The role of activated carbon

Activated carbon, also known as activated carbon black, has many functions. Many people usually use it to clean the air, especially the air in the car. This is because activated carbon has strong chemical adsorption and physical adsorption effects. It can absorb some dust, bacteria, and many harmful substances in the air. Some air purifiers now utilize the function of activated carbon.

Everyone should have some understanding of the role of activated carbon. Some air purifiers on the market now use the adsorption effect of activated carbon to absorb harmful substances in the air very well, thereby achieving the effect of purifying the air. Let's take a look at the role of activated carbon.

Activated carbon has a strong "physical adsorption" and "chemical adsorption" effect, which can adsorb certain organic compounds to achieve the removal effect. Using this principle, we can quickly and effectively remove harmful substances, odors, pigments, etc. in the aquarium water, so that the water quality can be directly and rapidly improved.

There are many activated carbon products sold in the aquarium market, and it is difficult for many aquarium hobbyists to distinguish the good from the bad. Some products are just charcoal and cannot effectively remove harmful substances. These products that look like charcoal on the surface are usually shiny and are best not to buy.

Good activated carbon products have undergone "activation treatment". The so-called "activation treatment" means that during the manufacturing process, the porosity of the activated carbon is significantly increased to make it more adsorbent. However, it is difficult to tell with the naked eye whether a product has undergone "activation treatment" and it can usually only be judged based on the product's characteristics.

Also, when shopping, remember that the smaller the particles, the better the effect. Because the larger its total surface area, the more pores it has. However, the particles should not be too fine and become powdery, so as not to cause inconvenience in use and affect the filtering flow of the filter. Generally, a particle size of about 1 mm in diameter is preferred.

Although activated carbon can be used to remove suspended matter in water, its pores will soon be clogged by the suspended matter and lose its original effectiveness. Therefore, it should be placed under the filter cotton, allowing the filter cotton to deal with the suspended matter in the water first, and then the soluble harmful substances that the filter cotton cannot deal with will be dealt with by the activated carbon. However, in order to prevent the activated carbon particles that are too small from flowing into the aquarium at the end of the filtration, and to facilitate replacement in the future, it is best to place it as the second layer of filter material, and place other filter materials, such as: biological filter balls, ceramic rings, etc. underneath it.

The following points should be noted when using activated carbon:

1. Clean and remove dust before use, otherwise the black dust may temporarily affect the cleanliness of the water. However, it is recommended not to rinse directly with fresh tap water, because once the porous activated carbon absorbs a large amount of chlorine and bleach in the tap water, the damage to the water quality caused when it is subsequently placed in the filter for use is self-evident.

2. It is impossible to clean out the debris that clogs the pores of activated carbon by simple cleaning. Therefore, it is necessary to replace the activated carbon regularly to prevent it from losing its effectiveness due to "adsorption saturation". And it is best not to wait until it becomes ineffective before replacing it, so as to ensure that the activated carbon can continue to remove harmful substances from the aquarium water. It is recommended to replace it 1-2 times a month!

3. The efficiency of activated carbon in treating water quality is related to its treatment dosage, generally speaking, "the more dosage is used, the better the water quality treatment effect is."

4. After a certain amount of activated carbon is used, the changes in water quality should be observed frequently in the initial use, and the observation results should be noted as a basis for judging how long it will take for the activated carbon to become ineffective and need to be replaced.

5. When using medicine to treat fish diseases, the activated carbon should be temporarily removed and its use should be suspended. This is to prevent the drug from being adsorbed by activated carbon and reducing the therapeutic effect.

Everyone should know the role of activated carbon. It is colorless, odorless, and very effective in purifying the air. Many people are aware of this, so they put some activated carbon in their cars, which can effectively remove odors and dust in the car. However, everyone should pay attention to some issues when using activated carbon.