Activated charcoal is great for filtering harmful chemicals from your terrarium, But why?

It allows us to use Tap Water in our cultures without worrying about the chemicals added by the water companies.

The manufacturer super heats the charcoal with a gas, this is the 'Activation' stage and causes previously adsorbed chemicals to be removed, the heating also causes the charcoal to expand and creates teeny tiny pores. 

These pores create the magic! They enable to charcoal to become super absorbent, this allows all the nasty atoms, ions and molecules we don't want in our culture to be 'adsorbed' and thus removed from our culture

"Adsorbed?! Why, don't you mean absorb?"

NO I don't! It works through a process called 'Adsorption'

AMAZING FACT TIME!

Apparently, in 1813 a scientist in France, Mr Bertrand decided to drink 5g of arsenic (deadly) mixed with activated charcoal and survived!

I'll have a pint please! (DONT EVER DRINK ARSENIC!)

Because of this process, one TEASPOON of Activated Charcoal is said to have the same surface area as a football field! 

COME ON REF! Get me some of that Activated Charcoal please!