What ever happened to "carbon shock" ?

[hikermike]

When I started out in 1969 in fish only salt water (no such thing as "live rock" then), there was a proscription against using activated charcoal. We were admonished to remove the carbon from our Metaframe HOB filter kits as it would "shock the tank". It was felt it would remove all trace metals etc from the water and harm the fish. Now, after returning to the scene after umpteen years absence, I find that charcoal is being pushed for clearing the water of toxic products. What pushed the change? What has changed?

 

[homer1475]

'69 wow I wasn't even born yet...Close but not yet. lol

Many things have changed over the years. Just a few short years ago everyone believed 0 nutrients was the way to go. Now we know better. Just 20 years ago bioballs and wet/dry filter were all the rage, now we know they basically suck, and should have never been used in the hobby. many things have changed over the years. As we get better at understanding the needs of these creatures, our methodology has changed, as well as the thinking behind it.

While I have never heard of what your talking about, I have run GAC in every tank I've ever had going back 30 years. Never ran across the conjecture that GAC would "shock the tank". Only ever knew GAC would remove toxins and tannin's from the water.

 

[hikermike]

Funny how somethings rotate....what comes around, goes around. As in zero nutrients, at that time, it was considered a detriment to have 0 nutrients and suggested to add real seawater at times (all my water at that time was collected off of piers) because it had "necessary elements" at that time not yet identified that were necessary to the health of the tank. Also then the emphasis was providing enough oxygen to the tank to keep the fish alive and less on ammonia. (That was just coming into vogue...I still have my leather bound boxed kit by API for ammonium testing but that's as far as it went.) Also, a chlorine kit to measure how much to add to treat and a kit to remove it. Same for copper. And that's as far as measuring went.)

 

[homer1475]

Wow I remember using TAP and having to test for, and treat for chlorine. Never thought about using RO/DI back then. Water was water.

The longer your in this hobby, like anything else in life, it all comes back around again. Look at bell bottoms, and afro's. Both back in "fashion".

 

[hikermike]

I'm going to have to dig out my gold cordury bells and purple shirt now!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The only carbon shock that I think is significant is suddenly adding it to a tank that has had none might make the water more clear to light and UV light, potentialyl light shocking corals.

As to trace elements, I don't think GAC is the main sink in most reef tanks. Most trace elements are bound to organics and those will bind to GAC and other media, and possibly be skimmed, but precipitation and organism consumption are also big consumers.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What pushed the change? What has changed?

Lots of folks test for trace elements by ICP now. You old folks were guessing. lol

 

[homer1475]

Lots of folks test for trace elements by ICP now. You old folks were guessing. lol

Pot calling the kettle black Randy?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Pot calling the kettle black Randy?

A little. lol

 

[old salt reefer]

Lots of folks test for trace elements by ICP now. You old folks were guessing. lol

Yes we were, but it laid the foundation for what we know now.

 

[Nano sapiens]

The only carbon shock that I think is significant is suddenly adding it to a tank that has had none might make the water more clear to light and UV light, potentialyl light shocking corals.

This is the correct answer as it was one of the first precautions that I read in books and magazines of that time. But, it was made clear that carbon itself was beneficial, just not too much, too quickly...especially if the water had a yellowish tint from refractory phenolic polymers ('Gelbstoff' in German).

 

[Mark Novack]

I'm learning things here. A bit about fish keeping history, about carbon, and a name for an alternative rock band. The Phenolic Polymers!

 

[Doctorgori]

In a related very common “wives tale” was that than poorly rinsed carbon cause Hole in the head ....
not sure if rumor central or the status quo has ever resolved that theory or not

 

[Mark Novack]

In a related very common “wives tale” was that than poorly rinsed carbon cause Hole in the head ....
not sure if rumor central or the status quo has ever resolved that theory or not

I'm not sure either on that. I removed carbon concerning a purple tang with LLE and it improved. Coincidence? I don't know. I use purigen. I don't know if it works or not. There are many unanswered questions. It's like those anti mosquito vaporizers. No scientific evidence that they work but when I use one I don't get eaten alive.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'm not sure either on that. I removed carbon concerning a purple tang with LLE and it improved. Coincidence? I don't know. I use purigen. I don't know if it works or not. There are many unanswered questions. It's like those anti mosquito vaporizers. No scientific evidence that they work but when I use one I don't get eaten alive.

Same here. I switched from Marineland Black Diamond to a much cleaner ROX 0.8, as well as stopped ozone, and my yellow tang issues went away.

 

[Mattynorth]

Really enjoyed this thread hope it dose not come to an abrupt end. As I believe we are not at the hight of our overal knowledge of reef keeping. And it’s good to here of past technology and routines getting thrown out of the window. I came across it looking for answers if to put my carbon reactor offline. Long story shot I was away from my tank for 3 months!!!! (Hospital bound) Had an apex running lights heater and chiller but that was about it. The skimmer was on but was probably in effective no phosphate remover no carbon no filter sock replacement and the scary thing once the months worth of triton bottles where empty no alk calcium or mag or trace. I arrived home to find..... I had only lost a powder blue tang. But my corral looked amazing and had been growing well. Especially my blue stag had almost doubled in size. My dkh was 5.9.!!!!! OKR. And my fuge was a solid block. I’ve spent the past few months getting stuff back on line but the hole experience has blown what I know about numbers out of the tank water so to speak. I have now been reading a lot about running a much more dirty tank. NO3 at 5ppm and trying to raise it and PO4 is at 0.15 not 0.015!! And it’s the best my tank has ever looked. I have not run carbon now for 6 months or po4 remover and only skim for about 8 hours at night. maybe I was just lucky or maybe just keeping my dirty hands out of the tank has helped but I am definitely looking away at from chasing numbers and just going for stability. Any thoughts on not putting reactors back on line

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The current values you have seem OK to me, except alk, which I'd raise.

The only reactor I'd consider putting back on line is GAC, and I'd do it slowly for the reasons noted above about water yellowing suddenly being removed.