Re: Carbon properties

[Steve Pushak <teban at powersonic_bc.ca>]

Cross posted to rafp and the APD.

Luca Specchio is taking issue (I think) with a posting of mine on usenet
newsgroup rafp in which I say that activated carbon is used up in a few
days and hence has little ability to remove trace nutrients. I'm taking
issue with a previous statement that "activated carbon removes trace
elements" which I refer to as "oft-repeated Internet lore".

Thanks for the info Luca; these facts are already well established. In
my posting I said: "If you want to know more about carbon, charcoal,
trace minerals ad nauseum, read the APD archives. -sigh-" I doubt that
anyone wants to revive that old argument...

I reiterate my statement: Activated charcoal is mainly a gimmick product
and a waste of money. It may temporarily alleviate yellow water. The
fact that it is unable to remove trace elements effectively over a long
term is completely incidental to its uselessness. Besides, it cannot
remove trace elements in the substrate. ;-)

The main consumers of trace nutrients in solution IMHO are the plants
and that is why unless the substrate supplies trace nutrients you need
to regularly add fresh trace nutrients. Probably less than you think
tho...

The Usenet references are
Message-ID: <35C314AD.5D61C0A0 at powersonic_bc.ca>
Date: Sat, 01 Aug 1998 06:14:21 -0700
From: Steve Pushak <teban at powersonic_bc.ca>
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants

Steve

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