Quick Question about Carbon

[goodfortune]

Hello everyone:

I'd like to know how many people use activated carbon in thier setups, and how often they change thier carbon.

I typically run carbon 24/7, and change carbon once a month. Should I be doing so more frequently? Can I go longer between carbon changes?

Just wanted to get feedback from my fellow reefers; thanks in advance!

[dme330i]

I had been using carbon 24/7 and changing monthly. Currently, I'm experimenting with Purigen and have skipped the carbon. Too soon to tell if there's a difference, but water clarity seems to be slightly better. Also, in my 30g cube I don't run a skimmer. I placed a bag of Purigen in my HOB filter and the normal suraface "scum" disappeared within hours.

[goodfortune]

Purigen seems like a good alternative, if it lives up to billing. It is rechargeable, so you can use it over and over again, and it (should) not remove trace elements from the water column, as carbon does.

- Michael

[Rover]

Purigen is good stuff. I generally run my systems with no filtration other than the skimmer.

[Flipturn88]

I agree on Purigen. It usually works very well with one or two renewals, but I wouldn't use it any longer than that. It is a great product IMO.

I change my carbon every two weeks. I've found this to be the most suitable for my tank.

HTH Kayla

[goodfortune]

Hmm..maybe I'll give purigen a try. BTW: I run carbon for water clarity, both for better light penetration, and asthetics; clear water is always prettier .

Keep weighing in, folks!

- Michael

[Lifestudent]

I run carbon 1 wk per month.

Kent Marine says any more frequently than above, especially 24x7 can strip trace elements from the water.

[washowi]

Looks like I am the only one that changes carbon once a week. You guys that change it once a month. What gives? I have been told that you run it no more than 3 or 4 days or else the stuff starts leaching phosphates back into your system...another myth of reefing to keep us buying carbon?

Todd

[Ray1214]

Okay heres a few rules with Carbon.
1. Carbon can hurt Redox levels in a High Salinity, Higher Temperature tank (Ie Reef Tanks). Presoaking can help with this, I soak for about 30 minutes in RO water, even though it is recommended to go about 1-2 hours.
2. Carbon can and will strip out trace elements. Not a problem if you do regular water changes, but never depend on carbon for filteration, a good quality skimmer is much better for your tank.
3. Cheap brands of carbon WILL leach out phosphates back into your tank. I have been battling this in my personal tank. I replaced the RO Unit (I figured the membrane was broke, I do have a good used RO/DI unit, but it probably needs new filters), stepped up my water change regime and the culprit turned out to be carbon was leaching some the gunk back into the tank. I had placed two bags in my HOB filter (Which I normally just run for flow) about 6 weeks earlier and forgot to remove it. My phosphates went up, and my nitrates stayed at zero, even after stepping up to 5 gallons change a day. After talking to Bob Fenner and Calfo at WetWeb Media (via email), and reading their articles, I run carbon for about 4 Days when I notice a slight yellow tinge in the change water, and I have been running Purigen 24/7 in a sock in my HOB filter, recharging it monthly. (I only have one of those 10 ounce container fulls). The hair algae is receding, even though it is not fast enough to my liking.
BTW. The yellow tinge only appears after about 2 or so months. So I guess I am running carbon about 1 work week every 2 months.

I have stepped away from Carbon use, and I have only been using Seachem Matrix or Kent's Reef carbon when I do use it.

RAy

[Ray1214]

BTW, only the cheap stuff will leach Phosphates in case I didn't make that clear. Unfortunatly, the good stuff is so expensive and it isn't worth it change it weekly so I just use aggressive (kinda) skimming. Somewhere online there is a list of stuff to look out for, but I will say I can buy a huge bucket of carbon for my freshwater tanks for about a sock full of the reef carbon stuff.

Ray

[washowi]

So, what your are saying is CHANGE it weekly at the worst case (3 to 4 days) like I am doing.. I do use onlt Kent Reef Carbon.

The guys doing it every two weeks or beyond are inviting "problems" possibly into their tanks.

Todd

[Ray1214]

Yupper that is my opinion and my opinion only todd. But it kinda coincides with some of the reef keeping experts.

Ray

[dme330i]

Another tool for water clarity and slight redox improvements - UV. I noticed improved water clarity (eliminates free floating micro algae) when I added my UV unit. Also, check out the water clarity in CapBay's acro tanks - Bobby runs UV in that system.

[washowi]

I remember Jenn at IO telling me not to run a UV sterilizer. I am not sure exactly why, (I have Old Timer's disease) other than she says it kills all the bacteria. Good & Bad.. She can explain why. I was going to do it and she told me not to.

Just more info to ponder..
Todd

[dme330i]

Originally Posted by washowi

I remember Jenn at IO telling me not to run a UV sterilizer. I am not sure exactly why, (I have Old Timer's disease) other than she says it kills all the bacteria. Good & Bad.. She can explain why. I was going to do it and she told me not to.

Just me info to ponder..
Todd

Todd,

There are differing opinions on the usefulness of UV. Relative to reducing algae spores and free floating bacterica, most are in agreement that UV kills these things. UV effectiveness relative to parasites (e.g., ich) is where most of the debate occurs. I use my UV to help control parasites, with the understanding that it is not 100% effective. The residual benefits are what I really appreciate.

In our "tiny piece of the ocean" tanks, bacteria levels quickly grow to imbalanced proportions not found in natural reefs. Thus, a UV helps keep this bacterial balance in check. Additionally, most of the good bacteria (e.g., nitrifying) is not free floating. Rather, it's on the live rock and substrate. Additionally, from Spanky (who happens to have a PhD in Marine Pathobiology):

"It's [UV] a win-win cause bacterial levels in closed systems get rapidly skewed. Organically bound phosphates are highly reactive to UV and will be converted to water soluble phosphates which can be off-gassed in a skimmer. All chemical warfare chemicals produced by corals are also highly photo-reactive when exposed to UV and will break apart immediately. No one has to identify which pathogen they are dealing with, and you can be dealing with several at the same time. Not to mention which method of treatment for which pathogen because the treatments are as different as the pathogens are. If you guess the wrong pathogen and guess the wrong treatment you've wasted your time."