Carbon

I just am starting a new tank. I got 50 lbs of live rock, 40 lbs of live sand, a skimmer, wetdry filter, powerheads. I was wondering about carbon. Someone told me to use activated carbon in the sump to help draw out toxins. Is this necessary or something I should use or not??

 

its not necessary, it will get rid of smells. but it also will take in vitamins and minerals from the water.

some people run, it some people don't

i don't run it in my reef tanks


edit: also you skimmer with take out dissovled organic compounds. which is what activated carbon is used for in freshwater

 

I will tell you like I tell anyone even the sand expert guy and I once went at this .. Carbon may ? may pull some vitamins from the water and also may pull some trace elements also ?? But what Ii tried to tell that expert and anyone who would listen is you have to apply common sense It will pull some trace elements But either remove then through carbon or they will build up most trace minerals are just that and many contain heavy metals ! Iodine and Molyibum strontium salts also contain these .
I never seen more tanks head south from toxic build up of pollutants from non carbon use then I ever saw suffer from its use. There is no such thing as new water only filtered water and with every drop of saltwater evaporated or freshwater added there is always a trace of some dissolve and not dissolved mineral left behind ..It will build up.

This one expert used to say NO CARBON as it will do this and then that then after several tank failures he changed his expert opinion as he just discovered that the mineral where building up in the rocks and sand and then all becoming toxic ! I never said I told you so LOL then he said run carbon!!!!! Then the nest book it was the same B/S about a skimmer LOL again a revised edition and use a skimmer the Rocks its the rock Replace your rocks ever few yrs LOL I swear to god and people brought the books

I would no more run a system with out carbon then I would try to keep a sea anemones in freshwater.. Not to mention the added benefit of carbon absorbing the different toxins released from different corals in a effort to control their areas from trespassing and encroachment by other corals looking for space. I would always run carbon and change it regularly

Remember what I said there is no new water just filtered water and carbon is the best at pulling DOC from the water , The water we drink today was at some point in time was pee'd in by something or other and in the little glass box O saltwater we call aquariums they are excreting urine all the time not to mention other waste products .

 

+2 Tangster, I've always used carbon and wouldn't have a tank without it, fowlr or reef.

 

I'm running a relatively small amount on my tank and am not planning on stopping. I believe, like Tangster said, that there are some organics that a skimmer can't pull out. Any protein/organic compound that is not hydrophobic a skimmer can't touch. You could rely on water changes to reduce these organics but it seems to me that carbon is a more sure way and is also constantly working as the organics are produced, they don't sit around in the tank for a week or two (or four).

I hadn't thought too much about the trace elements, makes sense though.

Plus it's relatively cheap, so I'm sticking with it for now until someone shows me a good reason not to.

 

I simply can't have a tank without it. I would rather give up the tank than live in a stinky house. With a full fish load it takes about a week without carbon for my tank to start "the smell".

 

I would no more run a system with out carbon then I would try to keep a sea anemones in freshwater.. Not to mention the added benefit of carbon absorbing the different toxins released from different corals in a effort to control their areas from trespassing and encroachment by other corals looking for space. I would always run carbon and change it regularly

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is there any general guidelines on how much to use per gallon of water and how often to change

I am a recent convert to full time carbon use- but panic after 3 days , due to the old school thinking , fear of leaching and throw it away and put new in - at this rate Ill spend more on carbon this year than I do on corals

so any advice, how much per gallon of SW and frequency of changes would be appreciated

 

If you looking at carbon most has a general guide line as far as how much to use gal per carbon ratio, along with your long your runn time in your tank..
I am sure someone else may have a better idea of how much to use and runn time also..

Me i runn about 2 measuring cups of carbon im my 24gal nano.. and change every 2 months or as needed by the sniff method.. (my nose)

I agree with Av8bluewater theres nothing worse that a unlfushed toilet smell in your house (your fishtank)..

Again i am sure theres a helping hand out there.. and if its you tag your it..!!


Good luck..!!!

 

is there any general guidelines on how much to use per gallon of water and how often to change

I am a recent convert to full time carbon use- but panic after 3 days , due to the old school thinking , fear of leaching and throw it away and put new in - at this rate Ill spend more on carbon this year than I do on corals

so any advice, how much per gallon of SW and frequency of changes would be appreciated[/QUOTE]

No guide line really just opinions of what man say or think should be ran. I myself have read and seen lots of different opinions . I myself use about a 1/4 cup per 25 gals or 1 cup per 100 Gals and run it about 6 to 8 weeks and toss it . I can tell when its not doing its job that will come to you also with practice and time using it..Tank will start to look off color and that smell .. But I have over many many yrs found that the 1/2 cup rule works great for about 8 weeks on average as your load and mine I'm sure are totally different but you can adjust ass needed bottom line is you can not add to much . Its just a waste of few dollars if you do..A reactor makes it possible to run less for longer periods . a Phosphate reactor makes a good one.

 

Every tank is different I guess depending on how much stuff is in the tank to absorb. I probably have 2 cups in a mess bag that I change 6-8 weeks.. 180 gallon tank. I think if you have it in a reactor is will work faster if you have an emergency and will be more effective. The bag is working for me.. It's in a high flow area in my sump. The big can of carbon will probably last me a couple years.