Let's talk about carbon

[jeffrey holloway]

I use Zeovit carbon. U have to boil the stuff in RODI water and let it soak over night. Change out once a month. works as advertised. I have used multiple types of Carbons over the years and this has been the best for me.

 

[ZAB]

Carbon dust has been linked to hlle disease in some fish like tangs...

 

[teller]

I have a question for everyone. I currently am running the Elite chemi-pure 5.4 oz bag of carbon mix (which has GFO) in my 29 Oceanic Biocube. I only change it every month. Would ya'll suggest switching to the same amount in BRS ROX 0.8 flavor?

You should make the white bucket test.
Take 1 or 2 or so gallons of tank water to a white bucket.
Check the water color.
Then put the same water back to tank.
Simple test, no water lost, takes 2 or 3minutes.

 

[tastyfish]

I have used Triton's carbon and more recently, Rowa Carbon. Both are excellent IME with very little dust (I give all carbon a rinse/soak with RO). The Triton one was just too expensive and since Rowa produce high quality product, I have stuck with them.

I do have a new brand of Carbon coming to me which I'm going to try. Apparently it is able to remove Tin from a system, so being the cynic I am, I'm going to give it a try to see if it has any effect. (It shouldn't do as Tin has been pretty immune to carbon running in my system).

Carbon is run in a small reactor in my system, although I have been advised to run in a bag also. I believe the reactor will be more efficient in contacting the water with the carbon. A very slow flow is required, maximising contact time and producing no movement in the media.

 

[dricc]

If there is a concern about carbon removing Trace elements. What do people add back into the their tanks to compensate for this? Also if you dosing amino acids etc. Do you take the carbon offline for a while? Thank you

 

[siggy]

Good thread, water direction may be a problem if your sponge is moving. I push the sponge with water flow but I have a small pump too.

 

[40B Knasty]

If there is a concern about carbon removing Trace elements. What do people add back into the their tanks to compensate for this? Also if you dosing amino acids etc. Do you take the carbon offline for a while? Thank you

Feed reefroids and do weekly water changes. That keeps it all in check. Pull the bag after a week. When you do your weekly water change with a white bucket. You will know when to use it again.
Stripping the tank of trace elements would depend on the carbon. Lignites poor structure might be to big to grab ahold of the molecules that are trace elements. Where a bituminous carbon might be to small to grab it. Not sure. So it depends or it could be just another myth in the hobby that no one has come forward with scientific evidence with. I do know the benefits of the ROX .08 or any carbon out weighs the worries of trace elements being lost. Best bet is to look up your type, see if there is any losses, and see if there is any reason for concern. If not. Enjoy the benefits.

 

[Saltyanimals]

I’m with several others here that use it bag passively in a sump in a high flow area instead of a reactor. Just one less gismo in the sump area to deal with. I did see a BRS video and summarized that while it is not as effective as the reactor there is still value in a passive bag. So I use bituminous and change a bag monthly. However if I get into a jam where I needed to quickly clean water for some toxic event I would run it through a reactor in that event.

 

[OldMoonBoots]

You should make the white bucket test.
Take 1 or 2 or so gallons of tank water to a white bucket.
Check the water color.
Then put the same water back to tank.
Simple test, no water lost, takes 2 or 3minutes.

Thank you! I have done this test but I just wanted to know if anyone has had any experience with the carbon I use and would the BRS carbon be better? And if I wen to to the 11 oz. bag would that hurt my system?

 

[40B Knasty]

Thank you! I have done this test but I just wanted to know if anyone has had any experience with the carbon I use and would the BRS carbon be better? And if I wen to to the 11 oz. bag would that hurt my system?

If you make your own bag of carbon. A good rule of thump is a 1/2 cup per 50 gallons.
I am not a fan of Chemi Pure Elite. It stripped my tank to fast and melted an aussie gold torch and yellow hammer. Plus it was to much GFO for my needs.
From the video I posted from BRS. Looks like the ROX .08 is better.

 

[OldMoonBoots]

oh man! sorry to hear that. yeah that would be a good idea and might try it out however, everything looks happy in the tank and I don't know if you should go changing things up.

 

[40B Knasty]

oh man! sorry to hear that. yeah that would be a good idea and might try it out however, everything looks happy in the tank and I don't know if you should go changing things up.

Yeah if something is working for your needs for a happy tank. Stick with what you are doing. I am 2 years in and still trying to find a balance haha. I can't get GHA under control. I feed to much, because of my green mandarin and dwarf flame angel who is a bottomless pit. Fish first always for me.

 

[squampton]

I use poly lab pro carbon. I just place some in a bag and place in the sump in a higher flow area.

 

[OldMoonBoots]

Yeah if something is working for your needs for a happy tank. Stick with what you are doing. I am 2 years in and still trying to find a balance haha. I can't get GHA under control. I feed to much, because of my green mandarin and dwarf flame angel who is a bottomless pit. Fish first always for me.

True, I'll do but I do have a bubble algae issue starting up. I just got a emerald crab and he is making short work of it. Oh geez, Yeah I have some pigs in my tank too and yes they do!

 

[PNWReefer17]

I’m with several others here that use it bag passively in a sump in a high flow area instead of a reactor. Just one less gismo in the sump area to deal with. I did see a BRS video and summarized that while it is not as effective as the reactor there is still value in a passive bag. So I use bituminous and change a bag monthly. However if I get into a jam where I needed to quickly clean water for some toxic event I would run it through a reactor in that event.

When you place in a "high flow" area, are you putting it in after your skimmer and fuge? I was thinking in the bubble trap after my fuge and into my return chamber. Would that be a good spot, possibly?

 

[Saltyanimals]

Location depends on your sump design. For my sump the first chamber is the skimmer then fuge so I put the bag in after the fuge right before the return. There's enough baffles in place to control the bubbles so I try not to put much after the fuge and return so I don't filter out pods that get pumped into tank for my manny.

to Boots: GHA can be a pain as I battled this for months on an older tank spending hours on weekends picking off rocks. The key is to find the SOURCE of the GHA. For me, it was when I was running a HOB filter that I basically forgot about and it turned into a huge nutrient box. Once I removed it, I ran phosguard for a couple weeks and it started dying off. Then it was manageable for my CUC and eventually all disappeared. I have zero GHA now and feed super heavy, so wanted to share my experience if that helps you.