carbon

[nemo79]

I want to know what carbon is the best to use and what do you use to put the carbon in? I have an aquaclear filter but I hate the carbon media for it. the bag is sewn and alot of the times I have to restitch it because of breakage. So I want to use a better carbon and media bags.

Last night was the draw. I changed the carbon media in my filter and even after rinsing and rinsing a little bit of carbon went into the tank...I immediatly removed it with my net.

any suggestions?

thanx

[usmc121581]

This will sound weird but have you tried using panty hose. When I would use carbon in my tank my wife would by knee highs for me(Didn't want to look weird buying them myself) and I would fill the foot up with carbon and cut the excess off. Then when its time to change the carbon just take it out and repeat.

[Dyngoe]

Hi Nemo,

Carbon is primarily used for chemical filtration for cloudy water. It does remove some nitrates, but there are better media for this. Don't worry too much about carbon getting into the tank. I had some get sprayed into my tank a few weeks back and did some research. It's basically harmless unless it buries a coral for a long time. If you need a bag, pantyhose or a media bag wil do fine. I'd say carbon is optional, so you may just want to remove it. From what I've read you have a bio-wheel and a HOB skimmer. This should be fine without any carbon. If your water get's cloudy, then add the carbon in a bag. If you see nitrates or an algae bloom, you can add nitrate removers or phosphate removers in the same way. You should have enough room in your HOB bio-wheel to hold small bags of either or both.

[coral reefer]

I use Kent's carbon, and I put it in a micron bag along with phosphate remover.
You can also buy those white media bags at any pet shop! My advice to you is to use less carbon but replace it sooner than later(usually after a couple weeks or so).

[nemo79]

cool! Yes I am planning on using it 24/7...i love the polished look it gives and it helps with chemical warefare. I will get a better brand and use less of it...I do replace the carbon every few weeks.

I don't have a biowheel but it is a hang on filter which I use the sponge and carbon. I have very little algae and every time I've tested for nitrates it's zero but I have to get a new test kit for that! thanks

[inwall75]

Black Diamond is my favorite in terms of quality/ease of use/price.

[Solsjealous]

I bought a 2 little fishies phosphate reactor about 35 bucks and a small power head. What I have been reading and heard it’s best to have the carbon suspended for maximum exposure. There are also several camps on using carbon, that it strips a lot of beneficial nutrients out and only use it short term

[inwall75]

If you use it long term, it basically becomes another biofilter like live rock and it stops doing the chemical filtration it is designed for. That's why I change carbon frequently.

There's a way to extend the life of carbon. Once per week grind it up/smash it up real bad to expose new surface area. Then rinse really well.

[Birchell]

yea, the panty hose thing works great. I use it in my freshwater tanks for peat filtering. Im with you on the chimical warfare, it will help alot if you have alot of corals. But if your looking to just polish you tank, just keep a HOB filter with the filter pads going, and it will remove all the floating stuff.
I think that is the reason I keep my HOB filter going.

[nemo79]

great advice, definitly going to change my brand, use less but 24/7. I don't know if I trust the whole liverock filteration. I use my hob with the sponge and that's what collects the debris which skimmers don't...I can't imagine what my tank would look like without the filteration. I also used aragonite crushed coral for my substrate...ya I wish I had found this forum before making my decisions as I like the look of sand better but on the up side...my cc doesn't get blown around.