Carbon or no Carbon?

[gb530]

Thanks for that. Good to hear it confirmed.

I had been wary on running GAC for fear of over cleaning my water and starving out my acropora and clams. But when the cyano really took off I started them both back up again. Right now I'm just mixing it all in with my GFO in the same reactor, which is probably not the best thing, but it is what it is right now. I change the GFO monthly, regardless of reading, so the other stuff too at the same time.

I might run the GAC/Purigen/GFO mix permanently, even when/if the cyano leaves town. My tank is populated enough -and thus fish poop-fed -enough where I theorize that the small amount of GAC/Purigen I'm using is not capable of ripping enough DOC out to harm coral color. Plus there's the coral specific foods/aminos that I feed the tank, but have stopped in the last 3 months since the cyano really took off. I read 2 ppm NO3 and .03 ppm PO4. I realize that those readings have to be taken with a certain grain of salt. Anyway, hopefully the gac/purigen will at least help starve out some of the algae. Right now the cyano is kicking well. It was wrapped around the base on a small cali tort frag and I didn't get around to removing it for 3 days or so. When I did the tort was browned out and looks to be on its way out. Sigh

I also have a small nano tank, 10g, cleaned by a HOB power filter. Purigen is the main component of the media bag in the filter. A little GFO and GAC too for good measure. Tank holds a lot of zoas, 2 clownfish, and an RBTA that has doubled in size to around softball or so size in the last year. I give some credit to the Purigen for keeping that tank clean enough...

I would not rely on just the addition of carbon/purigen (along with your GFO) for getting rid of the cyano. I don't know what else your using for nutrient export but I recommend looking into something else like carbon dosing using vodka or running bioplastics, or an algae scrubber like I use.

 

[tmz]

So the carbon may be making up for what the Purigen was adsorbing or not. No real way to know is there.

Nope, not that I know of. I think using either or both is ok generally.

 

[gb530]

Use a quality carbon and rinse it to prevent dust. 4 ozs per 50 gallons of water volume is the usual recommendation for most gac. ,about 20% less for rox 8. If starting out with it I'd try half of those doses.

If I set it up a reactor for carbon, I definitely will! Thanks tmz :thumbsup:

 

[tmz]

You are welcome.