Need Help on Water Parameters

[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.

[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.

[DUHK]

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

[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]

Oh, okay! I understand now. Thanks Mzungu!

[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.

[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

[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.

[Complexity]

Dump them directly into the water.

[DUHK]

If I add dry ferts, where do I add them? Directly into the water? Or into the intake of the hanging filter I have?

[Zulaab]

Yeah I do water changes every week.. The fish are still feed and anyone else, gives off waste. Fresh water makes fish happy.. not fresh water makes them unhappy.

[DUHK]

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

[Zulaab]

Is a carbon filter expensive? What's a good brand?

Making it yourself is easy.. it will run you around 100-125 with all the hoses you need to get etc.

A carbon filter will last you for a couple of years and then you will have to spend ~$25 and refill the carbon back up with new carbon and then it will last you another 2-3 yrs.. (maybe more)

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.)

[DUHK]

Wow, thank you for letting me know! I would have thought vice versa. I thought I would have had to just add prime to the amount I'm putting in.

Thanks for all your great advice guys!

[Complexity]

If you try to adjust pH, Hardness, etc. by chemical means, you're running a big risk. Stability is more important than an exact number. :)

This bears repeating. Excellent advice!

I use straight tap water with Prime. Remove water. Add Prime to tank. Add water. It's that simple.

Be sure to add enough Prime to treat the entire gallon amount of the tank, not just what you changed out. So when I do a 50% water change on my 75g, I add enough Prime to treat the entire 75g, not just the 37.5g (50%) I changed out.