carbon
- Thread starter Michellej
- Start date
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Well, I'm sure you'll get varying opinioins on this, but here's the skinny....carbon is used to remove some toxins/chemicals/meds and to "polish" the water. I know a lot of folks on here don't run carbon at all. Some run it in certain circumstances only when they need to remove toxins, etc. Some even say that it can remove other valuable nutrients, so they don't run any...ever. I do run it occasionally myself, but mostly just for water polishing and if I have something die or something, I'll add some after a water change. HTH
I've ran carbon constantly since I started keeping a reef about a year ago. I didn't really think about it at the time my filter was just a HOB with carbon cartidges. Now that I upgraded tanks and have a sump I run carbon down there. I have been lead to believe that carbon does the same thing a skimmer does....... not the same way, but the same basic effect. I figure if people say you can't overskim you can't over carbon, that is why I use it. I also have a 18 watt turbo twist on my 72 gallon as well and most people don;t have UVs on there reefs..........
filtration = good
(IMO at least)
filtration = good
(IMO at least)
lando
Aquarium Advice Addict
Carbon as chemical filtration is great. Just make sure you change it on a regular basis or it will actually leech what it absorbs back into the water once it is ued up. I really like Chemi-pure by Boyd. It is a great Carbon-based media.
MarineFlake
Aquarium Advice FINatic
schoeplein
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'd like to point out a few important quotes that have been debated on AA.
"Some carbons are activated or washed with phosphoric acid, zinc chloride, or potassium hydroxide. These chemically treated activated carbons are unsuitable for use in the aquarium. These products could leach phosphate (an algae promoter), heavy metals, or alter pH."
"Nine activated carbon products were tested for phosphate contamination. Five of these contained phosphate, including so called “marine” carbons."
"But practical experience with aquarium filtration and laboratory experiments show desorption rarely occurs or causes any type of “toxic release”."
"The benefits of activated carbon filtration, protein skimmers, and ozone far outweigh the possibility of trace element removal. "
"Some carbons are activated or washed with phosphoric acid, zinc chloride, or potassium hydroxide. These chemically treated activated carbons are unsuitable for use in the aquarium. These products could leach phosphate (an algae promoter), heavy metals, or alter pH."
"Nine activated carbon products were tested for phosphate contamination. Five of these contained phosphate, including so called “marine” carbons."
"But practical experience with aquarium filtration and laboratory experiments show desorption rarely occurs or causes any type of “toxic release”."
"The benefits of activated carbon filtration, protein skimmers, and ozone far outweigh the possibility of trace element removal. "
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