Spilled Carbon in pond!

[buckry]

So I've been keeping activated carbon in cheesecloth in between layers of my filter material. The cheese cloth got really soggy and basically worthless and the last time I cleaned my filter dumped most of it out into the bottom of the bucket, and as I pulled it out of the water the water currents washed a lot of it onto the floor of my pond.

Will this decompose down there eventually? Also will it do me any good just sitting there or does it need a really good current to work? I'm not worried about it, the fish certainly won't eat it, and if it never goes away it will get taken care of during heavy pond maintenance, but at this point that is months and months away, so I'm just curious if it will disappear sometime in the next few months.

 

[crsublette]

Carbon can only absorb so much toxins and other stuffs ... then, with what it absorbed, it will slowly release it back into the water as it decomposes, if the carbon is not replaced with fresh carbon after a period of time dependent on how much stuff is in the water to be absorbed. I don't know how much carbon, just kept in the water, never taken out, would it take to make noticeable fluctuations in water chemistry as it decomposes.

I know I have heard of Zeolite causing ammonia spikes if the Zeolite is not changed out often enough or "recharged" properly. I don't know how much carbon it would take to cause any particular type of contaminant spike in the water.

All I know at this moment. I likely need some correction!!

 

[don't ask]

i don't believe it will decompose but it will lose its effectiveness and then just be like small stones and get algae and stuff growing on it

 

[don't ask]

ah, so you're trying to take the color out of your water i see...also be careful as it can raise ph and has no other real benefit if i recall when adding to water

 

[buckry]

I just add it to my filter buckets to absorb toxins, not trying to anything other than that. If I get bored this weekend I might pull out the vacuum and suck it all up. I need to find a much more durable container for my carbon, cheese cloth is ridiculous. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

 

[crsublette]

Ugh, I think Sissy or some other nice lady here ... can't remember who ... I remember recommended some sort of really small laundry bag that is used to help wash those fancy foo foo woman clothes. These bags are very fine mesh type bags. I bet someone can help me out here, I probably don't know what the heck I am talking about.

 

[buckry]

Yeah, I'm on the hunt for something new, a trip to the dollar store is in my future for sure.

 

[mrsclem]

Dollar store- 3 pack of 12"x15" mesh laundry bags $1. They have a zipper and are very sturdy. I use them for my lava rock and so does Sissy.

 

[buckry]

It's fine enough for the carbon though? My wife has some of those and they seem ok, but not quite fine enough to keep 100% of the carbon inside.

 

[addy1]

Get some door screen and make a bag, nice and fine net and tough

 

[buckry]

Yeah, that's a good idea..

 

[Waterbug]

Pantyhose? But they do break down in sunlight in about a month or so. But AC doesn't last that long in a pond anyways.

 

[crsublette]

Waterbug, you sure do recommend pantyhose alot ... how much pantyhose is in that closet of yours anyways? :razz:

 

[brandonsdad02]

He is model for Leggs pantyhose. LOL

 

[sissy]

never had luck with panty hose when it gets runs in it it leaks and breaks down fast