Do You Use Carbon?

I was running the reactor half-full of Black Diamond carbon by the way.

On the positive side for carbon I did see improvement in the look of my green open brain. He has been closed up for about a year and a half. When I bought it was always very fully extended and very fleshy. My nitrates went up to about 40 or so and the brain became very contracted. I thought I would lose it. Nitrates have been near 0 for the last year and a half and the extension never came back fully. I started seeing some extension again over the last few weeks. Maybe due to the carbon.



It has swelled up to the point that I need to move that Merulina out of the way.

We'll see what happens after the carbon is out for a few weeks. I've added some fish over the last weeks and feeding every day while they are getting acclimated rather than every other day as I normally do so there are a couple of variables at play. May be hard to know for sure.

 

Here the media I use for phosphate removal. runnig too much media on my system could be the problem too.
Eco-Phos Phosphate Removal Media, COARSE, by Ecosystem Aquarium - AquaCave

Im just trying to rule things out. I know it almost seems unlikely but need to be sure that carbon wont have any ill effects on my tank.

 

I've read numerous threads about RTN occurring from running GFO. I'd pull out the GFO. What was your phosphate level before GFO? I use chaeto to export phosphate. Also, feed only frozen food. Flake is loaded with phosphate. I'm assuming you're already using RO/DI.

 

Ive never put serious thought into any media until about 4 months ago when I had a massive system breakdown with a couple of accidents on my tank.

Ever since then I cant get things fully back on track since I now have media on my tank.

yea everything else checks ok.... cant fully grasp whats giving me these problems.

LPS, fish, zoas, and clam all fine. most of my sps are ok. but Im having the problematic pieces. For example something like a measely birds nest is getting rtn after a week or so in my tank.

 

People have reported down turn with aluminum based phos removers.

 

I am trying out seachem's renew

 

I also have some great coloring in my acro specied sps. but even measely digitatas crap out on me. Im baffled.

 

All the more reason that you should run carbon if using theses plants

 

Why is that?


luna

 

A lot of the yellowing of the water that people experience in their reef tanks are due to various plants/algaes. (Phenols, terpenoids, and such).