As a long time member of the Reef Aquarium Club, and a huge fan of all things reef I have been asked this question countless times: do terrariums need charcoal? My answer is an unqualified no. Sorry to be so blunt but there really is no need. However, that does not mean that you should never include some in your reef aquarium.
When I was growing up I used to visit the local pet store on a Sunday afternoon. I remember going inside and seeing rows of fish tanks, and pet store employees walking about with their arms full of fish and aquatic decorations. It kind of made me jealous that they were making such great money and it also made me wonder how much dirt they were pulling out of those fish tanks. After a bit of observation, I came to the conclusion that they were using a very hazardous chemical agent in the water.
So that leads me to my next question, do pet stores actually use chlorine in the water? Believe me, if they did they would have to fire departments put out the flames and hire the local fire fighters to come in and contain the blaze. The reality of the situation is that chlorine is an oxidizing agent that causes the staining of corals, both fresh and saltwater. As well as this being unhealthy for your fish it also destroys the mucus layer that protects the inner parts of the corals from windborne debris.
There are two different methods that pet store staff use to de-chlorinate the water. The first method is quite frankly appalling. It involves filling the tank with tap water and then topping it off with a dilute bleach solution. If you had a thing with sensitive teeth, then this would be an option for you.
However, my experience with this approach has left me suspicious of the effectiveness of this treatment. Firstly, chlorine is not an environmentally friendly product. Secondly, the bleach used often gives off chloroform gas, which is highly toxic to fish. Lastly, chlorine easily wears away at the surfaces of corals and algae, causing them to disintegrate over time.
So now that you know that do terrariums need charcoal? Well, you should know that chlorine has to be added to a very high percentage in order to kill bacteria. This means that you will have to add quite a bit of water to your tank. However, don’t worry, this is perfectly safe as long as you rinse the tank out with fresh tap water after every use.
Now, we all know that most aquarium enthusiasts now use UV filtration devices. These are used to kill bacteria, algae and viruses, but they also filter out the harmful light from the sun. This can sometimes be detrimental to corals, so it is often better to use this type of filter. However, there are certain types of UV filtration that can cause problems for corals, including: Kegel, Keggel and Phytoluminescence. If you wish to use this option, make sure you purchase a unit with “tunable” light.
So, after reading this article you are probably wondering: do terrariums need charcoal? The short answer is no, however, you may want to consider giving it a try. You can either do this yourself using prepared stone or coral sand by either purchasing it at a pet store or making it yourself at home. In any case, enjoy your new hobby!
I have noticed over the years that many aquarium keepers forget to add charcoal to the water. This is usually because of the lack of technical knowledge on this topic. They will simply put a shallow layer of sand in the bottom of the tank then top that off with some charcoal. Why would you do this? Well, charcoal has been proven to help reduce the growth of algae, as well as kill harmful bacteria and viruses that can lead to water contamination.
When looking for terrarium supplies or equipment, you can easily find units that contain a mesh cover. Some people mistakenly think that these units need to be oxygenated, but that is not true at all. It is recommended that you simply let the water run through the mesh cover, providing it with carbon dioxide and oxygen.
So does terrariums need charcoal? Honestly, there is not a reason that you need to supplement your water supply with this material. You should, however, make sure that it is present in your supplies. If not, you will be increasing the chances of your tank being contaminated, which is never a good thing.