I'd like to hear some different people's feedback on their thoughts of placing carbon bags (and some people phosphate removers) in their filter bags. First the background on why this question came to me.
I have a 90 gallon AGA reefready (oldstye corner overflow) that has about 70 lbs of a live rock, a 30 gallon sump, auto top off, a Euro Reef 8-2, calcium reactor, calc reactor, a pinpoint controller for both, (2) 250 watt Hami 14ks, (2) 110 watt vho actinics, barebottom 1 tunze 6100 and about 1k GPH through the (converted) dual drain over flow.
I started keeping sPS over a year ago, and went barebottom about ten months ago. I've had great success with the 15-20 SPS species I keep. All have atleast trippled in size, an frags have become colonies and several small colonies are now large colonies. I also have a gigh fish load concisting of a Niger Trigger, Flame Angel, Maroon Clown, Sixline Wrasse, Royal Gramma, and a Yellow tang. I have an autowater changing system and can change 30 gallons in 5 minutes by throwing a couple switches. I do about a 10 gallon water change a week.
Recently I redid half of my aqua scaping, removing some rocks and lowering my rockwork at one side of the tank and to provide a large area for frags and colonies where I didn't fear problems from too much light. I noticed a little detritus (any is bad in my book) and figured to go back to running filter socks. Generally I don't run filter socks, only when I'm blowingoff rocks or doing soething to otherwise stir up everything. I'm not sure of my opinion on filter socks but it seems most people don't change them oftn enough and stuff just ends up rotting and decaying within the sock. However I do run 3 cups of carbon 24-7 that I chang out about once a month. I always have just run it passively though and am aware that is very wasteful of media like that, and not nearly as effective.
So lately I've started rinsing the carbon really well, putting it into a fine filter baf, and place that in the filter sock. I have a 3\4 inch drain and a half inch that both drain into my filter sock with a pretty good deal of force. Since placing the carbon in the socks I've seen absolutely no ill effects, n fact my water seems incredibly crystal clear. I do notive that when I change my filter socks, and rinse any crud off of the caron that the filter socks are stained a slight greyish color from the carbon.
I was just wondering if anyone else has done this with carbon or phosban (Rowaphose etc.) and what their thoughts or experiences are. Anyone else out there that really knows their stuff or otherwise knows why more people don't do this or why its harmful?
Any input on the subject is greatlly appreciated.
I have a 90 gallon AGA reefready (oldstye corner overflow) that has about 70 lbs of a live rock, a 30 gallon sump, auto top off, a Euro Reef 8-2, calcium reactor, calc reactor, a pinpoint controller for both, (2) 250 watt Hami 14ks, (2) 110 watt vho actinics, barebottom 1 tunze 6100 and about 1k GPH through the (converted) dual drain over flow.
I started keeping sPS over a year ago, and went barebottom about ten months ago. I've had great success with the 15-20 SPS species I keep. All have atleast trippled in size, an frags have become colonies and several small colonies are now large colonies. I also have a gigh fish load concisting of a Niger Trigger, Flame Angel, Maroon Clown, Sixline Wrasse, Royal Gramma, and a Yellow tang. I have an autowater changing system and can change 30 gallons in 5 minutes by throwing a couple switches. I do about a 10 gallon water change a week.
Recently I redid half of my aqua scaping, removing some rocks and lowering my rockwork at one side of the tank and to provide a large area for frags and colonies where I didn't fear problems from too much light. I noticed a little detritus (any is bad in my book) and figured to go back to running filter socks. Generally I don't run filter socks, only when I'm blowingoff rocks or doing soething to otherwise stir up everything. I'm not sure of my opinion on filter socks but it seems most people don't change them oftn enough and stuff just ends up rotting and decaying within the sock. However I do run 3 cups of carbon 24-7 that I chang out about once a month. I always have just run it passively though and am aware that is very wasteful of media like that, and not nearly as effective.
So lately I've started rinsing the carbon really well, putting it into a fine filter baf, and place that in the filter sock. I have a 3\4 inch drain and a half inch that both drain into my filter sock with a pretty good deal of force. Since placing the carbon in the socks I've seen absolutely no ill effects, n fact my water seems incredibly crystal clear. I do notive that when I change my filter socks, and rinse any crud off of the caron that the filter socks are stained a slight greyish color from the carbon.
I was just wondering if anyone else has done this with carbon or phosban (Rowaphose etc.) and what their thoughts or experiences are. Anyone else out there that really knows their stuff or otherwise knows why more people don't do this or why its harmful?
Any input on the subject is greatlly appreciated.
