Activated Carbon and Ferric oxide

[Emma1234]

Hi

Is there a difference between Activated Carbon and Ferric Oxide? Is it a good idea to use them both in a reef tank? My sump currently has a Two Little Fishees canister with Chemi-Pure elite (Ferric Oxide) inside. Could I add carbon to the same cannister that has the Ferric Oxide or should I put it in a mesh and float it outside the cannister in the sump, or should I not add carbon with the Ferric Oxide? I have little experience with this. SKR8 (in an earlier post) suggested I use carbon to help with a plate coral that isn't doing well. SKR8 said distressed softies might be spitting and the carbon could help with that problem. But I did not mention to SKR8 in that post that I already have Ferric Oxide in my sump.

I put this in a separate post because it is really a separate topic from my earlier post.

Thanks.

50 Gallon Reef Tank. Set up July 2014. LPS and softies only. LED lights. 20 Gallon Sump. 0 Phosphates (varies on my Hanna Checker. Not always zero). 425 calcium.

 

[CStrickland]

They are different. Gfo soaks up phosphates, so there's less fertilizer for algae in the tank. Carbon soaks up lots of stuff, so there's less toxins in the tank if you are having an issue with that.
Chemipure is carbon, the elite formula adds gfo. So you already have both. However, carbon can be exhausted quickly if something is going on with the water so if you haven't changed it out lately it might be "full."

 

[Emma1234]

OK. Thanks. What is the best test for the toxins that the carbon reduces.

 

[CStrickland]

I don't think there is one.
Without knowing your original issue, I would guess that sk8r was talking about defensive toxins that corals release when threatened. In the wild they do this for diff reasons including to establish territory, by making the water around themselves inhospitable. In our tanks where things are closer together and mixed species, that's all the water.

It's not something you could really make a test for. Most people just stick to the recommended replacement schedule for the product they use, or put new stuff in if there's an issue like sad coral. Check the chemipure website. The fact that carbon and gfo exhaust at diff rates is a reason not to use them together. Testing the reactor effluent for phosphate will tell you when the gfo is used up. Also the diff tumble rates. But it is pretty convenient (if somewhat wasteful) to use a one-shot product.

 

[Emma1234]

Thanks very much! I learned a lot.

 

[CStrickland]

You're welcome happy reefing!