Can I run Roxx carbon again?

specialk · Mar 21, 2017

Hey All -

So to preface, I stripped my tank by running GFO for a few months. ... well how about 4 months. Nitrates were 0 and p04 was 0.00. Caught things and realized what I had done BEFORE it was too late. ....

...Since then, I have gotten things more stable and back in line thru dosing sprectraside and NeoPhos and testing like mad! P03 -- 10-12, P04 -- 0.03. and these readings have been stable over the past 2-3 weeks. Also been doing regular bi-weekly 15% water changes (155 gallon system)....

But I wanted to clean and polish my water a bit and was wondering if I could run some carbon to accomplish this .. can I run carbon or will it take critical things out that I need right now?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 21, 2017

I don't think that using GAC will significantly contribute to N and P export, so yes, it is fine to do.

specialk · Mar 21, 2017

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I don't think that using GAC will significantly contribute to N and P export, so yes, it is fine to do.

Outstanding! Thanks Randy!!

Flatlandreefer · Mar 21, 2017

Just stick to the recommendation on the content container of how much to use and you should be good.

Myka · Mar 21, 2017

Flatlandreefer said:
Just stick to the recommendation on the content container of how much to use and you should be good.

Agreed. You may not even need to use that much either. Do a bucket test - fill a WHITE 5-gallon pail with tank water and cmpare to a pail of freshly mixed saltwater (saltwater looks different than RO in a bucket btw). Is it very yellow, or just a hint? If it's only a hint, you can probably use half the recommended Rox and get the results you want. If you have lots of softies though, or your tank is packed with all sorts of corals then maybe you want the carbon to absorb allelopathic biochemicals.

specialk · Mar 22, 2017

Myka said:
Agreed. You may not even need to use that much either. Do a bucket test - fill a WHITE 5-gallon pail with tank water and cmpare to a pail of freshly mixed saltwater (saltwater looks different than RO in a bucket btw). Is it very yellow, or just a hint? If it's only a hint, you can probably use half the recommended Rox and get the results you want. If you have lots of softies though, or your tank is packed with all sorts of corals then maybe you want the carbon to absorb allelopathic biochemicals.

I do have a few softies, one of which seems to be struggling lately (a weso) but the rest of the tank is primarily sps frags and small colonies.

Myka · Mar 22, 2017

specialk said:
I do have a few softies, one of which seems to be struggling lately (a weso) but the rest of the tank is primarily sps frags and small colonies.

What's a "weso"?

specialk · Mar 22, 2017

Myka said:
What's a "weso"?

oops my bad ... lol....meant --> ( a wellso) ... Wellsophyllia ... apparently my "l"s are not working on my keypad, at least last time.

Myka · Mar 23, 2017

specialk said:
oops my bad ... lol....meant --> ( a wellso) ... Wellsophyllia ... apparently my "l"s are not working on my keypad, at least last time.

Those are hard corals - "LPS". Are you sure you have Wellsophyllia, not a Trachyphyllia?

specialk · Mar 23, 2017

Myka said:
Those are hard corals - "LPS". Are you sure you have Wellsophyllia, not a Trachyphyllia?

Oops. You are right ...that IS what I have

Myka · Mar 24, 2017

specialk said:
Oops. You are right ...that IS what I have

There was a time when "Wellso" was used commonly for Trachys that had a certain look to them. They were scientifically reclassified though. 10 years ago maybe you had a Wellso, but not anymore.

http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/...geoffroyi-and-the-exwellsophyllia-radiata.htm