To use filter charcoal or not?

[swordfish]

I have a HOB on my 7 bow which, I know from experience, doesn't need to have a charcoal-filld filter in it, though it does clear the water a lot faster than not using it after a cleaning. So I guess just to keep the water clean I do run a charoal filter most of the time. Not as though it's going to hurt anything.

 

I have two questions: what if I just skipped the store-bought filter cartridge and put a couple tablespooons of loose filter charcoal in a handmade panty-hose sachet and then put that in the filter? Would that do anything? The other question is: Does charcoal do anything beneficial for the water or is there just sort of a false religion surrounding it? It just never seemed to do all the miraculous things for the water it was supposed to do back when I was into freshwater. I wonder if it's the same case for salt.

 

As far as using panty hose sachets, well they're cheap and you can make many dosing bags out of a pair of hose. Cut about a two-to-three inch section off of one of the legs, tie one end closed, put your granules of whatever (I also use it for phospjate absorber) in and then tie the other end. Throw it into the filter box so you get some flow around it. It's so cheap you don't even have to bother with cleaning them, just toss 'em out. Wala!

 

Jeff

[fishbabies]

activated carbon does help clear the water from particulate matter and discoloring. it is the main component in Brita filter cartridges....and if you have ever used a Brita,you can taste and smell the difference. ...so carbon does work....its just not a miracle worker.

 

 

pantyhose should work as long as you do not have too much water bypass.... those little cartridges are constructed to allow water to flow through the carbon.....mostly. as long as most of your water flows through the hose as opposed to around, you should be fine.