Is Running Carbon A Big Deal?

[nmhs2]

Just wondering because I know many people who run their systems with no carbo (partly due to very clean ro/di water being put into the tank) is it really worth running carbon? Im not and my water is crystal clear

[kmf507]

I use carbon off and on. I think the tank always looks better a couple hours after putting carbon in though.

[ACBlinky]

Depends on the system - if you're growing Caulerpa in the refugium or display and it's releasing yellowing agents into the water, carbon can clear that up. If you've got leathers, Xenia or other corals that may be emitting noxious allelopathic chemicals into the water, carbon will help remove them. If the water isn't crystal clear, sometimes running carbon for a few days is the answer.

That said, carbon may also be detrimental if it's run 24/7 - my yellow tang suddenly developed HLLE and I had no idea why; her diet is varied, she's fat and appears happy, there's no stray current in the tank, so I started running searches. There's a possible relationship between running carbon all the time and HLLE, I found quite a few posts on this. So I stopped running carbon all the time, and she's healing nicely. Now I use it once a month to keep the water crystal clear and remove anything noxious that I can't detect that might upset the corals.

HTH

[nmhs2]

so how long do u run it 1 day 1 hour?

[InvaderJim]

Wow I've never heard of running carbon 24/7 to be bad. That's defiantly news to me.

[ACBlinky]

Yep, it was news to me too - I was running searches on HLLE and found threads making reference to carbon as a possible cause (I assume because it removes something necessary from the water).

nmhs2 - I usually run carbon about 3-4 days, then discard it. Too long and it starts collecting detritus and creating nitrates, and it's not really an effective chemical filter for much longer than that anyway.

[scram2]

umm... thats news to me also i have been running it in my tank since i started it and my water is clear and i havent had any problems maybe i should cut back, or i will wait and see if i ever have problems with it. was it just the tang that got sick?

[InvaderJim]

Dang. I'm sure there are quite a bit of people that are unaware of this.

[cloak]

What's carbon?

[jerryvan]

Hello---I just bought a reactor and started running it 24/7 because I was told it was good for the tank. Now I am confused.--Jerry

[jccash]

Which reactor did you buy?

[drillsar]

ME to, I just went out and bought it, So dont do 24/7 only a couple days a month?

[Sk8r]

The limit on the carbon [charcoal] container says 4 days, then change out. I say take out, unless you have a real reason to keep it in.
Put it in when: 1. you have had something nasty happen to your water, things dying, things falling in.
2. you need an immediate ammonia remediation.
3. you have softie coral and they're spitting and shriveling at each other.
4. some other water emergency has happened, you don't have spare salt water, and you're desperate.

WHy not more than 4 days? Depends on how many times your pump cycles water past it a day, but assuming it's efficient---in 4 days it should have done its job if it's going to help. Forgotten, it not only quickly saturates with bad stuff, it starts breaking down and RELEASING all at once all the bad stuff it ever collected; and in the meanwhile its chunks become a nitrate trap and start spiking THAT. So never, ever, forget to take a bag out and/or change on schedule.

[jerryvan]

Hello--Two Little Fishies Phos Ban Reactor.---Jerry

[jerryvan]

Hello--Well I am overdue I have had mine running 7 days today.24/7. Jerry

[virginiadiver69]

I'm sorry but there are way to many successful tanks that run it 24/7 for me to stress over this. I have been doing the same for about 3 months now and have seen nothing but benefits.
I just happened to notice one day when doing a water change my waste water was very dingy and yellow compared to my fresh top off water. I also happened to be using a white 5 gal bucket so I could see down through it when filled with both the waste and the fresh water. Now I can see no difference between the two. Even my waste water is crystal clear blue. Oh...and my nitrates are undetectable. I just change it out once a month.