Carbon use in Ponds

[terri]

Does anyone use it in their ponds? I was thinking about it, maybe i should try it in spring time, to try keeping the water clearer.
My pond will be 2 yrs  old in June.
Any thoughts about this?

[frloplady]

I always keep activated carbon on had for emergencies, but not for constant use.  It would be helpful if the pond got contaminated with something as the carbon would absorb it.

Why do you want to use it?  If it's for water clarity there would probably be other things to try first.

[terri]

It was just a thought i had... Activated carbon is used for fish tanks and i knew someone who used it in their pond, it worked well.

[PondmaninAL]

Terri, is your water cloudy, green, or brown?

Happy ponding,
Scott

[terri]

right now, it looks brown.. typical for winter here tho.
I just had been reading about how activated carbon can take out or absorb some impurities that can foul the water.  And being i have a fish tank and use it in there, i was thinking, that maybe i could use it for my pond as well.  Last summer, pond water was various shades of green..

[CT]

Terri,
  I used it summer before last and it seemed to keep my water nicer. I put ammocarb in a knee high, flattened it out and put it between the filters in my savio waterfall. I didn't see that it would harm anything and the water seemed clearer and the fish more active.

[terri]

Kay, how much of the ammo-carb did you use for your pond?

[CT]

I used two knee highs packed full and flattened as well as I could. I think if I remember right it was one of the small cardboard cartons rinsed well for each knee high but it was a tight fit..it would be better to divide into three if you want them flatter. The pond I used it on was 800 gallon.

[CT]

This is a 2002 article but it has some good points
http://www.wernersponds.com/Activated%20Carbon%20for%20Ponds.htm