"bk" wrote in message
...

I'm using activated carbon to help clear up some brown water. Did a 15-20%
water change, added a carbon filter pad and a quart container of carbon.
Put
the carbon to two separate homemade stocking bags. One on top of filter
where water trickles over it and the other directly in the pond.

The pond is about 1200 gallaons. I have no idea what the correct amount of
carbon is, but since I paid $13 for the quart and 10 for the filter, I
figured it had to be enough. the pet store says to replace both filter and
carbon each month. Are they trying to take me for a ride?

Carbon filters only last "so long". I expect that you are not going to get
the results that you want without spends piles of cash. If you water is bron
because of turbidity, you best bet is to just wait it out and let particles
fall to the bottom of the pond. Water changes can help. If your water is
brown from algae, you'll need to solve that algae problem. If the water is
brown (this is probably the case) from tannins either from leaves or other
plant matter falling into the pond, you'll need to remove as much of the
leaves as you can, and do some water changes.

BV.