Can you over use carbon/charcoal?

[steallife904]

Have a couple LPS that look like they have slightly receded. Still feed them a few times a week and nothing has fluctuated. I did however throw a bag of charcoal in the filter sock about 2 weeks ago because I had a bit of green algae on the sand and forgot it was there. Will pull it out when I get home today but was wondering if maybe that could be it?

 

[dansreef]

Not knowing all the details about your aquarium it is hard to say for sure. That said, Carbon can clarify your water which makes your lighting more effective. For LPS that could be enough to shock / overpower them with light causing them distress.

Years ago I had a 72 bowfront mixed reef. I had a 4 bulb t-5 fixture...that at first glance probably wasn't going to burn anything up. I ran some carbon in a TLF reactor and marveled how quickly it cleared the tinge in my water. What I did not realize was that the water being clearer really allowed more light to some more sensitive LPS. By the time I realized what was going on, I had some that dropped heads and others that receeded. Can the LPS adjust to the greater amount of light, yes. I think in my case the almost immediate improvement of the water clarity and the added light to the corals shocked them. If you are using MH or LEDs.... and even some of the 6 & 8 bulb T-5s... you could very well be experiencing the same.

 

[DSC reef]

Carbon itself won't hurt the corals but if there is enough turbulence in the sock to grind down the carbon then I'm sure that can't help. Always ran carbon in our systems but placed in a flow through area in the sump.