How do you run carbon?

Not to be asking a dumb question, But I always hear people talking about running Carbon. None of my friends run carbon in their tanks, therefor I was never taught anything about it. They were the ones who got me started in salt water in the first place.

My questions are.

How do you Run Carbon?
How do you know if you need to Run Carbon?
And what does it do/affect?
And what exactly is Carbon?

 

Carbon is the little black rocks you find in power filter cartridges. You can buy it in bulk boxes. Carbon is very porous and will remove harmful chemical compounds in the water. Supposedly it also clears your water well. I don't use it so I can't tell you much first hand, just what I understand. People will put it in a filter sock on the drain side or get a cheap media reactor and fill it with granular carbon.

 

I run it in one of these Substrate Reactor so water is forced through the media.

 

I use Black Diamond and use this to put it in (in the sump, under the bio balls).
Aquarium Filter Fluidized Bed Reactor: Magnavore Simplicity UV-Catalytic Reactor

 

So its basically just used to clear the water??? I wouldnt say my water is cloudy or anything, but it does have a bunch of little particals floating around, Would running carbon help??

 

If you are doing a reef tank i would say those particles are probably a good thing. The carbon's main goal is to remove chemicals from the water like chlorine and stuff.

 

Alright Well Ive been doing fine with out it all this time, So I guess im good. ;D

 

If you start seeing livestock dieing maybe it would be a good idea but if you are doing fine, let it be. (Don't fix something that aint broke!) Like I said, maybe someone else is much more knowledgeable about carbon but that is what I know about it.

 

Carbon has various size pores on its surface which physically trap various chemicals and compounds. The best carbon will have large and small pores so it can trap a variety of compounds. It's mainly used to remove organic compounds that can lead to your water looking yellow, but also helps to remove other compounds and medications. I have always run it, and feel that it gives my water that extra cleaning. I didn't run it for a while b/c I ran out, and noticed my sps corals growing more slowly so I have seen the negative affects of not running it. Also, it removes odor causing compounds.

 

I went in to your profile and see you do have quite a few soft coral. This is where carbon comes in. I think you really wanted to learn when you posted so here is the definition;
Main Entry: car·bon
Pronunciation: \ˈkär-bən\
Function: noun
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: French carbone, from Latin carbon-, carbo ember, charcoal
Date: 1789
1 : a nonmetallic chiefly tetravalent element found native (as in diamond and graphite) or as a constituent of coal, petroleum, and asphalt, of limestone and other carbonates, and of organic compounds or obtained artificially in varying degrees of purity especially as carbon black, lampblack, activated carbon, charcoal, and coke — see element table


Carbon absorbs impurities and chemicals from the water. With a lot of coral in general but especially soft coral, chemicals are released by them for defense. Carbon is used by a lot of aquarists to control any ammonia spikes or other unwanted polutants that may enter the aquarium or be produced by the aquarium. It is one of those "ify" areas. Some use it all the time (I for one since I have a soft coral dominated tank), some never use it and some are part time users ( after there is a problem).
Hope this helps.