How Much Carbon?

[triggerfreak]

Well i just wanted to get every ones thoughts on how much carbon should be run.I have a 210 gallon with a 70 gallon sump ( 230 total gallons ).It is a fowlr aggressive.The carbon is changed once a month and is run in a bag through passive filtration.I was thinking 1.5 cups per 100 gallons each month.What do you think?

[reef / aholic]

You’re going to get a lot of different answers for this but I use 1 cup of carbon per 100g.

[bhdmc]

I would go by what is on the direction of the brand you are using. I use ESV carbon and the instructions states to use 1 1/2 cup if using a protein skimmer or 2 cups without a protein skimmer for my 125 gallons tank. Look out for PO4 in carbon. Check out this site from RC member beananimal:http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume...omparisons.htm

[triggerfreak]

Well i use marineland black diamond carbon and it does not say how much to ues.

[Rick55555]

I prefer to use smaller amounts changed regularly. My understanding is that carbon gets exhausted relatively quickly.

I use roughly 5-10 tablespoons in my 150 gallon reef and change the carbon weekly.

Also, I stopped using Marineland Black Diamond carbon after experiencing an influx of algae due to (I suspect) phosphate being leached out of the carbon. I believe Steven Pro conducted an experiment confirming black diamond carbon's proclivity to leach out phosphate.

I now use Kent, which purports to be phosphate free.

[seagirl]

heres a good reference fr phosphate content-

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume...omparisons.htm

i run carbon in a reactor but as it comes out of the reactor it goes into a gfo reactor so phosphates get taken care of right away.

[bhdmc]

ESV carbon states it does not leach out PO4 but Steven Pro experiment show 0.25 of PO4. Check out their web site;http://www.esvco.com/prod13.html
Who are we to believe?

[seagirl]

i would believe the person that doesn't make a profit selling the product

[pjf]

Richard Harker discusses in part 2 of his article (http://www.pets-warehouse.com/carbon_1.htm) the amount of granular activated carbon (GAC) that should be used. Unfortunately, I don't think he has a firm recommendation. In my 100g system, I simply place a pint of GAC in my reactor and change it monthly.

If you are concerned with phosphate leaching from carbon, one suggested solution is to use granular ferric oxide (GFO) with GAC. I place a small layer of GFO in my reactor so the water passes through the GAC first and then through the GFO. Some mix the two media together.