How do you run carbon?

Discussion in 'General Reef Topics' started by Katie Grant, Mar 2, 2010.

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  1. Puffer Chick

    Puffer Chick Giant Squid

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    i dont have any of that so would a cheap hob skimmer be better than placing it in the sock
     
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  3. Telgar

    Telgar Snowflake Eel

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  4. Xiztence

    Xiztence Gigas Clam

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    Will a bag of carbon be fine in my skimmer area?
    [​IMG]
     
  5. unclejed

    unclejed Whip-Lash Squid

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    You need more surface agitation.
     
  6. unclejed

    unclejed Whip-Lash Squid

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    In a word....yes.
     
  7. Xiztence

    Xiztence Gigas Clam

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    Alright thanx
     
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  9. Puffer Chick

    Puffer Chick Giant Squid

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    the surface is constantly moving, i have my vortech placed almost right underneath the black strip at the very top of the tank. And the surface is always moving, i dont think i will be able to get any more surface agitation than that
     
  10. Peredhil

    Peredhil Giant Squid

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    good info.

    just some extra info about carbon that's not reef related to kind of help 'think about it'.

    My microwave sits over my stove. It has one of those fans built in so it can suck up the smoke from the stove and it blasts it back out the top (back into the kitchen).

    There is a metal filter right where the smoke, etc. get sucked in. But there is a big carbon filter where it exhausts into the kitchen.

    That carbon is there to capture the odor of the burned chili, or onions or whatever I'm cooking.


    I have to change that carbon out every 2 years. If it goes longer, it no longer helps with the odors in my kitchen cooking adventures.



    So just some info on other but similar uses of carbon. The principles here apply to more than just reefs.


    Also, the "lead" in your pencil is graphite. Which is really just carbon. Just like the diamond in a ring. It's all pure (or near pure) carbon, but looks pretty different. Carbon is cool like that.

    Hope it helps a little.
     
  11. fischkid2

    fischkid2 Dirty Filter Sock

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    I wont say anymore about what carbon removes bc there is a lot of good info above.

    If your not having any algae issues and water looks healthy and your corals are growing ect.. then you may not need carbon.

    I use carbon to lighten the load on my skimmer and to act as a safety net if something should leach into the tank and to help grab bio from corals. I had a small algae issue b4 the use of carbon and GFO and after running it for 2 week it was allll gone. while i know running these reactors may not cure whatever was the cause it does keep the issue in check and prevents out breaks.

    most efficient way to run carbon is with a reactor (got mine from (BRS.com) but using a sock of some kind is fine.
     
  12. Marie0912

    Marie0912 Fire Shrimp

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    Wow Im really learning more and more every day on this forum.

    In my sump my bafflles ( not sure if thats what there called, the 2 acrylic walls that separates my sump)in between the one that are close togheter there is little lip like if something should sit on it could i get the carbon bags and set the bag on the lip so water would filter through.

    Would that work?