon to absorb cloudiness and tannins. Provide links plz 

Based on the photo you provided, the fastest and cheapest way to reduce the brown coloration would be through water changes.    Activated carbon after can help mop up residual.