Activated Carbon

I'm using activated carbon to help clear up some brown water. Did a 15-20%
water change, added a carbon filter pad and a quart container of carbon. Put
the carbon to two separate homemade stocking bags. One on top of filter
where water trickles over it and the other directly in the pond.

The pond is about 1200 gallaons. I have no idea what the correct amount of
carbon is, but since I paid $13 for the quart and 10 for the filter, I
figured it had to be enough. the pet store says to replace both filter and
carbon each month. Are they trying to take me for a ride?
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"bk" wrote in message
...

I'm using activated carbon to help clear up some brown water. Did a 15-20%
water change, added a carbon filter pad and a quart container of carbon.
Put
the carbon to two separate homemade stocking bags. One on top of filter
where water trickles over it and the other directly in the pond.

The pond is about 1200 gallaons. I have no idea what the correct amount of
carbon is, but since I paid $13 for the quart and 10 for the filter, I
figured it had to be enough. the pet store says to replace both filter and
carbon each month. Are they trying to take me for a ride?

Carbon filters only last "so long". I expect that you are not going to get
the results that you want without spends piles of cash. If you water is bron
because of turbidity, you best bet is to just wait it out and let particles
fall to the bottom of the pond. Water changes can help. If your water is
brown from algae, you'll need to solve that algae problem. If the water is
brown (this is probably the case) from tannins either from leaves or other
plant matter falling into the pond, you'll need to remove as much of the
leaves as you can, and do some water changes.

BV.

Thanks, I think that the color is from plant material. While the pond was
without fish for a couple of months, I didn't scoop out the leaves as often
as I should. I do this now aspart of my morning rituals, coffee, orchids,
pond, coffee, coffee...

As long as the hurricane misses my house, I guess I'll do another 20% change
this weekend. The water is clearing up, it's just not as crystal clear as I
like it.

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"Benign Vanilla" wrote in message
...

"bk" wrote in message
...

I'm using activated carbon to help clear up some brown water. Did a
15-20%
water change, added a carbon filter pad and a quart container of carbon.
Put
the carbon to two separate homemade stocking bags. One on top of filter
where water trickles over it and the other directly in the pond.

The pond is about 1200 gallaons. I have no idea what the correct amount
of
carbon is, but since I paid $13 for the quart and 10 for the filter, I
figured it had to be enough. the pet store says to replace both filter
and
carbon each month. Are they trying to take me for a ride?

Carbon filters only last "so long". I expect that you are not going to get
the results that you want without spends piles of cash. If you water is
bron
because of turbidity, you best bet is to just wait it out and let
particles
fall to the bottom of the pond. Water changes can help. If your water is
brown from algae, you'll need to solve that algae problem. If the water is
brown (this is probably the case) from tannins either from leaves or other
plant matter falling into the pond, you'll need to remove as much of the
leaves as you can, and do some water changes.

BV.

Speaking of hurricanes, Gaston hit us with lots of rain. No wind. I got
about a 25 to 35% water change. We had in excess of 10 inches of rain on
Monday. KH was down slightly. Many of our roads are still underwater, and
will be for several more days. This storm, unlike Isabelle, came to
Richmond and stopped for a while, just dumping rain at up to 2 inches an
hour. If you are in the projected path of Frances, it looks like there will
be considerable wind with that one. Raise KH, take cover and clean up after
it is over. If you have a generator for the power outage, that is great,
take a minute to be sure it will start, and get plenty of gas for it. If
not, get some hydrogen peroxide to add oxygen to the pond once the fish look
like they might be gasping, about 1 pint per thousand gallons, repeat as
necessary. Or go to Walmart sporting goods section and get one of the bait
bucket aerators called Big Bubbles, runs up to 80 hours on a D cell battery.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/index.html

"bk" wrote in message
news
Thanks, I think that the color is from plant material. While the pond was
without fish for a couple of months, I didn't scoop out the leaves as
often
as I should. I do this now aspart of my morning rituals, coffee, orchids,
pond, coffee, coffee...

As long as the hurricane misses my house, I guess I'll do another 20%
change
this weekend. The water is clearing up, it's just not as crystal clear as
I
like it.

--


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"Benign Vanilla" wrote in message
...

"bk" wrote in message
...

I'm using activated carbon to help clear up some brown water. Did a
15-20%
water change, added a carbon filter pad and a quart container of
carbon.
Put
the carbon to two separate homemade stocking bags. One on top of
filter
where water trickles over it and the other directly in the pond.

The pond is about 1200 gallaons. I have no idea what the correct
amount
of
carbon is, but since I paid $13 for the quart and 10 for the filter, I
figured it had to be enough. the pet store says to replace both filter
and
carbon each month. Are they trying to take me for a ride?

Carbon filters only last "so long". I expect that you are not going to
get
the results that you want without spends piles of cash. If you water is
bron
because of turbidity, you best bet is to just wait it out and let
particles
fall to the bottom of the pond. Water changes can help. If your water is
brown from algae, you'll need to solve that algae problem. If the water
is
brown (this is probably the case) from tannins either from leaves or
other
plant matter falling into the pond, you'll need to remove as much of the
leaves as you can, and do some water changes.

BV.

Rich has his great hurricane advice here so I thought I'd retitle it for all
east coast ponders who are in France's way. Don't wish it on anyone but it sure
seems like Florida doesn't deserve another one! I read that this happened last
in the 50s, that two big hurricanes hit Florida. (Glad you got through Gaston,
Rich!)

If you are in the projected path of Frances, it looks like there will
be considerable wind with that one. Raise KH, take cover and clean up after
it is over. If you have a generator for the power outage, that is great,
take a minute to be sure it will start, and get plenty of gas for it. If
not, get some hydrogen peroxide to add oxygen to the pond once the fish look
like they might be gasping, about 1 pint per thousand gallons, repeat as
necessary. Or go to Walmart sporting goods section and get one of the bait
bucket aerators called Big Bubbles, runs up to 80 hours on a D cell battery.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/index.html


kathy :-)
algae primer
http://hometown.aol.com/ka30p/myhomepage/garden.html

Thanks for the well wishes and words. I've been thru several including
Andrew. Andrew was an incredible shot in the arm for our economy and my
business, but believe, I don't want to make it that way again. I don't want
to see that ever again.

As for us, I think Miami will be spared. I'll bring in the orchids, watch
the overflow on the pond do it's thing and clean after the winds. We had
beautiful weather during Charlie. It actually made us feel guilty.
After all the storms, we walk the beach and watch people pick up dead fish.
Its nasty. There's are many costs to living in paradise.

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"Ka30P" wrote in message
...
Rich has his great hurricane advice here so I thought I'd retitle it for
all
east coast ponders who are in France's way. Don't wish it on anyone but it
sure
seems like Florida doesn't deserve another one! I read that this happened
last
in the 50s, that two big hurricanes hit Florida. (Glad you got through
Gaston,
Rich!)

If you are in the projected path of Frances, it looks like there will
be considerable wind with that one. Raise KH, take cover and clean up
after
it is over. If you have a generator for the power outage, that is great,
take a minute to be sure it will start, and get plenty of gas for it. If
not, get some hydrogen peroxide to add oxygen to the pond once the fish
look
like they might be gasping, about 1 pint per thousand gallons, repeat as
necessary. Or go to Walmart sporting goods section and get one of the
bait
bucket aerators called Big Bubbles, runs up to 80 hours on a D cell
battery.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/index.html


kathy :-)
algae primer
http://hometown.aol.com/ka30p/myhomepage/garden.html

On Wed, 1 Sep 2004 07:41:05 -0400, "bk" wrote:


I'm using activated carbon to help clear up some brown water. Did a 15-20%
water change, added a carbon filter pad and a quart container of carbon. Put
the carbon to two separate homemade stocking bags. One on top of filter
where water trickles over it and the other directly in the pond.

The pond is about 1200 gallaons. I have no idea what the correct amount of
carbon is, but since I paid $13 for the quart and 10 for the filter, I
figured it had to be enough. the pet store says to replace both filter and
carbon each month. Are they trying to take me for a ride?
--


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FWIW: there is a test kit to see if there is capacity remaining in
activated carbon - Salifert C Profit-Test Activated Carbon Test Kit.
About $12. 75 test capacity.

Steve J. Noll | Ventura California
| Glass Block Pond http://www.kissingfrogs.tv
| Fused Glass/Brick Wall http://www.peltier-info.com/wall.html