Advice on carbon

rusty-nail-z · 05/10/2007, 10:36 AM

Hi ive been running cabon through my power filter in those little micro mesh packets they come in (i think its one or the more "inexpensive" versions) since i set my tank up. Its been about four weeks now, my tank is cycled and I have some fish and a coral in it. The power filter is a top fin HOB with 2 compartments for 2 carbon media packets. I phased the first of the two carbon out, but left the lil, now brown baggy in there. IM wondering, do I need to run carbon, Ive heard pros and cons. More importantly, Im worried to take out the baggies the carbon was in becuz I might lose a lot of good bacteria??. Like I said, its been over 4 weeks and the bags are lookin pretty grimy.

zyglow · 05/10/2007, 10:41 AM

I'd change it out. Your LR and LS should have enough bacteria that your tank won't notice.

Nano Chris · 05/10/2007, 10:55 AM

I change my carbon about every 2 weeks, carbon helps clear the water up (yellowness) and take some of the smell away.

I run Matrix Carbon 24/7 and my water is crystal clear.

rusty-nail-z · 05/10/2007, 11:02 AM

Thanx for the responses, by changing it out, do you mean change out the carbon and the mesh baggies? I got a replacement set of bags and carbon..

taillonjohn · 05/10/2007, 12:32 PM

yep, change the carbon and mesh baggies. they should never be in your tank more than about a month, or else the carbon will start to leak the bad stuff it has collected back into your tank.

frederickk · 05/10/2007, 04:00 PM

I'm running my carbon (marineland) 24/7 in a phosban reactor and change it every month.

Young Frankenstein · 05/10/2007, 04:41 PM

Ok change the carbon every month.... but how much carbon for 75 gal if you change it every month , running it in a sump?

chip721 · 05/10/2007, 07:06 PM

I've yet to find a hard and fast rule for how much GAC per gallon. Some folks don't use it at all. I run 1/4 cup in my 29g, 1/2 cup in my 54g, and 1 cup in my 90g. It's pretty cheap, so I generally change it out every 2 weeks or so. You'll simply have to find what works best for your particular setup. Maybe start with 3/4 cup and see what it looks like after a couple weeks. Milage may vary based on feeding, flow, filtration, etc. Good luck.

drummereef · 05/10/2007, 08:10 PM

I use about a 1/2 - 3/4 cup of Black Diamond Carbon in my 40g. I run it 24/7 and change it out monthly. I use a Seachem "The Bag" media bag to hold it.

05/10/2007, 10:36 AM	#1
rusty-nail-z Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 46	Advice on carbon Hi ive been running cabon through my power filter in those little micro mesh packets they come in (i think its one or the more "inexpensive" versions) since i set my tank up. Its been about four weeks now, my tank is cycled and I have some fish and a coral in it. The power filter is a top fin HOB with 2 compartments for 2 carbon media packets. I phased the first of the two carbon out, but left the lil, now brown baggy in there. IM wondering, do I need to run carbon, Ive heard pros and cons. More importantly, Im worried to take out the baggies the carbon was in becuz I might lose a lot of good bacteria??. Like I said, its been over 4 weeks and the bags are lookin pretty grimy. __________________ 55g LR/LS Remora AC, power filter, 2 powerheads, 2 percula clowns, frogspawn, greenstar, mushrooms Current Tank Info: 29g freshwater, 55g saltwater underway

05/10/2007, 10:55 AM	#3
Nano Chris Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 2,758	I change my carbon about every 2 weeks, carbon helps clear the water up (yellowness) and take some of the smell away. I run Matrix Carbon 24/7 and my water is crystal clear. __________________ Chris ------- 34 Gallon Red Sea Max 130! Setup (Just got back into the hobby) Current Tank Info: 34 Gallon RedSeaMax!

05/10/2007, 11:02 AM	#4
rusty-nail-z Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 46	Thanx for the responses, by changing it out, do you mean change out the carbon and the mesh baggies? I got a replacement set of bags and carbon.. __________________ 55g LR/LS Remora AC, power filter, 2 powerheads, 2 percula clowns, frogspawn, greenstar, mushrooms Current Tank Info: 29g freshwater, 55g saltwater underway

05/10/2007, 12:32 PM	#5
taillonjohn Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 753	yep, change the carbon and mesh baggies. they should never be in your tank more than about a month, or else the carbon will start to leak the bad stuff it has collected back into your tank. __________________ John

05/10/2007, 08:10 PM	#9
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	I use about a 1/2 - 3/4 cup of Black Diamond Carbon in my 40g. I run it 24/7 and change it out monthly. I use a Seachem "The Bag" media bag to hold it. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

05/10/2007, 10:41 AM	#2
zyglow Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 77	I'd change it out. Your LR and LS should have enough bacteria that your tank won't notice.

05/10/2007, 04:00 PM	#6
frederickk Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2,712	I'm running my carbon (marineland) 24/7 in a phosban reactor and change it every month.

05/10/2007, 04:41 PM	#7
Young Frankenstein Moved On Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Miami Florida. Posts: 3,842	Ok change the carbon every month.... but how much carbon for 75 gal if you change it every month , running it in a sump?

05/10/2007, 07:06 PM	#8
chip721 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alexandria, Virginia Posts: 1,260	I've yet to find a hard and fast rule for how much GAC per gallon. Some folks don't use it at all. I run 1/4 cup in my 29g, 1/2 cup in my 54g, and 1 cup in my 90g. It's pretty cheap, so I generally change it out every 2 weeks or so. You'll simply have to find what works best for your particular setup. Maybe start with 3/4 cup and see what it looks like after a couple weeks. Milage may vary based on feeding, flow, filtration, etc. Good luck.