Cycling with activated carbon?

Question

Im currently cycling my tank with activated carbon but now after reading about it im beginning to wonder if it isn't absorbing the ammonia and whether or not i should take it out , any advice?

Answer 1

deabsorption is a process common to active carbon and NH3, in that the carbon may hold an ammonia NH3 mole for a little while, it is not absorbed phyiscally....and will in fact release the NH3 arbitrarily

...specifically to the point, ammonia NH3 is one among several chemicals that activated carbon does NOT bind with

....it is possible that by frequent carbon changes you may extract some NH3, the vast portion of NH3 slips right past the carbon.....but not the aerobic bacteria!

....active carbon does adhere to medications, such as malychite green, mthylene blue, etc, etc

....otherwise it is not needed in filtration at all

...live plants, filter bacteria and regular water changes are the only way to sufficiently control the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate build up that occurs with fish in the tank

Answer 2

When you say you are cycling with the carbon, do you mean without anything but the carbon? I mean do you have fish, a shrimp or liquid ammonia?

Carbon is not going to suck up enough ammonia to effect anything, I'd say it would help keep the fish alive during the cycling process. Others may tell you carbon is garbage and to just throw it out I am also in the process of learning about other types of filter medium besides just carbon filters and the pros and cons of both.

But I'm going to go with, I dont think it makes that much of a difference, either way. But your going to have to have something there to serve as a breeding ground for the good bacteria that you are trying to establish.

Hope this helps!