Do you guys use activated carbon?

[GQ22]

I used it a few times and it polished off the water nicely. I took it out however b/c i was concerned it was leaching out all the trace elements from my water. is this a concern for any of you, in particular SPS keepers? i have a lot of calupera in my fuge, and am thinking i should keep carbon in there all the time. any thoughts? also how do people replenish traces elements? water chanages, additives, etc.. or is this over rated? thx in advance!!

 

[maxpower2112]

I wouldnt worry about removing trace elements. It really helps polish the water off. Its a must for people who use claurepa!
Don

 

[DEEPWATER]

i use it 2 weeks in ,and 2 out

 

[inkblue]

carBon doesnt last that long anyway... but it keePs the water cleaN (looKing) :smokin:

 

[jhale]

I had it out of the tank for three weeks my water had turned yellow but it happened so slowly I did not notice it.

I put two bags of chemi-pure in the sump and overnight the water was crystal clear. the difference was amazing, so yeah I use carbon.

 

[nanoreefer22]

John, is chemipure and carbon the same thing with a different name?
-Kris

 

[marrone]

I had it out of the tank for three weeks my water had turned yellow but it happened so slowly I did not notice it.

I put two bags of chemi-pure in the sump and overnight the water was crystal clear. the difference was amazing, so yeah I use carbon.

I notice the difference it Jonathan tank right away. k:

I use Poly Pads in my tank as the water color in my tank is pretty clear. Also the pads turn different colors from different things so if anything got into the tank it may show on the pads.

 

[DRZL]

Car-bonne' as I call it it, oui oui! I usee the car-bonne'

Ze Mangifique!

<~~~~~~WEIRDO

Its a must have for mixed reefs IMO, but remember to change out your carbon once evry 2 weeks, yea thats the real life of carbon, otherwise itll leach back

 

[Dace]

For me it's a most, reason why
1) i have an ozonizer and must have in fuge at skimmers return to make sure no ozone makes it upstairs to my display
2) like to keep my water crystal clear in conjuction with the ozonizer I even use a uv to maximize my water quality.
3) i have some purple grape claurepa in my reef sump so it helps.
Carbon should be changed every two weeks max because after that you really don't have much working for you.

I had it out of the tank for three weeks my water had turned yellow but it happened so slowly I did not notice it.

I put two bags of chemi-pure in the sump and overnight the water was crystal clear. the difference was amazing, so yeah I use carbon.

 

[marrone]

Kris

Chemi-pure is a blend carbon mix made by Boyd's Enterprise and has been around for years. It comes in a nylon bag and you just rinse it off and place it in your filter or sump. It a very good product and is suppose to help keep the Ph up and make the water quailty better along with a very clear tank.

http://www.aquacon.com/boydchemipure.html
http://store.yahoo.com/pet-king/719958167054.html

Michael

 

[joe]

i use carbon in an aquacler HOB avery 2 weeks, but im gonna get me self somce chemi pure. since ive only heard good things

 

[jhale]

the chemi-pure is carbon and resin in a bag. the company won't tell you what kind of resin, but whatever it is it works. I did not think it would work so well. I was surprised by the difference. everyone who saw the tank commented on it, even the non-aquarist friends. they were all like, what did you do to make the water do clean, it was kind of embarrassing. I had no idea how dirty it had become.

 

[nanoreefer22]

Michael,
:thanks:
-Kris

 

[Reefer420]

Looks like I'm going to have to start using carbon every other week or so--- I had read postings before that carbon was bad for reefs b/c it took too many trace elements out as well, but ideas are always changing in this hobby!

 

[NYPDFrogman]

I use carbon in a reverse reactor I built. I definitly see a difference in my water quality! I originally had my overflow water draining through the carbon in a nylon bag. now thats it's in my reactor it works much micer and no slimmy bags! I change every 2-3 weeks

 

[NYPDFrogman]

Looks like I'm going to have to start using carbon every other week or so--- I had read postings before that carbon was bad for reefs b/c it took too many trace elements out as well, but ideas are always changing in this hobby!

for a while there was a feeling that carbon leetched phosphate thats why people shyed away from using it

 

[jhale]

I run phosban in a reactor to take care of any po4.

 

[jhale]

phosban can leech iron, so sometimes I put in a polly pad to see if it catchs anything.

so far I have not heard the pollypad will leach anything, so that ends the cycle

 

[MPISCIOTTI]

i run esv carbon. it works great use to use chemi pure it is pretty good. but for sps i would run esv. been running it for over a year now.. and have had great results