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Author Topic: How often do you use Carbon?  (Read 1823 times)

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Offline Agame43

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How often do you use Carbon?
« on: April 12, 2020, 16:27:51 »
 
Hope that everyone is doing well. How often do folks use Carbon and for how long? Thought that I would post this question to a larger audience and see how people in our club use Carbon to clear water and for how long?

thanks for the feedback,
Rick

Offline SweetReefOH

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Re: How often do you use Carbon?
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2020, 17:55:05 »
I only use carbon when the “ocean smell” gets too bad. Otherwise, I really don’t like using it. My personal opinion/experience is that it clears the water significantly and too quickly, leaving the potential to burn tips. Just my anecdotal evidence/observation.

Offline dbowman

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Re: How often do you use Carbon?
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2020, 18:22:01 »
since I have had a saltwater tank for only 6 months it does not say much that i have never used it on saltwater. the HOB penguins use a carbon/floss cartridge.  i have used them on my freshwater for years. recommended change monthly but i use them for the floss not the carbon. I will watch and learn.

Offline Agame43

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Re: How often do you use Carbon?
« Reply #3 on: April 12, 2020, 18:47:19 »
I only use carbon when the “ocean smell” gets too bad. Otherwise, I really don’t like using it. My personal opinion/experience is that it clears the water significantly and too quickly, leaving the potential to burn tips. Just my anecdotal evidence/observation.

Jesse, I remember you talking about this 'clearing' effect some months ago. Thanks for your input, well valued!

Offline Agame43

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Re: How often do you use Carbon?
« Reply #4 on: April 12, 2020, 18:49:40 »
since I have had a saltwater tank for only 6 months it does not say much that i have never used it on saltwater. the HOB penguins use a carbon/floss cartridge.  i have used them on my freshwater for years. recommended change monthly but i use them for the floss not the carbon. I will watch and learn.

dbowman, we are all learning as we go, we always stumble across something new or exciting in this hobby. I did have a 55g freshwater tank for sometime as well, seemed that I used more carbon with it then I have in this saltwater hobby. Thanks and keep us updated on your progress, always great to see!

Offline Keith92

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Re: How often do you use Carbon?
« Reply #5 on: April 12, 2020, 19:54:35 »
I was using it in a dual reactor with gfo in the other canister. I Have switched to using it in a bag in the sump. I watched a BRS video and they say that it clears the water but only works for about a week and then is "used up".

On a side note- I started using No3 Po4X after the meeting at Humphries and have great success. Nitrates from 25 down to 2 or 3 and the Po4 was .08 and now at .01.
I have recently reduced the dosage to try to maintain rather than reducing the levels. Started at 3ml per 25 gallons of tank volume down to 1.5ml per 25.

Offline lazylivin

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Re: How often do you use Carbon?
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2020, 22:12:40 »
I run it in reactor, never take it out.  Usually replace it once a month or whenever water has a smell or yellowed. It is probably not doing much after few days/week except for surface biological filtration but I don’t think to turn off or remove it. Their have been times I have not run it for 3 months or so but by then they water starts to smell fishy.

Offline Agame43

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Re: How often do you use Carbon?
« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2020, 19:20:46 »
I was using it in a dual reactor with gfo in the other canister. I Have switched to using it in a bag in the sump. I watched a BRS video and they say that it clears the water but only works for about a week and then is "used up".

On a side note- I started using No3 Po4X after the meeting at Humphries and have great success. Nitrates from 25 down to 2 or 3 and the Po4 was .08 and now at .01.
I have recently reduced the dosage to try to maintain rather than reducing the levels. Started at 3ml per 25 gallons of tank volume down to 1.5ml per 25.
Keith, great to hear about getting your NO3 and PO4 under better control, makes a big difference!

Offline Agame43

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Re: How often do you use Carbon?
« Reply #8 on: April 14, 2020, 19:25:17 »
I run it in reactor, never take it out.  Usually replace it once a month or whenever water has a smell or yellowed. It is probably not doing much after few days/week except for surface biological filtration but I don’t think to turn off or remove it. Their have been times I have not run it for 3 months or so but by then they water starts to smell fishy.
Lazy, hey man long time no see, have been so busy with many things and now we have 'Social Distancing' . How much carbon do you run? Is it ' I fill this reactor' or 'X Carbon amount based on tank volume'? On my 165g system I run the ATI Pro 2 Part and their claim to fame is much less to no water changes, I still do them with cleaning. My water had a little smell and a non clear look I did not like, so I added a bag of Carbon. What type of Carbon do you run - does it make a difference? Thanks a bunch for the input always great!

Offline lazylivin

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Re: How often do you use Carbon?
« Reply #9 on: April 19, 2020, 00:57:09 »
Hi Rick, this pandemic has been tuff. So much freedoms I took for granted. I miss my friends and family that I haven’t seen in past 5 weeks. FaceTime has been a godsend. Hope you been doing good and staying healthy. Same for all my Ohio reef peeps. Anyway I have two BRS RO style reactors for carbon. I fill them both with rox carbon. I like it best because rinsing is minimal. The other less expensive brs brand seemed to work just as good but would break apart easier and leave some residue in sump. I would guess it is about 2 cups per reactor so 4 cups at a time and I think I have 550 to 600g of water.

 

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