ANY CARBON USERS

[Lionfan]

Hi everyone ,just wondering if you use carbon a few days a month and if so how many days and how is your result!!!! What is the best carbon product. I just purchased KENT reef carbon but I here that pellet carbon is not as productive for cleaning up yellow cast as granual carbon. Your feedback is much appreciated!!!

[Wilson]

I use Carbon 24/7 with no bad results,I do replentish trace elements that carbon removes via water changes , dosing and feeding, understand protein skimming does not remove all sorts of nasties, however KENT carbon is bad news, it leeches Phosphate, use ESV carbon or Two Liitle Fish's HydroCarbon instead.

[Edited by Wilson on 12-13-2000 at 03:20 PM]

[watsonj]

Wilson is your statment about kent carbon from experience?
I am currently using kent carbon and have tested it several times by soaking it in some salt water and then testing for phospates and did not get a reading. I would really hate to be adding phospates to my tank .
Jon

[Jaffo_botz]

I use kent's for 2-3 days every couple months.....before a planned water change.


Wilson: where have seen/heard the phosphate leeching w/kent...?

[Wilson]

Do the test yourself, I did, use RO/DI water, put some KENT carbon in it, wait, then test it for Phosphate.
I was battling PO4 at one time and notice everytime I changed my KENT Carbon, my po4 goes thru the roof, so I did the test , and sure enough, high PO4 reading on KENT Carbon, my 3/4 full KENT carbon is sitting collecting dust now.

[JohnL]

I've tested the marineland black diamond a few times and it has never shown any trace of PO4.

[NorthCoast]

I currently use Black Diamond with good results! When the water looks a little "greenish" I place some in a Fluval 203 and circulate from the sump.

HTH,
NC

[Evets]

Marineland Black Diamond Carbon in a Fluval 2 for 2-3 days each month. Good results and no po4 when I test for it. BlackDiamond fared well in the Aquarium Frontiers review, as did Two Little Fishies GAC and some of the other brands.
-Steve

[watsonj]

Okay I happen to have three 2 gallon containers of Kent reef carbon I opened each of them removed half a cup from each kept each sample seperate rinsed each sample in ro/di water for one min to remove dust the placed each sample in one cup of ro/di water and let the samples sit for 30 min I then used each sample and a new salifert po test kit, each result was 0 I then took the test kit and referenced it against some river water I tested today the kit showed a trace reading so I think I can asume the kit is good I also tried with the kit I had that was already opened and it also showed 0.0.
I just cant get the kent carbon to show any phosphates.
wilson what test kit do you use for phosphate?
I happen to run 7lbs of carbon on my tank 24/7 and change it once a month my tank shows o.o phosphate I would think that if this carbon leached phosphates I would see it in my tank water.
Jon

[JSM]

I used to use Two Little Fishies Hydrocardon, but it was wat too dusty and a lot pricier than some other brands. I currently use Black Diamond which I really like and think it's just as good as the more expensive brands.

Janna

[Brad Ward]

I use TLF carbon as needed to maintain colorless water. I just put it in a bag, dust and all and let'er rip. The dust is actually the most effective clarity enhancher.

hth,

Brad