RUST in my Carbon?!?!

Sammibaz

Sammibaz

New member
If it wasn't for logging in to see Stolireef has a baby cardinal, I'd be in tears!!!

My tank has been suffering for no apparent reason! All of my tests were reading pretty much normal, except my KH was taking 14 drops (API test kit) instead of the normal 8-12. I quite dosing the alkalinity part of B-Ionic. and it brought it down to 10. Took my water in and AA told me the Nitrates were 20 (gasp! that was embarssing for me...I always run zero and thought I was at zero! my phosphates were .5 gasp again! I thought they were zero. Turns out my test kits expired) Anywhoo...those didn't seem like enough 'bad' to explain why EVERY fish except 3 of my tangs and 2 cardinals are DEAD! No warning signs, just a few dead fish every time I look.)

Check out my carbon bags....Where the %)@*!# did this rusty looking stuff come from!?!??!?!?!?!??!?!?

<a href="http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m36/sammibaz/?action=view&current=photo1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m36/sammibaz/photo1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m36/sammibaz/?action=view&current=photo2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m36/sammibaz/photo2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m36/sammibaz/?action=view&current=photo3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m36/sammibaz/photo3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

:thumbdown
 
PS - No coral seems impacted! My corals all still look fantastic!! My clam is happy too.


STRANGE, strange, STRANGE!
 
Just guessing here. Did you check the inside of the carbon bags for metal flakes or particle contaminates in the carbon? Maybe "rusting" from the inside?
 
the smaller "sock/sleeve" was brand new 2 days ago ... the other bag I have used for my carbon for all of time. Never seen this. :( It was clean before I added carbon a little over a week ago. When the fish started dying off, I busted out the little sleeve that came with my Tunze Doc Master skimmer, thinking "more carbon"!
 
<a href="http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m36/sammibaz/?action=view&current=photo-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m36/sammibaz/photo-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
 
Most carbon is made in Canada, but if it is from China....eek. Weird the fish were affected but not the corals and clam. Might not be related. If you get an abundance of iron in the water usually you will see algae problems to start off. I would do some water changes, and you can get metal absorbing specific resins. Seachem makes Cuprisorb which is a metal scavenger. An option if you continue to have problems.
 
I'm not sure that is rust. Diatoms are that color. I would pull the carbon.....keep investigating.
 
Yes, pulled the carbon immediately. I left it in the sink over night because I was just 'done'.

I just now dumped the carbon on a clean plate and saw many 'rusty' carbon pieces.

Calling Acurel now.
 
Rust by itself isn't all that harmful. However, if there are iron contaminants in that carbon, there well could be other metals that would cause you trouble.

Many reefers intentionally add rust to their systems all the time to control phosphates; a little something we all call GFO (granular ferric oxide). Ferric oxide is rust.
 
Bummer. Id try putting a clean carbon bag in a bucket of fresh saltwater to test it. If you end up needing fish meds quickly Ive got some you could use.
 
Up close of the carbon itself...
<a href="http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m36/sammibaz/?action=view&current=photo-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m36/sammibaz/photo-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
 
You are all amazing!! Always kind, always informative!

The fish that made it, are looking pretty good! One of the tangs has a foggy eye developing, but it isn't out of control (hopefully not going to get there either!).

Absolutely no corals are showing signs of misery, except my purple stihlo....it wilted away to nothing in about 12 hours. Went from perfect, to brown slime, to a white skeleton.

I didn't get thru to the carbon company, my fault - I was too busy at work. Carlos so graciously offered to help me figure something out! LOVE HIM! I'm going to take him a water sample tomorrow and see what he can come up with.

Kirstin, I'm going to read up on your ideas...you always know best!! :) I'm going to mention all of this to Carlos too.

THANKS EVERYONE!!!
 
I stopped using carbon about 3 months ago. Not because of anything I read or heard of, just a different sump configuration. I have not noticed any negatives. As a matter of fact, my yellow tang looks to be recovering from a minor case of HILLE. It was the only tang of three that showed any, and it was very minor. Maybe coincidence but I'm trying to subscribe to less is better. I am only running one vertex reactor now for ammonia and nitrate removal, along with the skimmer. I even removed a basket of live rock and chaeto from the sump. Corals and fish look just as good if not better. JP
 
I'm with you Jeff! I have used carbon only enough times I can count on one hand. I am also like you in, I have no reason I opt out of carbon, but I just run my tank on the all natural path when possible. I only put it in to polish up the water because I was going to skip my weekend water change and instead do a really big water change since I had a 3 day weekend coming up. )#!%&$)@)( that trick back fired on me miserably! :( But the good news is my corals are thriving still. My four surviving tangs look well (sorry, above I said only 3 lived....I was too flustered to be accurate) and two Bangui cardinals are still happy too. No coral was impacted except the purple stihlo.

Huge water change is today! I have the day off so I'm going to give my take a little extra TLC.

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Still on my to-do list...Acurel's Customer Service.....#HopeTheySpeakEnglish!!!! :[
 
Sorry to butt in from out of state, but does it say for use in saltwater? The label shows freshwater fish. I have no clue if that would make a difference or not, just a thought.
 
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