Is running carbon necessary in sps tanks?

[PokerReefer]

Good to have on hand. Not neccessary for everyday though imo.

 

[giants4pc]

I wouldn't run a tank without it. In my opinion the clarity in the water is reason alone. Fish contaminate the water. While you can be successful without it, I never would do away with it -changed monthly in a reactor.

 

[abrian]

I just added a cup of carbon in a mesh bag to my 120 three days ago, and was noticing yesterday that my water seemed markedly clearer looking. This was the first time I had added any since setting the tank up about a year ago. I will probably keep some in the system from now on, swapping it out every few weeks. - Alan

 

[Canadian]

If carbon removes more organics than there skimmer,then they need a new skimmer.

False.

Go read the article before you make such a statement. We've assumed for a long time without merit that protein skimmers remove a lot of protein and organics. Now that there are some controlled studies where the content of skimmate has been analyzed we're finding this simply isn't the case for a lot of typically well regarded and high end protein skimmers.

And here's the article so you can make more informed posts in the future: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/1/aafeature

 

[luvdiving]

I definitely Is not necessary but I like to run it 24/7 because it keeps te tank that much cleaner I think.

 

[cloak]

I don't think it does anything that regular water changes can't take of. Most people clean their filter socks or sponges regularly, carbon will end up accumulating all kinds of gunk, and will eventually become a biological filter given time. Nobody seems to want that.

 

[CleveYank]

I've run carbon on my systems for years. And I try to flush the carbon out and or switch bags to let it dry out to avoid the bacterial colony growing in it and making nitrate.

So,
Purigen is my current experiment with running carbon substitute. I'm very happy with the results. And their claim (seachem) of the 500% efficiency over the best carbon out there may actually be true. And it May be absorbing any nitrate production that is growing from within the reactor (just speculation and not tested...yet.). I've not had to recharge it yet and things just keep getting better.

But I cannot say it is the only reason why the system looks happy since I got a gently used Orca Reeflo 250 for Christmas which was put online about the same time...oops.