Carbon: The easiest way to maintain fresh carbon in your reef?

[DarfrogDojo]

My vote is kinda misleading. My vote was reactor, in which is true, but I use a mesh bag within the reactor too. I have been using Purit.

I agree. Im not sure if having the carbon inside of a bag, inside of the reactor has any ill or degrading effects, but it doesn't make such a mess when it's time to change the media.

 

[Scorpius]

I run carbon in a mesh bag 2 tablespoons for 75 gal system changed weekly. I use BRS Rox 0.8. I have leather corals so I try to keep up on their chemical warfare and any other bad stuff.

 

[chaoticreefer]

I agree. Im not sure if having the carbon inside of a bag, inside of the reactor has any ill or degrading effects, but it doesn't make such a mess when it's time to change the media.

Yep...if you use 2 bags, you just set the exhausted one out to dry and just pour it into trashcan without any leftovers staying behind, no need to rinse the bag out (with respect to get the rest out) and have some go down the drain. Can't get much easier than that.

 

[damselindistress]

Like another member posted above, my tank is also an aio - I run a bag of chemipure elite in the middle chamber of an intank media basket. I have a small (tiny) pump suction cupped upside down to the top platform so that its pushing water down through the bag of chemipure and into the next chamber where the return pump sits. #budgetreefing lol but works decent.

 

[Amstar]

I run Red Sea reef spec carbon 24/7 in a aquamaxx reactor. Easy enough to pop it out, rinse it and fill it with fresh carbon every few weeks

Just bought an aquamaxx reactor to run carbon. Do you run your carbon in a bag then in the reactor? Or do you run the carbon with the along on the bottom and the top?

 

[ReefLab]

Just bought an aquamaxx reactor to run carbon. Do you run your carbon in a bag then in the reactor? Or do you run the carbon with the along on the bottom and the top?

I don’t use a bag. Just the plate>sponge>carbon>sponge>plate

use the little rubber gaskets to keep the plastic plates in place

 

[Ef4life]

In my 2 small tanks, I use the “whisperer” hob mesh filter bags with carbon, I just Toss them in the overflow area and let them do there thing. Really cheap to run. Been doing that for about 20 years on various tanks.

On my 40b I have a penguin hob filter. Amazon sells the cartridges for under $1 ea, so I typically run one carbon for 3-4 days a week, the other few days I run a cartridge with just filter floss. I change the filter sock and floss or cartridge 2x a week in that tank.

 

[Henn]

Activated Carbon - Commonly used in reef tanks, activated carbon is great for a whole variety of reasons, ranging for removal of general contaminants, dissolved organics, undesirable odors, yellowing pigments in the water, removing the build-up of toxins that corals and algae emit to fight each other, and much more. - Bulk Reef Supply

When it comes to most things in life the easier something is to accomplish the more it probably gets done! The same probably holds true in maintaining a saltwater reef aquarium and more specifically running activated carbon on your reef tank as a filter. I like to run carbon for various reasons but if it's hard to maintain then it becomes one of those neglected chores. Let's talk about making running Carbon easy today!

1. What do you think the easiest way to maintain fresh carbon in your reef is? How have you made it easier?

2. Are you using a reactor, filter sock, mesh bag or something else to run carbon?

Right to the Chase, I run 750 gallons of Marine Ponds and 400 gallons of fresh. Carbon was a real pain and so I replaced it with Polyester Planting Bags. They remove more stuff, do not hurt anything, no minerals removed, all Old Tank Stench. When Spent, Wash in Dawn and Heat Dry. All Activated again. I once used Bleach to remove what it had. It looked like Tar and Honey. Try doing that with Carbon. My latest Protein Cannon seems to eliminate the Scrubbers. It must work, my Fresh Water Shrimp Pond is crawling with them. The Marine Ponds contain Breeding Dwarf Seahorse Colonies ( at least 100 or so ) they eat natural Forage and are never fed. You guys should offer Activated Polyester Scrubbers ( fresh, brackish, and Marine). Wash and dry to reactivate. You ought to try it, you'll never go back :>) PS: The Different Tank shown below was Started from Dry, 21 days ago. It uses a Different Filter Technology that cycles the Bacteria in 4 days by not using Crushed Coral. It doesn't need any natural Coral Surfaces, it all happens in Bobbins off the Floor. This is no Joke, see the threads.

 

[Wildreefs]

Why do I run carbon...... ?
What a question that has been on the back of every reefers mind.

Because I see no ill effect of running it.
Because it makes my water so so clear.
Because I always have.

I see a difference in about 2 weeks in water clarity (when I assume carbon is exhausted)

I run in aio tank so carbon is in a mesh bag on 2nd shelf of intank media holder

Nice monologue. Shakespeare like

 

[Back where it all began]

For the majority of us I think the only reason we use carbon is to polish the water so it is crystal clear and light penetrates better for a little while. It simply helps make things better in a very non scientific fashion. Otherwise it is only rare occasions we use it for a specific purpose like flatworm exit and removing flatworm toxin. Etc.

That’s a good point. It would be in nice experiment to do a par comparison. Sadly I don’t have one, just an app on my phone that I use to make estimates.

 

[DxMarinefish]

I run carbon maybe once a year, if that. If I do I fluidise it.

I prefer to run Seachem Purigen instead.

 

[Malevolent]

I have a life reef sump with three built in reactor canisters that is connected to a manifold run by one maxi submerged pump. I am currently only running 2 outlets of the manifold, one canister with BRS Carbon and the second one to my UV. This setup allows me to adjust the flow to each. The drawback is the heat the pump creates, which forces me to run my setup with a temp control on my apex. If it gets over 79 degrees, apex turns pump off. Even though I live in Alaska, the normal summer temp outside is 80 degrees which means even with a fan, my temp stays around 79.1 to 79.3. The only time my uv/carbon runs is during an ATO or maybe late at night (if you want to call it night) when it’s cooler outside. I may just buy another COR 15 pump and replace the maxi. I haven’t had much need for it since my water quality is great and all my corals look healthy and vibrant. The carbon change is easy since I have two empty Canisters standing by. I change it once a month even though it hardly gets used. Tank is just under a year old.

 

[DHill6]

Placed in bag then into sock cup, pinky floss cut into a cone shape on top to catch any debris. Changed out every 4 weeks, KZ carbon and KZ method.

 

[C. Eymann]

Personally, I run about 1 cup per 50gal of standard carbon in a bag in a filter sock 1x a month for 48hrs, mostly for water polishing, then pull and dispose of it.

 

[bolo1904]

I've was running it in a bag in a reactor for a few weeks. Then I noticed my Hippo starting to get what looks like HLLE. Not sure if its the cause so I pulled the bag out. and changed out some water. I'm hoping that it would clear it.

 

[van7271]

In my power filter