Carbon Amount/ Usage Question's !

[plack]

Assuming you all have a 100 gallon tank !!!! See examples below.

Example #1 if you have a 20 gallon nano multiply the amount by 5 but do not change your frequency.

Example #2 if you have a 200 gallon tank divide the amount by 2 but do not change your frequency.

Please figure out how much you would replace at one time on AVERAGE!

And please mention how OFTEN you replace it and wether you have a mixed reef /softies or sps-lps? And wether you have a high or low bio-load .


Extra bonus questions !!!

Can anyone tell when the carbon is not working anymore other than visually looking at your tank?

Does anyone ever clean or rince it before replacing it ?


Thanks in advance

 

[Scooterman]

Those aren't easy questions to answer, depends on your current tank conditions as to how much one would use & the frequency of when to replace it. When you talk carbon, one name come to mind, Boomer, this is a pet peeve of his!

 

[Scooterman]

Read this one!

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24720&highlight=carbon

 

[plack]

Scotty

I have glanced and read that before-- I still am trying to get an AVERAGE amount and time frame.

Please understand this I know there are different types qualities and that different tanks have different needs.

Thats why I put the question this specifis way !

So tell me please would you answer what your's would be ??



Paul

PM'd ya as I am sure many like me don't track everything they post

 

[Scooterman]

I've had quite a few tanks over the years, If you include FW but salt I've done a varied of Reefs also. So I've seen/haven't seen the results of carbon in a reef tank. Some say 1/2 cup per 50g, some 1 cup, I'm sure you'll get lots of other input on quantities. On my 100g tank I'd fill a 4" sock that was 16" long about 3/4 of the way, threw it in the sump overflow to get the most I could of that, tank was mixed softies & LPS. I would rinse it throughly to remove most of the powder & fines, at first I used RO/DI then switched to tap because of what I read about it. The absolute only thing I saw that I thought was noticeable was the softies would all seem to expand fully & over time slowly not so much each day. I would get the same effect from doing large wc's, which was when I usually replaced the carbon but that wasn't always the case as at first I would replace about the same amount every two weeks & my WC's were once a month. Eventually I would replace the carbon only once a month.
Eventually I used a carbon reactor, I filled it up with a few pounds of carbon & would replace a portion each month(25%) but still never noticed a great change within the tank. I used the same reactor for a while on the larger tank but had mainly sps in it & never noticed a visual difference by adding a bunch of new carbon, nothing absolutely at all.
My 34g tank I'm not set-up yet but will eventually run about a cup or two in it & replace it once a month, I think for carbon to work well enough you need to use a good bit just because our tanks are closed & unless you do large wc's weekly, you'll get some build-up of nasties.
All very opinionated but that is my thought on carbon.

Hope that answers some of your questions!

 

[plack]

Thanks'



I know a lady who experienced some stn/rtn shortly after adding allot of new washed carbon.

I know someone who claimed he had some stn/rtn after using to much rowa phos at once

I am using a fairly large amount of phosguard in a reactor to help with organics allong with ALLOT of manual removal and equipment cleaning.

I am also wondering about the amount of carbon I should use /replace and how often hence the article.

My goal ultimately is this year to have better control of my organics/ hair_turf algae etc.
And to get more growth.

Thanks for the input I have heard someone else say 1/2 to 1 cup per 50 gallons ans that sounds like a good starting point.

I was using like 4 cups per 50 gallons but kept getting the outside bag clogged with left over baking soda due to my reactor not being set properly ( 1 feed pump went to 2 reactors and long story short it failed every few days weeks )




Paul

 

[Scooterman]

I know someone who claimed he had some stn/rtn after using to much rowa phos at once

I didn't mention phosphate media, sorta goes hand in hand almost but wasn't part of the question.
I need to do some of the same control in my 34g tank. it isn't doing well, hopefully once I get set-up properly, It will do better.
never heard anyone saying carbon caused stn, I'm very doubtful of that.

 

[plack]

"never heard anyone saying carbon caused stn, I'm very doubtful of that"

Well I know this person and be it the reason or not. I am convinced it happened in that order---maybe not for that reason??? but there seemed to be no other explaination :-O

Hopefully my new skimmer and refegium straightening will take care of my organic levels !!!

I will still need some for any chemicals expelled in warfare !!




Paul

 

[Scooterman]

Skimmer is a project I'm working on now, I need to get it to crank out as much junk as it can for a small tank!

 

[Boomer]

Does anyone ever clean or rince it before replacing it ?

If you really pay attention and know your tank the pH will drop = Need new carbon

Plack if you want to do this you should start a poll on it

And when things hapen we always like to blame soemthing

However, a big change in GAC or the amount can drop the nutrient level to fast for some corals and can cause issues. One needs to do this slowly for some corals to adjust to the shift, just like addding new bright lights.

 

[mark peacock]

I change mine every 5 weeks or if my ph drops and like boomer said i clean and rinse mine every week as well to make sure i get the most out of it.

 

[Scooterman]

If you really pay attention and know your tank the pH will drop = Need new carbon

This is something I haven't done, probably why i didn't notice a swing, may be a good reason to get a ph probe!

 

[Ed Hahn]

I remember a skimmer manufacturer telling me to use One pound of GAC per 50 gallons of saltwater as short term replacement for skimmer. I do not remember for how long. I do remember him telling me to wash the fines out with RO/DI water before useage. I was thinking the fines may have caused irritation to corals.

 

[SeaMonster]

I just took mine out after reading this.......We'll see how it goes