Carbon: How often/much do you run carbon?

How often and how much of it do you run of carbon??

I think no matter how much you use, it's important that you continually use the same amount. I also much prefer running a very small amount all the time rather than larger quantities at periodic increments. Both carbon and skimming can be overdone. Better to air on the side of caution IMO.

I picked very rarely, because I've only run it once

Run carbon all the time in 2 separate reactors.

I run it all the time and i use about 1/2 to 1 gallon at a time and i try to change it about every 4 weeks or so

run carbon all time and i change it every month.

Originally Posted by IanH

I picked very rarely, because I've only run it once

Is there a reason why you don't use it?

I picked all the time. I run a reactor full on each tank and change it monthly.

Originally Posted by ento_reefer

Is there a reason why you don't use it?

Probably mostly laziness. I don't have any carbon, except for very old fresh water "tetra" stuff. I haven't really seen a glaring need to run it. I am thinking of trying an experiment of running it and seeing if I notice a difference. I would certainly prefer to not have to use it or any other "consumables".

out of curiosity, why run it, and how if i don't have a reactor?

i select rarely. I prefer to go for Ozone than carbon.

If you run ozone aren't you supposed to run it over carbon after the water exits the skimmer or reactor?

Originally Posted by shmoliken

out of curiosity, why run it, and how if i don't have a reactor?

It removes the yellowish compounds from your water making it much clearer and therefore allowing better light penetration. It also removes organics and helps remove the chemicals that soft corals emit reducing the chemical warfare. My clams reacted very positively to its addition in larger quantities. I just don't see any real disadvantage to running it other than cost, but it isn't really that expensive to run considering all that it does. I buy it in bulk from Bulk Reef Supply.

I run it constantly, change it every 3 or 4 weeks and I only run about 2 cups in my HOB canister filter.

Originally Posted by ento_reefer

If you run ozone aren't you supposed to run it over carbon after the water exits the skimmer or reactor?

I run with 10-20mg and was fed into the skimmer and did not need since the amount is very small (IMO )only 3hrs during lights on. So far there isn't any negative impact. It is certianly recomended to have Carbon at the exit but i don't like carbon because i always read that carbon will leach PO4 which somehow defeat the purpose of using PO4 removal. I don't really know which brand of carbon i can trust and how fast it will expire . I could be totally wrong.

I remember a local guy who did tests on carbon and how much P04 it released and if I remember correctly the two little fishies brand was the best.

Originally Posted by shmoliken

out of curiosity, why run it, and how if i don't have a reactor?

Water quality and clarity. You can add it in a mess bag in a high flow area but putting it in a reactor and forcing water through it will work much better

Originally Posted by ento_reefer

If you run ozone aren't you supposed to run it over carbon after the water exits the skimmer or reactor?

The ozone can react with bromide (i think) in the water and make something like bromate (again i think) which is like bleach. This talks all about ozone http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-03/rhf/index.php and specifically some of its dangers starting here. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-03/rhf/index.php#15

Originally Posted by Jeff

It is certianly recomended to have Carbon at the exit but i don't like carbon because i always read that carbon will leach PO4 which somehow defeat the purpose of using PO4 removal. I don't really know which brand of carbon i can trust and how fast it will expire . I could be totally wrong.

Any PO4 that could be left behind from the making of the carbon and leach into the aquarium would be small that it nothing to worry about.

Originally Posted by skinz78

I remember a local guy who did tests on carbon and how much P04 it released and if I remember correctly the two little fishies brand was the best.

Im always sceptical of tests like this. Ive seen people do tests like this many times and they always seem to do something like this. They take a cup of carbon and then add just enough water to cover the carbon and let it sit. Then they test the water and see it has a high reading and say that product X has a lot of Y in it.

Lets pretend for a minute

You take one cup of carbon and cover it with RO water. It might take about 1/2 cup of water to cover it. After it soaks for a day or two you test the water for PO4. Lets say you get a reading of 1ppm. You say "dam there is a lot of PO4 in there"

Now remember that all the PO4 that came out of the carbon was concentrated in 1/2 cup of water. There is 16 cups of water in one gallon so lets divide that 1ppm by 32. That 1ppm is now .03125ppm and that in just one gallon. Now divide one more time for an average tank size of 100gallons and that same 1ppm of PO4 is now .0003125ppm See what im getting at?

People do the same thing with fish food. They soak a cube of food in a tiny amount of water and test it.

chris, so, are there any downside anything else that needs to accompany the carbon? could i attach a double ply mesh bag of tightly packed carbon and run the end of my discharge hose with all that flow through it? not as good or effective as a reactor, but cheaper.

I run carbon 24/7 , and change 3 cups of it every 6 weeks roughly.It is amazing on Ozzie's tank. He tried carbon "the expensive stuff" , LOL i use cheap or what ever i can get , anyhow his acros started to die after he tried carbon! on a few occasions now .

I'll have to get him to reply so he can explain it .Very strange !

I have used carbon 24/7 on all my tanks, The clarity is awsome and any leaching can be filtered out with wtter skimming, I have seen the tests and never payed any attention to them myself, I always use the cheapest stuff I can, Its all carbon and cleans well. If carbon is so bad in leaching why are there carbon blocks in RODI units?