Activated carbon a necessity?

[Spare time]

A little activated carbon in a short time is good, but don't make the mistake I did one time by putting a lot in a reactor for about 3 days running, I had a black film all over in my tank, and my Toadstool turned gray.

To be honest that just sounds like you tumbled the carbon or didn't rinse it.

 

[Peair]

To be honest that just sounds like you tumbled the carbon or didn't rinse it.

No, I did rinse it well, it did tumbled a little, but it tumbles a lot more now since I use much less carbon, and again I have No problems with the many times that I use it

 

[JustJoan]

Hello,

Just wondering if I really need activated carbon? I have a torch, 3 hammer, 1 pipe organ, 1 toadstool, 1 Kenya tree, 2 frogspawn and one of those waving hands corals.

Do I need activated carbon? I just got over a Dino infestation and im terrified to add anything that will remove things.

Hi Alex. I am actually in the same boat you are. I just got over Dinos and I'm afraid to do anything to my tank that will bring them back or provide an opportunity for them. I put carbon in then I took it out. I did cut off some palys this week, so I added a small amount of carbon. I am just taking everything slow now. Dinos were a nightmare! Good luck!

 

[alexanderthefishlover]

Hi Alex. I am actually in the same boat you are. I just got over Dinos and I'm afraid to do anything to my tank that will bring them back or provide an opportunity for them. I put carbon in then I took it out. I did cut off some palys this week, so I added a small amount of carbon. I am just taking everything slow now. Dinos were a nightmare! Good luck!

I went and bought a bunch of live pods, and in still running UV. Right now the diatoms are taking over and some hair algae but 0 signs of Dino! Corlas look really happy and turned my skimmer back on which is keeping the phosphate at a semi high but stable level in balance with the increased nitrate to stimulate more algae growth to outcompete the Dino.

I decided NOT to do active carbon until I see a reason to add it. Right now everything is happy, and more colourful than ever before so I’m going to just leave it for now! Let the tank balance more naturally before I disrupt its current trajectory.

Let me know how yours goes with the added active carbon!

 

[alexanderthefishlover]

Hi Alex. I am actually in the same boat you are. I just got over Dinos and I'm afraid to do anything to my tank that will bring them back or provide an opportunity for them. I put carbon in then I took it out. I did cut off some palys this week, so I added a small amount of carbon. I am just taking everything slow now. Dinos were a nightmare! Good luck!

Update! I saw a couple pieces of Dino today after running the skimmer all yesterday and through the night. Decided is shut that off again.

Even with all the diatoms and pods, it was able to grow a bit

 

[alexanderthefishlover]

Ok so following up here. First thank you everyone who commented. I’ve bought some more corals. I asked my specialist at my LFS and they said active carbon is 100% necessary given that I have leathers, soft corals like polyps, pulsing Xenia, a torch hammers and octospawn and they are all fairly close together not touching but close together.

The specialist there said he 100% recommended I use it as the leathers will release toxins to fight back other corals and they the torch may sting them at times and they will release the toxins.


they told me to buy reef spec active carbon which I just added.

Looking at the instructions it appears to be one gram per gallon of water? Anyone have experience with this brand?

Thanks again!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok so following up here. First thank you everyone who commented. I’ve bought some more corals. I asked my specialist at my LFS and they said active carbon is 100% necessary given that I have leathers, soft corals like polyps, pulsing Xenia, a torch hammers and octospawn and they are all fairly close together not touching but close together.

The specialist there said he 100% recommended I use it as the leathers will release toxins to fight back other corals and they the torch may sting them at times and they will release the toxins.


they told me to buy reef spec active carbon which I just added.

Looking at the instructions it appears to be one gram per gallon of water? Anyone have experience with this brand?

Thanks again!

Nothing in reefing is as set in stone as this lfs person suggests, and I’d warn in general to get info beyond what someone selling products says about them, but I agree the GAC is useful for all tanks.

I recommend a material called ROX 0.8.

What brand did you buy?

 

[alexanderthefishlover]

Nothing in reefing is as set in stone as this lfs person suggests, and I’d warn in general to get info beyond what someone selling products says about them, but I agree the GAC is useful for all tanks.

I recommend a material called ROX 0.8.

What brand did you buy?

I bought Red Sea reef spec

 

[landlubber]

Just copying my answer hare from your other posting of this question:

Granular activated carbon binds organic matter and won't have any big impact on nitrate and phosphate, if that is your concern. it reduces yellowing of the water, and may bind natural toxins and other undesirable chemicals in the water.

Is it critical? Likely not in most cases, but it has little downside and a variety of reasons to use it. I would always use a high quality GAC like ROX 0.8.

just curious, i've read a correlation between GAC and HLLE in Tangs.
Any possibility that there is truth to this?

 

[Dburr1014]

just curious, i've read a correlation between GAC and HLLE in Tangs.
Any possibility that there is truth to this?

I believe this is with constant use.

I use only when needed to polish up the water.

 

[landlubber]

I believe this is with constant use.

I use only when needed to polish up the water.

I mean even with "constant use" the answer would be yes then and while i don't use GAC often i'd like to conclusively debunk this.
i've heard conflicting info on this since the day I filled my first SW tank.

 

[alexanderthefishlover]

just curious, i've read a correlation between GAC and HLLE in Tangs.
Any possibility that there is truth to this?

Ok so I just found online it said “lignite and anthracite are not recommended for reef aquariums due to an excessive amount of fine powder released to the water (which may lead to lateral line necrosis “HLLE disease” in some fish). ”

This was from the red-sea website

Reef-Spec Carbon - Red Sea Fish

Highly activated Carbon for marine and reef aquariums

g1.redseafish.com

I guess that’s why they recommended the reef spec to me and not other brands

 

[TehBrainz]

I mean even with "constant use" the answer would be yes then and while i don't use GAC often i'd like to conclusively debunk this.
i've heard conflicting info on this since the day I filled my first SW tank.

I honestly run GAC nearly 100% of the time and I've never experienced HLLE in my tomini or hippo tang in >2 years in my tank.

I change it ~1 per month

I use ROX 0.8 as mentioned earlier

 

[alexanderthefishlover]

I honestly run GAC nearly 100% of the time and I've never experienced HLLE in my tomini or hippo tang in >2 years in my tank.

I change it ~1 per month

I use ROX 0.8 as mentioned earlier

In freshwater cichlids, FHLLE is caused by parasites and malnutrition. Maybe there is similarities for saltwater too.

 

[landlubber]

Ok so I just found online it said “lignite and anthracite are not recommended for reef aquariums due to an excessive amount of fine powder released to the water (which may lead to lateral line necrosis “HLLE disease” in some fish). ”

This was from the red-sea website

Reef-Spec Carbon - Red Sea Fish

Highly activated Carbon for marine and reef aquariums

g1.redseafish.com

I guess that’s why they recommended the reef spec to me and not other brands

in general, you're going to want to rinse GAC as regardless of brand its difficult to control what happens in shipping and with the pellets contacting each other will create dust.

I honestly run GAC nearly 100% of the time and I've never experienced HLLE in my tomini or hippo tang in >2 years in my tank.

I change it ~1 per month

I use ROX 0.8 as mentioned earlier

I've yet to see it affect my Tangs either but hoped for clarity.

 

[alexanderthefishlover]

in general, you're going to want to rinse GAC as regardless of brand its difficult to control what happens in shipping and with the pellets contacting each other will create dust.

I've yet to see it affect my Tangs either but hoped for clarity.

Yes for sure I always rinse for my unplanted freshwater tanks too. I don’t use active carbon in my planted freshwater because it strips macro nutrients from the water.

Well, I’m happy to say the active carbon I added last light to the reef had also reduced my Dino issue! Insane! I’m happy there is like none for the first time in 9 months

 

[Spare time]

Ok so following up here. First thank you everyone who commented. I’ve bought some more corals. I asked my specialist at my LFS and they said active carbon is 100% necessary given that I have leathers, soft corals like polyps, pulsing Xenia, a torch hammers and octospawn and they are all fairly close together not touching but close together.

The specialist there said he 100% recommended I use it as the leathers will release toxins to fight back other corals and they the torch may sting them at times and they will release the toxins.


they told me to buy reef spec active carbon which I just added.

Looking at the instructions it appears to be one gram per gallon of water? Anyone have experience with this brand?

Thanks again!

I liken reef spec carbon but bituminous or rox carbon is better than the coconut shell that makes reef spec. I usually put extra carbon.

 

[Spare time]

I mean even with "constant use" the answer would be yes then and while i don't use GAC often i'd like to conclusively debunk this.
i've heard conflicting info on this since the day I filled my first SW tank.

It is only known as a possible issue if the carbon is lignite and likely if any carbon gets grinded up into dust.

 

[landlubber]

It is only known as a possible issue if the carbon is lignite and likely if any carbon gets grinded up into dust.

this is what i've always found as well. The key word being "possible".
i'm looking to conclusively put tthis to rest.

 

[Dburr1014]

this is what i've always found as well. The key word being "possible".
i'm looking to conclusively put tthis to rest.

Buy some tangs and do some tests to put your mind at ease.