Carbon and corals

BDC ATLANTIS · Apr 16, 2014

I am currently using a sump system with sand and mangroves and a small cuc
On one side then on the over flow side I have a syphon tube inside a 3x3x3" sponge filter.
Then I'm using a cascade pump/filter to suck and feed clean water back to my tank.
I have removed the paperish fiber filters and replaced them with empty bio balls.
The bottom tray has a carbon bag bed. Is this beneficial or defeating my nutrients dom the mangroves?
Leave it or remove it?

Dalmatia · Apr 16, 2014

You should be fine cause carbon will remove micro-nutrients and trees,, they can live of your lighting alone

Dalmatia · Apr 16, 2014

Trees leafs are only made of Cyanobacteria there for it will thrive of nutrients and photosynthesis
It's something like putting more poop on to your plants so that they get more nutrients even though they can live off the sun itself

BDC ATLANTIS · Apr 16, 2014

Maybe I have this backwards
I thought by having the plants in the sump the roots filter the dirty water
Coming from the tank then puts nutrients back into the tank.
My question is by me having a carbon filter after the sump am I removing the micro nutrients that I am trying to put into the tank.
If not I'll keep it the way it is.
If I am then I need to remove the carbon bed and replace it with bio balls.
Remove carbon or not?
Sorry I'm a 1st year newbie trying to be the best I can be.