I have seen a few threads here and there implying that activated carbon may cause STN (or even RTN). Why would that occur? Does it matters what type of GAC we are using (ROX, Bituminous, or Lignite)? Is there special considerations needed when carbon dosing (i.e. too much nutrient removal, removal of dosed carbon)?
Activated carbon causing STN?
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Randy Holmes-Farley
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I've not seen such an indication, but with any GAC, rinse it well. I prefer acid washed GAC (like ROX 0.8) which seems less likely to cause issues like HLLE in fish.
There's no special consideration when dosing organic carbon.
There's no special consideration when dosing organic carbon.
Hi Randy, thank you for your reply. Here some of the things I found and got me to post the thread...
This is one example of such claims, I have seen a few others, and it was also brought up to me as a possibility a while ago when I had an STN issue.
The idea of "organic molecules removal" with activated carbon (even more with ROX and its different sizes pores) is very vague to me. I was trying to understand what type of desirable molecules we are also removing from the system and how predictable it could be and than I found this: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/je049731v (that is why I wonder about carbon dosing, vinegar, ethanol, etc...)
Also, I do not recall reading about the fast removal of a lot of different things are commonly dosed to the tanks (amino acids, coral food, coral snow, etc) or even the quick saturation of the carbon filters. Should not we be thinking about that?
This is one example of such claims, I have seen a few others, and it was also brought up to me as a possibility a while ago when I had an STN issue.
The idea of "organic molecules removal" with activated carbon (even more with ROX and its different sizes pores) is very vague to me. I was trying to understand what type of desirable molecules we are also removing from the system and how predictable it could be and than I found this: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/je049731v (that is why I wonder about carbon dosing, vinegar, ethanol, etc...)
Also, I do not recall reading about the fast removal of a lot of different things are commonly dosed to the tanks (amino acids, coral food, coral snow, etc) or even the quick saturation of the carbon filters. Should not we be thinking about that?
Randy Holmes-Farley
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GAC won't remove vinegar or ethanol from water to any important extent. The study you post is removing them from air, which is very different.
Lots of organic molecules can be removed by GAC, but they have to have a hydrophobic portion for that to happen in water.
Lots of organic molecules can be removed by GAC, but they have to have a hydrophobic portion for that to happen in water.
Randy Holmes-Farley
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biom
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There are many articles dedicated on active carbon in reef tank:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/activated-carbon-affirmed-as-causative-agent-for-hlle-disease
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/2/aafeature1
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/1/aafeature1
http://www.hallman.org/filter/gac.html
http://www.fishchannel.com/saltwate.../reef-aquarium-granular-activated-carbon.aspx
http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/library-presentations/aquarium-hobby/activated-carbon
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/activated-carbon-affirmed-as-causative-agent-for-hlle-disease
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/2/aafeature1
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/1/aafeature1
http://www.hallman.org/filter/gac.html
http://www.fishchannel.com/saltwate.../reef-aquarium-granular-activated-carbon.aspx
http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/library-presentations/aquarium-hobby/activated-carbon
