Carbon filter

[Cantareadio]

Yea or nay?

I have fish, live rock, a green start polyp, an anemone, invertebrates

Wet dry filter w bio balls
55 gal

Live sand, natural ocean water (not mixed from water and salt)

Should I put a carbon filter or no? What are the pros and cons?

Thanks guys! Always appreciate your help

[Tom colburn]

I run carbon for a couple days twice a month. It removes contaminants accidently introduced ti the aquuarium. Some people say carbon only last a couple days so I remove it. Many companies will say this isn't true, I don't know I just remove it anyhow. some people say it removes beneficial minerals from the water, another good reason to run it intermittently.

[Ricksreef]

I run carbon all the time in a media bag my water flows through in my sump.My corals do great,and my water stays clear.I change the carbon once a month.

[Tom colburn]

Nice pic, so many different theories.

[Cantareadio]

@Rick
What kind of light are you using?

Thanks guys!

[Ricksreef]

Originally Posted by Cantareadio

@Rick
What kind of light are you using?

Thanks guys!

It's was made by Catalina Aquariums,it's got two 250 watt 15000k,four T5 actinic's ,two fans and adjustable LED's.The metal legs keep it six inches above the water so I don't have heat issues. Also the fans are on either end of the fixture,one pulls air in which goes through the fixture and the fan at the other end pulls the air out.You can call them and have the fixture setup pretty much like you want.They are made in good old USA in Ca.Also the elect. Ballasts are guaranteed for five years.
Probably more info then you wanted.LOL

[Cantareadio]

No way, loved the info!
For how large of a tank and do you mind me asking what it cost you?

[Gregcoyote]

It depends on the carbon. You don't want tiny bits of carbon to get loose in the tank, so wash it regardless. Some say it promotes lateral line disease in tangs. I have not seen this. My tank is heavily mixed with soft corals, LPS and some SPS. Without the carbon, the toxic soup the soft corals would serve up would really harm the more sensitive hard corals. Even with the carbon, it is a juggling act. I run it for two weeks and replace it with a pellitized carbon from BRS that runs really clean.

[Ricksreef]

Originally Posted by Cantareadio

No way, loved the info!
For how large of a tank and do you mind me asking what it cost you?

I have a 75 gallon.It is a 48 inch fixture.I'll send you a PM.

[Ricksreef]

I use the Marineland Premium Activated carbon and rinse it before putting it in the media bag.Never had a problems with it.

[Cantareadio]

I'm guessing a media bag is a semi permeable bag you get somewhere?
Not sure but hey I buy the 88 cent nylons at Walmart and use that

[Sqasnatch]

Some say that carbon can leach. So I run small amounts of it and change it every month, also I've been using the high grade carbon from brs and find that it floats. And constantly is trying to escape my media reactor. I had to put a sock on the return hose. Next time will be trying another type

[Ricksreef]

Originally Posted by Cantareadio

I'm guessing a media bag is a semi permeable bag you get somewhere?
Not sure but hey I buy the 88 cent nylons at Walmart and use that

I use two I got from Drsfosterandsmith ,Velcro closure and they last forever.

[Gregcoyote]

Originally Posted by Sqasnatch

Some say that carbon can leach. So I run small amounts of it and change it every month, also I've been using the high grade carbon from brs and find that it floats. And constantly is trying to escape my media reactor. I had to put a sock on the return hose. Next time will be trying another type

Try the pellet version, it seems to be easier to keep under control.

[Cantareadio]

What's leaching?

[Sniperhank]

I jsut use whatever carbon I can find that is cheapest. just because it costs more somewhere than another place doesn't mean squeezing it hard enough won't turn it into a diamond.

I run simple carbon in filter floss. Nothing fancy. Water is crystal clear and my filter is 10 years old and not ment for the tank size I'm running. It is only an emergency fill in since my biowheel pump burnt out. So if a filter from a 10 gallon tank can take care of a 36 gallon... carbon is good and shouldn't be taken out. That is my story and I'm stickin to it.

[Sqasnatch]

Originally Posted by Cantareadio

What's leaching?

They say that there is something in carbon( usually higher amounts of it) that leaches into the water, however at the moment it's not coming to my mind

[Jason M]

When they "activate" the carbon they spray it with phosphoric acid. The leaching u are talking about would be phosphate. Atleast that's what u read

[Gregcoyote]

The stuff you buy at BRS is free of phosphates.

[Jason M]

No all carbon has phosphate in it. Whether it be 1 of .3 ppm. Most carbon sold had a detectable reading after agitating it. Some not till later.