Carbon Question: How often do you run it and how often do you change it?

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Carbon Poll: How often do you run it and how often do you change it?

What is Carbon Filtration?

"Commonly used in reef tanks, activated carbon is great for a whole variety of reasons, ranging for removal of general contaminants, dissolved organics, undesirable odors, yellowing pigments in the water, removing the build-up of toxins that corals and algae emit to fight each other, and much more. Other than manual removal via water changes, we would say the number one reason reefers use activated carbon is to remove yellowing pigments in the water. Water coloration is both a visual indicator of pollution building up in the water, but also make the corals drabber and can quickly reduce the overall power transfer from the light to the bottom of the tank by 30% or more. You may not think your water is yellow, but the best time to notice is actually when the lights are out the water should be crystal clear with near zero yellow tinting. Even better next time you do a water change fill up a bucket with a white bottom, and you'll see precisely how yellow water may be. It should be a crystal-clear with any color being present being a slight blue tint." - BulkReefSupply.com

So let's talk about it!

1. How often are you running carbon to filter your water?

2. How often are you replacing your carbon?

3. What size aquarium do you have?

4. Are you using a media reactor to filter your water through the carbon or some other method?

 

[CindyKz]

1. How often are you running carbon to filter your water? 24/7

2. How often are you replacing your carbon? I was changing every 2 weeks, but am trialing changing every month (that stuff gets expensive)

3. What size aquarium do you have? 180 gal display, 100 gal sump and 20 gal frag tank. The other tank is a 32 gal Biocube.

4. Are you using a media reactor to filter your water through the carbon or some other method? The larger system is on a reactor, the biocube just has a media bag

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

1. How often are you running carbon to filter your water? 24/7

2. How often are you replacing your carbon? Once a week

3. What size aquarium do you have? about 80 gallons total (40g breeder + 50g Rubbermaid sump)

4. Are you using a media reactor to filter your water through the carbon or some other method? No, a media bag

I change my carbon more frequently than most, but I also use less than my tank needs. Per the BRS calculators I'm supposed to use around 10 tbsp. I only use 6 tbsp.

 

[Kellie in CA]

I run it all the time and replace 2x a month.

 

[Deiby Garcia]

Carbon Poll: How often do you run it and how often do you change it?

What is Carbon Filtration?

"Commonly used in reef tanks, activated carbon is great for a whole variety of reasons, ranging for removal of general contaminants, dissolved organics, undesirable odors, yellowing pigments in the water, removing the build-up of toxins that corals and algae emit to fight each other, and much more. Other than manual removal via water changes, we would say the number one reason reefers use activated carbon is to remove yellowing pigments in the water. Water coloration is both a visual indicator of pollution building up in the water, but also make the corals drabber and can quickly reduce the overall power transfer from the light to the bottom of the tank by 30% or more. You may not think your water is yellow, but the best time to notice is actually when the lights are out the water should be crystal clear with near zero yellow tinting. Even better next time you do a water change fill up a bucket with a white bottom, and you'll see precisely how yellow water may be. It should be a crystal-clear with any color being present being a slight blue tint." - BulkReefSupply.com

So let's talk about it!

1. How often are you running carbon to filter your water? 24/7

2. How often are you replacing your carbon? MONTHLY

3. What size aquarium do you have? 300 GALLON SYSTEM

4. Are you using a media reactor to filter your water through the carbon or some other method? MEDIA BAGS

 

[Daniel92481]

I’ve been running it 24/7, changing once a month. I use the media bag provided with the Red Sea Reef Spec Carbon. Crystal clear water!

 

[Auquanut]

1. How often are you running carbon to filter your water?
24/7

2. How often are you replacing your carbon?
Monthly

3. What size aquarium do you have?
125 gallon display, 36 gallon sump

4. Are you using a media reactor to filter your water through the carbon or some other method?
I use a reactor

Seems ike a lot of people employ the same method.

 

[AcroNem]

1. How often are you running carbon to filter your water?
24/7
2. How often are you replacing your carbon?
Usually weekly, sometimes every two weeks. Carbon does not last long in a reef system
3. What size aquarium do you have?
I have many, but for this example 150gallons
4. Are you using a media reactor to filter your water through the carbon or some other method?
Media reactor

 

[Crashjack]

1. How often are you running carbon to filter your water? - I run carbon 2 days per week, but I also run UV 24/7, the caveat being I program my UV to shut-off at a certain temperature so there are days it doesn't run a full 24 hours.

2. How often are you replacing your carbon? - After I have used it 14 days (7 weeks).

3. What size aquarium do you have? - 142 gal w/ 40 gal sump.

4. Are you using a media reactor to filter your water through the carbon or some other method? - I place in bag and put near my skimmer's water discharge for better circulation.

 

[AZMSGT]

I run carbon for 4 hours a day. I change it once a month. I know it only really lasts about a week but I’m to lazy to change the programming on my controller. I run it in a BRS reactor. Also I run BRS ROX 0.8 carbon

My tank is 160g total, and I use 84g each treament.

 

[Jet915]

24/7, Rox carbon, change once a month for 120 gallon, using a media reactor.

 

[Kris 2020]

I run my carbon through a dual BRS reactor with GFO in the other. I run it 24/7, but I only change it when the GFO stops working, so like every 3-4 months. Sounds like I need to do it more often! Have a 67 gal display with 40 gallon sump.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It should be a crystal-clear with any color being present being a slight blue tint." - BulkReefSupply.com

My bucket of water looks very blue. Did I overdo the carbon???? lol

 

[mickeysreef <*))))<]

1. How often are you running carbon to filter your water?

24.7 sans if I'm treating tank

2. How often are you replacing your carbon?

several months per seachem instructions

3. What size aquarium do you have?

210

4. Are you using a media reactor to filter your water through the carbon or some other method?

filter bag in medium flow area

 

[ReefGrammie]

1. How often are you running carbon to filter your water?
24/7

2. How often are you replacing your carbon?
Once monthly. I try to do it on the first.

3. What size aquarium do you have?
90 with a 30-gallon sump.

4. Are you using a media reactor to filter your water through the carbon or some other method?
I put the carbon bag in my filter sock.

 

[DHill6]

24/7 as I’m on my Zeo journey, loving it so far
Changed monthly
Running 3.5 TBSP in a bag placed in media basket, sock holder
Reefer 170, 34g tank/9g sump

 

[Chlorinated]

I run 24/7.

Change during bi-weekly water change.

20 gallon AIO

Media bag....ROX 0.8

 

[MichaelReefer]

1. How often are you running carbon to filter your water? 24/7, Carbon and GFO reactor

2. How often are you replacing your carbon? 2-3 weeks

3. What size aquarium do you have? 54 Gallon Display 65 gallons total

4. Are you using a media reactor to filter your water through the carbon or some other method? Yes, Media reactor

 

[rgulrich]

1. How often are you running carbon to filter your water? - 24/7

2. How often are you replacing your carbon? - 4-6 cups every two weeks

3. What size aquarium do you have? - 300 display, 150 gallon sump

4. Are you using a media reactor to filter your water through the carbon or some other method? - double reactor ( 2-stage designed for GFO and carbon) with both stages dedicated to carbon

 

[Rich Klein]

Daily for 2 hours, and change it ~ once per month. Keeps the water very clear.