How Often

[akabryanhall]

How often do you swap out/refresh/clean your carbon bags?

 

[slice]

Once a week, but I may just be paranoid...
-also only using in passive mode, a bag draped over an overflow.

My GAC usage habits are based loosely on:

Aquarium Frontiers On-Line: Feature
Aquarium Frontiers On-Line: Feature
http://web.archive.org/web/20010421...com/fish2/aqfm/1998/may/features/1/photo1.asp

 

[butts182]

I switch my carbon once a month, at the beginning of each month so that i remember easier.

 

[akabryanhall]

Once a week, but I may just be paranoid...
-also only using in passive mode, a bag draped over an overflow.

My GAC usage habits are based loosely on:

Aquarium Frontiers On-Line: Feature
Aquarium Frontiers On-Line: Feature
http://web.archive.org/web/20010421...com/fish2/aqfm/1998/may/features/1/photo1.asp

Better to err on the side of caution, although I can see that getting expensive.

 

[akabryanhall]

I switch my carbon once a month, at the beginning of each month so that i remember easier.

Cool, I use the same technique for my water changes!

 

[slice]

Better to err on the side of caution, although I can see that getting expensive.

My tank is a little itty bitty thing compared to a lot on these boards. If I had a tank the size of most of y'all, my habits would change drastically.
I would then also do monthly, probably.

 

[akabryanhall]

I'm thinking that may be best for me! Thanks guys!

 

[Just Clownin Around]

i dont use it but always wonder why people are so fixated on using it. proper husbandry should leave you tank in good enough condition that you shouldnt need it at all. there were also a few articels about it contributing to hle disease that scares the hell outta me

 

[Wy Renegade]

I run carbon in a mixed reef, because my reef contains leather corals. When I researched the corals, I several times ran across sources that indicated that in a mixed reef system, leathers in particular, but other corals as well can engage in chemical warfare. This chemical warfare releases toxic chemicals into the closed system of are reef which have the function of killing or inhibiting the growth of other corals. Carbon was recommended as the preferred method for controlling these chemicals in our tanks. If I remember correctly there is a fancy, long scientific name for this chemical warfare, but I can't remember it off the top of my head, but I'm sure someone else will.

I personally change out carbon once a month, but I run mine through a seperate canister filter, so I have a fairly large volume of it online.

 

[fsu1dolfan]

I change mine once a month also...sometimes even sooner. I also change out the GFO at the same time. For now i use a media bag in my back chamber but soon i will have a the BRS reactor setup for this.

 

[Monroereef]

I have heard that running carbon for extended period of times cause good bacteria to grow in the carbon bags. If you change the bag every month, in a smaller tank you may risk a min cycle.
This is however related to how much carbon and how many bags. I have two carbon containers and I swap one every 2 weeks.

Sunny

 

[fsu1dolfan]

I have heard that running carbon for extended period of times cause good bacteria to grow in the carbon bags. If you change the bag every month, in a smaller tank you may risk a min cycle.
This is however related to how much carbon and how many bags. I have two carbon containers and I swap one every 2 weeks.

Sunny

I think this depends on how new your tank is. Usually your live rock, bio wheel, bio balls, or some sort of bacteria holding area is enough to support the carbon change without losing the good bacteria.

 

[Captain Nemo]

I haven't changed mine in a while, I am lazy about the carbon, but the gfo is once a month!

 

[beaslbob]

never.

oh yea I don't use carbon. :wink:

I did rinse out my crushed oyster shells every 6 months or so though.

my .02

 

[akabryanhall]

The only reason i would think about using it is because of my leathers. Not that I don't think its a worthwhile addition, I think I would get lazy about changing it.

 

[fsu1dolfan]

I found this article online and figured i would share...i still like carbon since it seems to keep my water nice and clear, of course water changes also do this.

Activated Carbon in the Marine Tank

 

[akabryanhall]

Thats a really good read man, thanks for finding it~

 

[swannyson7]

I change out the carbon in my TLF reactor every month

 

[wakeboardgeek]

I run carbon because I have a leather in a SPS dominated tank. I change my carbon every other water change...water change every 2 weeks.

 

[Electrobes]

Because I am skimmerless I depend on carbon quite a bit. When I had a skimmer I changed out the carbon in my reactor every month, but now without the skimmer I change it out every 20 days on the mark.