Need Help on Water Parameters

[tbui1178]

http://www.airwaterice.com/product/BYPASSCUBICFOOTG/Bypass_and_Jacket_Cubic_Foot_GAC.html

Here is one of cheapest carbon bottles I know of. (This will last a long time holding 1cu ft of granulated activated carbon.)

They don't sell this anymore. I checked last week.

I ended up getting a carbon bottle from Sparkling water. Costs $275 for a 48x9 bottle which stores 1cu ft. I may hook this up to my main water supply. When I picked mine up, they had some used tanks (bigger and smaller) which they may be able to sell. Might want to ask... I worked with David.

[Zulaab]

Do you have a website to look at ?
Again building your own -- may no look as cool as the commercially offered one, but they are a lot cheaper

[Mzungu]

with this, do I still have to do water changes?

Are you asking about the carbon filter? As in, if you have a carbon filter, do you still have to do water changes?

If so, then the answer is yes. Definitely. The carbon filters we are talking about are for filtering your tap water that is going into the tank when you do a water change. So, you take out the water, and the refill water from the tap runs through the carbon bottle before going into your tank, which takes out all the impurities, chemicals, and other things the city adds to the tap water.

[DUHK]

Oh, okay! I understand now. Thanks Mzungu!

[Zulaab]

Water changes removes all the waste products from your tank.
Ammonia your fish creates, are converted to Nitrites which are then broken down to Nitrates. Only organics will remove Nitrates such as Algae, plants and other greens. But over time you are going to add so much Nitrates to your tank that your fish are going to suffer. To stop all of this you do water changes.

Now why do some (all) fish want fresh water once a week ? Because by lowering all the dissolved particles in the tank your fish will be happier and look better and act more natural.

By lowering the chemicals in the tank you are keeping many issues at bay. Many many diseases are caused when the fish are stressed out from impure water conditions. Keeping clean water in your tank lowers all these problems.

I really hope this helps understand why water changes are so important to the fish :)

[DUHK]

Thank you Zulaab for taking your time out to explain this to me! It really helped me understand.

[Complexity]

So, basically, the discussion regarding carbon filters is in regards to how to make the fresh water safe for the fish.

Water from the tap contains chlorine and, frequently, chloramine. Both are deadly for fish. So they must be removed or rendered safe when you do water changes.

There are two ways of doing this that are being discussed here. One is to use an additive, such as Prime, that removes chlorine and chloramine from the tap water. It is instantaneous. So you remove the water from the tank, add the Prime, and then add water back into the tank from the tap. The prime will instantly remove the chlorine and chloramine from the water as the water is being added into the tank.

The other method is to use a carbon filter that's designed to remove the chlorine and chloramine from the water just before it's put in the tank. A hose goes from the faucet to the carbon filter and then into the tank.

Both methods work with excellent results. Each person simply chooses what methods they like best. For many here, they like using a carbon filter, and they'd have to say what they like about using it (I've never used one so I can't speak on the subject). For me, I find using Prime to be very simple. I already have enough aquarium equipment sitting around the house so I'd just assume not have to drag out and then store a carbon filter. I find grabbing a bottle of Prime quick and easy.

I think it's just a matter of what you want to do. Neither method is better than the other, and both have their plusses and minuses.

[Zulaab]

When you have a carbon bottle, its filled with carbon.
So you have a better understanding of all the things (they are not found in tap water) but it generally gives you an idea of what activated carbon can absorb, which means when your water hits the tank its 100% pure and clean.

ACTIVATED CARBON ADSORBENCY OF SELECTED MATERIAL & ODORS

This is why a carbon bottle is better than Prime/amquel.

No matter how you turn and burn it. The tap water coming out of your tap has chemicals which are either neutralized (still in the tank) or they are converted to something that will burn off by oxygenation (still in the tank, but in a while it will be gone)...

Carbon filter -- it never ever got even close to getting to the tank in the first place and therefore there isnt anything left in the tank.

[Mzungu]

Heehee, the page you linked sources "cheese" as a selected material adsorbed. )

Sorry... couldn't resist ...

[Complexity]

ACTIVATED CARBON ADSORBENCY OF SELECTED MATERIAL & ODORS

This is why a carbon bottle is better than Prime/amquel.

Impressive list. Now can you tell me which of those chemicals are in the tap water and how they are harmful to fish?

[Mzungu]

Here's a start - you got me interested. :)

http://documents.publicworks.houstontx.gov/documents/divisions/utilities/water_quality_report_2006.pdf

http://www.ewg.org/tapwater/yourwater/system.php?pwsid=TX1010013

[Complexity]

How did you find that? I don't get Houston water. I'm in Sugar Land. I wonder where I can find the same info for Sugar Land water?

[Mzungu]

http://www.sugarlandtx.gov/public_works/water_services/reports/documents/2007WQR.pdf

http://www.sugarlandtx.gov/public_works/water_services/reports/documents/2007CCR.pdf

[Complexity]

Thanks! I found the most current one.

http://www.sugarlandtx.gov/public_works/water_services/reports/documents/WQR_08.pdf

[Zulaab]

The reason I listed the absorbency of activated carbon is because I wanted to show you all the things that it will grab so everyone has an understanding, even if something you might not want shows up even in the smallest quantities activated carbon has a good chance of removing it before it hits the water.