Running carbon 24/7

[alazo1]

Hello, the Zeovit system recommends running carbon 24/7. Most carbons I've come across and advice has always been to run a few days a month. Is anyone running it 24/7 ?. What kind of issues, successes have you had?. I do not run Zeovit.

thanks,
Albert

 

[JamesJR]

I've always run carbon 24/7. Never had any problems. My last tanks were predominately sps corals deep sand beds. Right now my current tank is 60 gallon, BB T5-VHO combination run with an ASM G2 and I have about a 20X turnover rate using several mag drive pumps and rio powerheads. I am using about 6 cups of carbon and am replacing it biweekly to monthly. I know it sounds crazy but I am keeping a few tubaustrea and other corals along with way too many fish and I like a very clean looking tank. How often and how you long you use it is really a matter of personal preference and the instructions are merely just guidelines. Carbon can only absorb/adsorb (yes there is a difference) so much before it is exhausted.

 

[alazo1]

James, are you running it passively in your sump or is it in a reactor?.

Albert

 

[JamesJR]

I have used it both ways but currently I am just using it passively. I have used reactors before but I wouldn't buy one again.

 

[moumda]

I run a reactor with carbon and phosban used together. I seperate the 2 with foam pads. I don't measure for anything that would say it's doing anything for since my phospate shows zero on my test kit.

 

[aiv]

i run lots of purigen 24/7, which does the same things as carbon. Although I heard that keeping up with water changes is important because some important trace elements in the water can be removed while running chemical media. I'm not 100% sure though.

 

[kolokefalo]

Running carbon allows better liight penetration as well. Just make sure you replace the carbon regularly. It releases once it has reached maximum absortion also it doesn't just stop absorbing.

They key is to replace it before that happens.

 

[Grunt007]

I have always run carbon 24/7 for years. Change or remove the carbon after 5-10 days. Element removal is really a non-issue, but I do 10% water changes weekly regardless of carbon use. There are many studies on what carbon removes, if you search online.

 

[tangwang]

Carbon 24/7 here as well, in a reactor, changed weekly. Does wonders for water clarity, especially if you have a fuge running

 

[sinister52]

what kinda carbon are u using like chemipure?