Will active (activated) carbon absorb away the fertiliser?

[blue33]

Thanks bro! LOL... you are keeping track of me.

sorry off topic...i thought your location is "mai ka lu kong"?..you just divulge yourself.....anyway you still get my salute with a spring for the IAPLC 2009 ranking

[Aquanoob]

After using the active carbon for about 2 months in my top filter, I have
decided to change to Zeolite to replace the carbon. I bought a packet
of Zeolite that claims to add Calcium, Potassium and trace elements
into the water while filtering off harmful ammonia and nitrates. I think it will be good for the plants in my tanks as they will get "nutrients"?

I read in a book that the active carbon can be re-use after washing and putting under the sun to"bake" and "re-energize" for about 2-3 days, has anyone try it before?

[Aquanoob]

I don't know whether my eyes are playing a trick on me or something else but my tank water is still very clear after many days as I switch from
activated carbon to zeolite for the filter material in my overhead filter.
And the plants looks lively bright too, due to the so-claimed Calcium,
Potassium and trace elements added to water from the Zeolite??
Anyone else having such an experience as well?

[TyroneGenade]

You can recharge the carbon by washing it in boiling water.

If you remove the ammonia from the water what will your plants consume as a nitrogen? And what about the bacteria in the filter, where will they get their N from?

[Aquanoob]

I am afraid I don't really get what you are saying about the Nitrogen in the water. Zeolite remove ammomia (NH3) and not nitrogen (N), did I get somewhere wrong in my assumption?
Anyway, after using Zeolite for about 3 weeks, I have no casulty (touch wood) with my fauna and flora, and the water is still quite clear.
Any members here also use Zeolite as a filter material? Hope to hear some experience talk. Thank you

[Fuzzy]

You can recharge the carbon by washing it in boiling water.

If you remove the ammonia from the water what will your plants consume as a nitrogen? And what about the bacteria in the filter, where will they get their N from?

You cannot recharge activated carbon with boiling water. It requires temperatures of around 1000 - 1200 degress Celcius or higher. You would need something like a Pottery kiln at minimum, to do it yourself.

Beneficial bacteria converts ideally all ammonia in your system into Nitrates, which the plants used for growth. Ammonia should never be present at detectable levels in any aquarium, unless its being cycled.