Carbon use good or bad
- Thread starter Tab28
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_sludgefactory
Valuable Member
I read an article that possibly links carbon to lateral line erosion, so I don't use it.
http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/content/activated-carbon-hlle-smoking-gun-found
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http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/content/activated-carbon-hlle-smoking-gun-found
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fish&corals
unregistered
now i know why i want to remove my carbon reactor ..
Most of the discussion I have seen on LLE and carbon, has been that the carbon was not rinsed and dust seemed to be the culprit. certain carbons like BRS Rox produce very little dust and rinses clear very quickly.
OP
OP
Tab28
Valuable Member
I never thought of anything with fish, but the dust and fish makes sense now, something else to worry about. I ordered my usual carbon from BRS. The 2nd best not the Rox. I was looking at the ROx but I figured if it cleared faster then it would remove the "good additives" faster so I opted not to get it. After adding my usual weekly routine, Mag, Strom and the likes I thought does this make sense. Maybe I should add carbon once every month for a few days, then pull it out or not add at all?
cdness
2006 - Present
I have been running carbon (well rinsed) for the past 4 years and have never had HLLE on any fish. I think it is a very important thing to have in there to counteract all the stuff that may get in the tank from time to time. Better to have the insurance in place than wait for a disaster and run like a chicken with your head chopped off to get carbon or polyfilter. With all the air fresheners, city bug sprayers, cleaning chemicals, etc that are in the air in our houses there is no way to make sure none of it ever gets in the tank via the air inlet of the skimmer or through settling of dust.
So just my $.02 but I feel carbon is a very good thing.
So just my $.02 but I feel carbon is a very good thing.
I am a die hard carbon user
btkrausen
Fish Hoarder
Can't agree with this more. Been reefing for 6-7 years now, and I have run carbon 24/7 on every tank I've owned. As long as you rinse well, the benefits heavily outweigh the small amount of good nutrients it might absorb.
btkrausen
Fish Hoarder
Yes, I've always run a complete reef, mostly SPS dominated (my new tank is fish only for now). To my knowledge, I've never had carbon create problems with keeping magnesium up. I dosed it manually, while having carbon running 24/7, and didn't have to add much or anything to maintain it over 1350-1400. Additionally, I've always run a Kalk reactor as well, which kept my calcium and alk at a constant level.
I've never had an issue with carbon and mg levels IMO the positives far outweigh the negatives..but than again I am not a scientist but I did stay in a Holiday Inn last night
OP
OP
Tab28
Valuable Member
Your final comment made me laugh, thanks I needed that.
It seems my main issue was with magenesium levels and the carbon use is not an issue with that. But maybe I am using too much carbon. I also dose mag. manualy and have a kalk drip which runs 24/7 to acts as a top off but have issues keeping mag level above 1100. My alk is stable around 10.2 and my calcium is 420 +/-. Only once I got my mag at 1250 but that was gone the following week.
I never had issues with levels of elements but I stopped using carbon over a year and a half ago and really didn't notice any difference. I dosed vodka and then onto Ecobak pellets so my water is always crystal clear.
cdness
2006 - Present
My carbon doesn't affect the levels of Calcium/Alk/Mag as far as I can tell. I also dose other stuff from aqua vitro and it seems to do fine as well. If there is something in it that the carbon takes out, I guess my corals must not need it that bad. They grow well and show nice color so carbon isn't the direct cause of element levels. My issue is I miss dosing in the busy summer, that's how my levels drop ;(
I think there was a little mis-reading of that Carbon/HLLE article. I see more and more threads about carbon and HLLE but if the article was fully read it is the dust that causes it. Rinse it well and you are fine. I think too many people read just the title and ran with it.
I think there was a little mis-reading of that Carbon/HLLE article. I see more and more threads about carbon and HLLE but if the article was fully read it is the dust that causes it. Rinse it well and you are fine. I think too many people read just the title and ran with it.
Carbon adsorbs organic contaminants not inorganics so does not significantly effect the necessary supplements or additives.
I use a little bit 24/7/365 as a preventative measure.
I use a little bit 24/7/365 as a preventative measure.
smpolyp
Community Member
I've been reefin for almost 20 years and been using carbon in aquariums for longer. I rinse it so I cannot comment on no rinsing. I can say it helps with water clarity and DOC. I use it when I see a dis coloration in the water and or want to polish the water. Small amounts less often are better than large amounts every so often. As far as element reduction I never saw a major reduction as I dose. I feel it can be another tool for a fish/coral tank and or coral feed tank. Not really needed, but I think it helps.
Ostentum
Active Member
Your protein skimmer is going to remove more beneficial additives then your carbon is. Thats what water changes and the ARM in my Ca Reactor are for. As long as your rinse your carbon well you shouldnt have to worry about HLLE.
