Carbon or NO carbon??

Discussion in 'Filters, Pumps, etc..' started by califjewls, Feb 21, 2009.

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  1. califjewls

    califjewls Astrea Snail

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    Hi there 3Reef'rs,
    I have a question regarding carbon in a 20 gallon reef. I have gotten mixed answers at my LFS. I have a AquaClear50 on my nano, currently I am running it with filter floss, but I am wondering if I should be using carbon also?

    What are the positive and negative points to having carbon in the mechanical filtration?

    Also, when cleaning my filter do I rinse it with RO water or tap water?

    Thanks to all you experts! :)
     
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  3. Vkkesu

    Vkkesu Spaghetti Worm

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    Use ro water whenever possible. I have gone off and on using carbon for 10 years in a mag 350 (due to equipment failure when I wasn't using it). I truly think it has helped having it in my reef/fish tank. I know have it in filter bags where my water has to run through it.

    An obvious way of telling what it can do was, I fragged some xenias last night, right afterwards my arm burned when I put it in my tank from all the toxins released. I put in carbon and within a few minutes the water felt fine again. I notice it helping keep the chemical warfare more than anything down to a minimum. It has never caused us any trouble and the corals have always seemed to do better in my tanks.
     
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2009
  4. Otty

    Otty Giant Squid

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    I run it 24/7
     
  5. Av8Bluewater

    Av8Bluewater Giant Squid

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    If I stop using it my water will start to stink in about a week. I use the bag in a the sump method.
     
  6. jakeh24

    jakeh24 Pajama Cardinal

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    running carbon can give you more time to realize a problem before things go bad
    also your water after awhile maybe a few weeks will kind of get that acidic look when you don't run it
     
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2009
  7. GuitarMan89

    GuitarMan89 Giant Squid

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    The benefits of running are carbon are great. It absorbs toxins, organice pollutants, keeps your water clear etc. There are no negatives. Carbon is one of those things that I feel is essential to this hobby.
     
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  9. PJSATC86

    PJSATC86 Flamingo Tongue

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    I use carbon on my 40 gallon and it helps out, but im fairly new to this.
     
  10. califjewls

    califjewls Astrea Snail

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    Thank you guys! Carbon it is! :)
     
  11. reedreef

    reedreef Plankton

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    this is a great thread to us newbies... 1 side questions to add. The LFS was a little shaky with this.... Whats a good Carbon schedule?
    This is what they said in the store i bought the bag and carbon from:

    "Leave it in for a month... it will lose it's effectiveness half way through the month but you shouldn't run carbon all the time anyways so it's not a prob that it loses effectiveness half way through the month... change it once a month"

    does that sound accurate?

    I put a bunch in the bag and put it on the filter floss.
    tank seems better with it but i learned my lesson to not put too much in the bag because 3 days after i first put it in the bag/carbon seemed to push water out of my tray and out onto the floor and got a frantic call from home saying the tank was leaking. only to find the carbon/bag was pushing water out of the tray and over the side of the sump and onto the floor.

    accurate carbon schedule?

    thanks!
     
  12. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    Hi Reedreef

    answers may vary as all systems are different

    I use Carbon 24/7 and have a 70 gallon tank and use 1 coffee cup full amount of carbon and change it monthly

    I use it in a cannister filter surrounded by filter floss, which I discard weekly when doing water changes
    I do this to prevent the carbon clogging due to all the solid waste material the cannister removes

    this is why your floor got wet, the carbon clogs up and water cant run through it easily
    if you are using it in a sump, add a layer of filter floss over the top and throw away and replace that filter floss when it goes brown/ before is starts clogging up

    Thats just my opinion, others will have their own preffered methods/ schedule

    Steve