Carbon-good or bad?

[N1Husker]

I am again confused, (what a surprise). I have been told not to use carbon because it takes too much good stuff out of the water, and I have been told that I should use carbon. What does carbon do and not do. When should it be used or not used?

 

[Glen]

I myself have used carbon in my tank and never had any problems so im for it just do your normal water test. IMOP.

 

[Scooterman]

I figure posting the information would be more beneficial than me givign a short type answer.

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f72/bactereial-counts-skimmmers-vs-no-skimmers-gac-60301/

Also try this..

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f72/carbon-confusing-24720/

 

[N1Husker]

Okay!!!! I don't know that after reading that, I am more confused or not. Sometimes I have to read things a couple of times to understand what the writer is saying, I will do that. The only problem is any time someone puts it in print, it releases the flood gate of opposing opinions and this is where I wonder who is right. Man I didn't think this hobby would be so confusing.

 

[Scooterman]

Ok put simple carbon helps clarify the water and doesn't remove enough of the things you do need in your reef tank, is it absolutely necessary? Probably not but it has many good benefits!



This is about the most reliable information you will get here!
Feature Article: Bacterial Counts in Reef Aquarium Water: Baseline Values and Modulation by Carbon Dosing, Protein Skimming, and Granular Activated Carbon Filtration — Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine

 

[N1Husker]

Thank you Scooterman, I appreciate your advice. In the article they talk about carbon dosing, what is that?

 

[mojoreef]

Husker now your on a whole other topic when it comes to dosing. The use of GAC it act as a water purifier, same concepts that are used in RO/DI units. In a reef tank it is fine to use as it will remove fine particulate material that a skimmer and similar cant get. In regards to dosing carbon now your getting into bacterial process. To keep it simple, some folks dose a carbon source not found normally in a reef tank, the popular choice is Vodka (some now like bio pellets) what this does is to artifically increase the bacterial population in the tank, then the bacteria go after the nutrients Phosphates and Nitrates in order to feed themselves. Bottom line is that some folks use it for nutrient reduction. The pros are that the bacteria will actually bind up these nutrients. The cons are that you must continually dose it in order to maintain the population and the other is that unless you physically remove those bacteria after they bind the nutrient, they will just die and release the nutrients back into the water cloumn.


Mojo

 

[Krish]

I use to run a little bit of black diamond carbon in a bag in my sump and changed it out every week or so. It absorbs some of the nasties out of the water like discoloration, pee etc. If you are dosing some medications carbon may absorb it so this is where you have to be careful if you don't want the meds to be removed pre-maturely. I remember years ago the LFS here would put methyline blue (sp) in their tanks for a treatment and then right after run carbon to remove it. Personally, I never run a tank without it.

 

[Scooterman]

Mike, Boomer had some good write ups on using carbon and the stickies that was once there are gone for some reason, think If we can find that it makes easy understanding of why we would use carbon and the best methods, It started off Boomer like confusing but we had him break it down some! I'll try to search it out some more If I can find it.

 

[N1Husker]

Thanks again. I think until I can afford a sump I will probably do what was suggested earlier, mix up the substrate some to create a cloud of debris, run the filter with the floss and carbon for a day, then do a water change the next day. Does that sound like that would be better than what I was doing?