Help! How do I change the carbon in my carbon bottle?

[Grimace]

grimace since you know more about chemistry, what i'm getting is; when we get tap water, there is ammonium and the carbon helps break it down into nitrite and nitrates which the carbon will ultimately neutralize and make the water safe.

Carbocations (+ charged carbon), and ammonium both have a + charge,, so rather than bind together they would repulse each other (= no reaction). The ammonia and ammonium that comes from tap (and the fish wast I thought) is converted to nitrite by bacteria, which DOES have a - charge, can then react with the + charged carbon (as well as any nitrate, which also has a negative charge), bind to it, and be separated from the tank water. This all assumes I am correct, but I'm fairly certain I am.

[myjohnson]

Texas snake oil. Black god they say.

Normal carbon sucks now. Pay top dollar for good carbon as miggy said and pray to the gods of sachem for safe.

@ at ram, glad you got it open. How many pounds does it hold? Which brand of carbon did you use? Do you have a chorimine test kit?

[electricblue]

Carbocations (+ charged carbon), and ammonium both have a + charge,, so rather than bind together they would repulse each other (= no reaction). The ammonia and ammonium that comes from tap (and the fish wast I thought) is converted to nitrite by bacteria, which DOES have a - charge, can then react with the + charged carbon (as well as any nitrate, which also has a negative charge), bind to it, and be separated from the tank water. This all assumes I am correct, but I'm fairly certain I am.

ok you're right i wasn't using my brain at all there for a second...let me try and straighten what i understand to be happening, the ammonia that builds up from fish waste and what not (nh3 is neutral) and ammonium (nh4 +1) is broken down by bacteria to nitrate and nitrites (-) which can then react with carbon and everything is then neutralize.... oh well, by the way what is a good brand of carbon to use

[Grimace]

ok you're right i wasn't using my brain at all there for a second...let me try and straighten what i understand to be happening, the ammonia that builds up from fish waste and what not (nh3 is neutral) and ammonium (nh4 +1) is broken down by bacteria to nitrate and nitrites (-) which can then react with carbon and everything is then neutralize.... oh well, by the way what is a good brand of carbon to use

you got it. Don't know about brands though.

[myjohnson]

Use catalytic carbon to filter out the Chloramines.

Most of north/nw Houston have changed to surface water.

I still use safe bc I love my fishes.

[Grimace]

Use catalytic carbon to filter out the Chloramines.

Most of north/nw Houston have changed to surface water.

I still use safe bc I love my fishes.

http://www.home-water-purifiers-and-filters.com/carbon-water-filter.php

[Grimace]

http://www.sydneycichlid.com/filter-carbon.htm

looks like it can do what I said, just not as effectively as I thought

[rama]

[QUOTE=myjohnson;508333]Texas snake oil. Black god they say.
Normal carbon sucks now. Pay top dollar for good carbon as miggy said and pray to the gods of sachem for safe.
@ at ram, glad you got it open.

How many pounds does it hold? About 15 LBS.

Which brand of carbon did you use? I don't know, I bought a 20 lbs bag from Xtreme.
Do you have a chorimine test kit? No.