Activated Carbon: Yea or nay? Why?

[thebanker]

Feel free to comment. Do you use it? If so, how do you employ it (i.e. fluidized reactor, bag in sump, HOB, canister, etc.). If you don't use it, why not? And be specific. What is it removing that you want to keep in your tank?

Seems like this is a long standing debate.

I stopped using it, and now I've switched back in an attempt to save some declining euphyllids. :-/ Right now I'm running in a HOB aquaclear 110 with media bags.

 

[DThompson]

Use it all the time. I place it in a bag in the sump.

 

[chilihedkc]

I only use it before a water change. Helps pull some color, and other nasty stuff out of the water that is left behind, and the water change replenishes the good stuff, minerals and such, that the carbon pulls out. IMO

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I run it 24/7 in a cannister filter.

It reduces yellowing.
It exports organics and metals attached to them.
It may bind organic toxins from the water.
It makes a great place for bacteria to grow for my organic carbon dosing.

Drawbacks may possibly include possibility of HLLE beign encouraged in some fish.

 

[DThompson]

I only use it before a water change. Helps pull some color, and other nasty stuff out of the water that is left behind, and the water change replenishes the good stuff, minerals and such, that the carbon pulls out. IMO

What do you think it is pulling out?

If your water is turning colors before a water change, I think you need to run it on more regular basis.

There have been plenty of good research articles published over the years. None have indicated that Carbon is removing minerals and such.

 

[chilihedkc]

It's not that the water is changing colors per se. It just kind of polishes the water a bit. It seems like my corals do better only using it once a week before a change. To each his own, but it works for my system.

 

[tkeracer619]

Carbon does not pull anything good out. That is a reefer myth.

 

[Hockey0000325]

I use it 24/7 bag in sump. It does seem to keep my water clearer, as well as if any toxins were released it helps with that as well.

 

[thebanker]

Carbon does not pull anything good out. That is a reefer myth.

This is what I'm trying to get to the bottom of. What beneficial ingredients does carbon pull out? I haven't heard any good arguments yet. I read an article by waterkeeper that turned around my opinion of activated carbon.

 

[jubjub]

i use it all the time in a bag in my sump...definately worth it imo...keeps the water clearer, no more of that yellow garbage water and it just seems like the water seems clearer

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Carbon does not pull anything good out. That is a reefer myth.

That depends on what you consider good.

Some folks consider copper and other trace metals (which bind to organic matter which in turn binds to GAC) to be an undesirable impurity that accumulates and is best exported. Others consider it a useful additive that organisms need.

Many of us have no idea whether the amount in the water is too much, too little, or just right. I fall into the latter category with respect to copper, even knowing the measured levels in my tank water.

 

[SkyPapa]

Use it all the time. I place it in a bag in the sump.

+?, lost count

 

[jb61264]

i have a Marineland H.O.T 250 laying around from my freshwater tank which has since been taken down...it has a nice carbon media holder for and I was thinking about selling it until I started reading about how many people (especially Randy Holmes-Farley) run carbon 24-7...now I'm keeping the H.O.T. 250 and will hang it on my 55 AGA that I use as a sump for my 75 mixed reef. I purchased a BRS media reactor to run both GFO and Carbon, but now I will run just GFO in that reactor and carbon in my 250.

 

[Sk8r]

I use a ladies kneehigh nylon, and started using it when I realized my huge hammer coral was chemically bullying his tankmates. It does handle coral spit, and while lps is not known for spitting as are softies, I'm convinced it does. Things have calmed down in the tank since I started that. The hammer is less florid and the fox and frog and torch more so.

 

[cloak]

No, never.

I don't think it does anything that regular water changes can't take care of.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I don't think it does anything that regular water changes can't take care of.

You do not think organic toxin removal is necessary, that it doesn't happen with GAC, or that water changes remove it just as well?

Same question for yellowing. Do you think it unnecessary, or that water changes do it just was well?

 

[somethingphishy]

I use carbon in a hang on refugium in a bag for two week periods...then removed for two weeks

 

[swjim]

24x7 in a bag, changed once a month.

 

[El Diablo]

I didnt run carbon for a while and now that I have it seems with my sps I get better pe.

 

[cloak]

I don't think it does anything that regular water changes can't take care of.

You do not think organic toxin removal is necessary, that it doesn't happen with GAC, or that water changes remove it just as well?

Same question for yellowing. Do you think it unnecessary, or that water changes do it just was well?

There's a lot of things in this hobby that can be side stepped if you know what your doing. This tank ran smoothly without carbon for nine years with only a DSB, skimming, and regular water changes. Whether it's necessary or not, I don't know, but nobody will will ever convince me otherwise. I've done just fine without it.

I'm incorporating the same husbandry techniques on my 20 gallon sps tank right now, and out of the small amount of corals that I do have, none of them seems to be asking for it.