I have carbon particles from my filter floating in my aquarium. Is this dangerous for my fish?

Answer 1

It's no more dangerous than the gravel on the floor of your tank. If the fish pick up the carbon, they will blow it back out once they realize it's not food, just like the gravel at the bottom of your tank. Carbon is a very effective filter media for organic contaminates at the molecular level. I would be interested in the "conspiracy theory" a previous poster listed and wonder if the reason some fish have problems is this... carbon depletes oxygen from the atmosphere by traping those molecules within it's pore structure. Conspiracy theory? I would just call it a possible logical theory. I don't know, but I'm not an expert on fish, but I know a few things about carbon. I use it in my boy's tanks and have not had any issues at all.

Carbon is a completely inert media in it's Virgin state. It uses microscopic pores (micropores, mesopores, macropores) to trap contaminants within itself. These molecules are very difficult to remove from carbon. This is why carbon is the very finest filter media for organic contaminants.

The only immediate concern I would have is the grade and type of carbon you're using. Ensure that it's virgin and it is a liquid phase type. Typically the size is classified as 8x30. The larger pellet types of carbon work better in a vapor phase application, however the pore structure determines it's best use. The container it's sold in will describe it's principle application.

BTW... a sure fire way to identify "crap" carbon is if it has a tendancy to float. If a good percentage of it floats, you've got a very cheaply made batch that was not activated completely. Test this by mixing in water and after a few minutes, if you still have a bunch of carbon on the surface... it's junk. All the bubbles and foam and noise is due to the dry carbon pores being purged of air by the water. Good luck!

Have to add one more thing here... the previous poster is absolutely correct: You don't need carbon to have a perfectly healthy environment for your fish. Like all other products... it's out there and has it's uses. It's a preference, not a necessity.

Answer 2

It depends on who you talk to.
Any experienced fish keeper will tell you that carbon is a scam. You do not need to have carbon for a healthy fish tank. Once you have established a good bio filtration system there is absolutely no reason for it.

Many fish enthusiasts believe that the presence of carbon (and it's particles) creates a disease known as HITH. HITH is a disorder that only certain fish like gourami and oscar can catch. I have to agree with some of the conspiracy theorists out there, a fish of mine started to develop this disorder and the moment i removed the carbon he began to get better!

However, HITH takes a very long time [months] of continued situations to develop, If you remember to rinse out your carbon from this day on you should not have any HITH problems. The easiest way to rinse the carbon is in an aquarium net, this way it can be easily added into the filter without much mess.
...next time

Answer 3

no this is not dangerous to your fish.. i would reccoment getting them out though but i dont see in any way how it would hurt the fish.

Answer 4

Just messy,not dangerous.