55semireef
Moved On
Yeah it has two definitions but I new what you meant. Just giving you a hard time. 
Why Carbon?
- Thread starter Chubb
- Start date
chrisbenavides
New member
So running too much carbon can hurt Xenia but help Leathers? Cuz I thinkn I am noticing that myself. My Xenias have gotten very small but my Toadstool looks very healthy. I have been running Carbon 24/7 for about 4 months now.
QUESTION: Can you recycle carbon in any way, OR do we need to buy new carbon? For a time now, I was simply rinsing it in very hot water, and it seemed to work. I do buy new carbon just for the record, but changing all the carbon I use biweekly is $$$$.
Any thoughts?
QUESTION: Can you recycle carbon in any way, OR do we need to buy new carbon? For a time now, I was simply rinsing it in very hot water, and it seemed to work. I do buy new carbon just for the record, but changing all the carbon I use biweekly is $$$$.
Any thoughts?
fsn77
New member
Too much of anything can be a bad thing...
I wouldn't say the carbon is hurting your Xenia. It could be removing trace elements that your Xenia would like to have, but it wouldn't necessarily effect only the Xenia. As far as helping leathers, I'd say it helps protect your other corals from your leathers more than it helps the leathers themselves.
Unfortunately, you cannot reactivate carbon at home. Once the small pores are clogged, they are clogged. Rinsing in hot water can remove material clogging some pores near the surface of the carbon granules, but you'd barely make a dent in terms of returning the carbon to an effectiveness level near what it was new. Rinsing it every now and then might prolong its use a little just by removing any film or growth from its surface, but it's not really reactivating it.
I wouldn't say the carbon is hurting your Xenia. It could be removing trace elements that your Xenia would like to have, but it wouldn't necessarily effect only the Xenia. As far as helping leathers, I'd say it helps protect your other corals from your leathers more than it helps the leathers themselves.
Unfortunately, you cannot reactivate carbon at home. Once the small pores are clogged, they are clogged. Rinsing in hot water can remove material clogging some pores near the surface of the carbon granules, but you'd barely make a dent in terms of returning the carbon to an effectiveness level near what it was new. Rinsing it every now and then might prolong its use a little just by removing any film or growth from its surface, but it's not really reactivating it.
russ49merc
New member
I'm actually going to run a phosban reactor with carbon in it. My 120 is all leathers and mushrooms. I bought it should be at my house today.
I'm in the camp that keeps carbon on hand for emergencies but I don't run it for any long periods of time. In IME: good skimmer, and regular water changes should be all that's needed on a regular basis.
55semireef
Moved On
I run carbon is my tank and my xenia is flourishing and so is my leather and lps.
55semireef
Moved On
Thats why I buy high quality carbon.
fsn77
New member
I've been using Kent Reef Carbon, but found out after I bought it that the Two Little Fishies brand is suppose to be even better in terms of phosphate leaching (although both claim to not leach any phosphate). I soak the carbon in a bucket of fw RO/DI for about an hour before putting it in our sump, hoping any phosphate will leach out before it hits our tank. I realize I'm not getting all of it in that short of a time period (if there's even any leaching occurring to begin with), but something is better than nothing.
