Petco carbon bad?

acroman · 08/21/2012, 06:05 PM

Has anyone used the petco activated carbon recently?

I ran out of carbon, and needed more. Taking the cheap route (its carbon right?) I grabbed a thing of Petco's store brand carbon.

I tossed the old carbon, rinsed the new stuff well, and tossed the filter bag in the sump, as every month prior... then went to bed.

I checked the tank quickly in the morning, on my way out the door, and all the polyps were closed/retracted; a bit strange. This was mushrooms, leathers, and SPS. Bit odd, but whatever... had to go to work.

Came home, snails have been trying to escape, havent seen SPS polyps, leathers are droopy... everything kinda looked like a toxicity response.

Well, its now been a few days, and I am starting to see a bit of tissue necrosis on the base of my pink birdsnest. I did a bit of digging, and found this:
http://www.kentmarine.com/news/news-...arine-reef.htm

I wonder if they get their carbon from the same supplier?

I have water mixing for a water change, and i think i am going to get some fresh carbon... hopefully to remove heavy metals from the Petco carbon (if that is the case)

Reeferz412 · 08/22/2012, 10:38 AM

I have the same carbon except i used it in my planted tank... It killed all of my loaches. I know loaches are way more sensitive than other fish. You may be on to something.

Reef264 · 08/22/2012, 11:17 AM

It's very possible that the carbon did it.Cheap carbon has a tendency to leach things out instead of absorb bad things.I have examined Petco's carbon before, I must say it looks a bit like rat pellets that were spray painted black.

What are your phosphate levels?

acroman · 08/22/2012, 01:44 PM

Now that you mention it, it does look a lot like rat pellets.

phosphates were < 0.05mg/l before the water change that i did last nite.

I did a 15% water change last nite, and ordered new gfo and carbon from BRS.

All in all, I think i lost a peppermint shrimp, and will probably lose the birdsnest. Could definitely be worse.

aandfsoccr04 · 08/22/2012, 02:21 PM

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...ht=kent+carbon

blacklab75 · 11/20/2012, 05:29 PM

I just had this happen to me. I bought some Petco "rat turd" carbon a few weeks back and used it for the 1st time last week. Noticed my mushrooms and xenia retracting and also one of my fish scratching. I chaulked the softies retracting up the water being too clean. As far as the fish I thought and it could be something else so I pulled the carbon and threated with Prazipro.

As the week went by everything returned and looked great. Today (1 week later) I did another water change and added Petco's carbon back in thinking it would be a good idea to help remove whatever Prazipro was left. An hour later my corals retracted and all the fish look stressed. I yanked the carbon did a 50% water change and added some API carbon I had around. Most of the fish look better an hour later but my blenny and coral beuaty a looking rough and breathing heavily.

blacklab75 · 11/20/2012, 07:31 PM

Update: I took a refrigerator magnite to the Petco "rat turd" carbon and a few peices of carbon stick to the magnite. I guess this shows the presence of some sort of metal?

My coral beuaty and blenny still continue to breath rapidly. Is their anything further that I con do for these guys?

400M1963 · 11/21/2012, 07:14 AM

YOU ARE DEFINITELY ON TO SOMETHING. TRYING NOT TO GO INTO ORBIT. This is an established tank with no known losses for years. Insert Petco Carbon, BOOM, dead livestock and invertebrates, practically overnight. I went through lots of testing and futzing with the tank trying to find out what was wrong. WHAT AN OUTRAGE.

400M1963 · 11/24/2012, 02:05 PM

Mixed up 64 gallons of Reef Crystals and swapped out half of rig volume so far. Closed corals are opening a little. This forumula has something to neutralize heavy metals. The poor now dead livestock; I feel responsible almost. Thing may improve.

Even so, I'm still steamed over this Made In China boondoggle that has so much of our culture and lifestyle in effect held hostage to those without any ethical pretentions whatsover.

moab · 11/24/2012, 03:22 PM

I have used different brands of carbon through the years. What I hated was all the brands I have bought before took a very long time to rinse the black dust off and get to the point of the water running clear off of the carbon when rinsing it.

The best carbon I have ever bought has been the Rox carbon from Bulk Reef Supply. It rinses off very fast. This is the only type of carbon that I will buy now. It is worth buying and trying.

400M1963 · 11/24/2012, 04:01 PM

No more stopping at Petco for convenience (kids in tow). BRS is on my list

blacklab75 · 11/24/2012, 06:21 PM

Please, those that have had an issue with this carbon contact Petco Corp. 1 888-824-7257 and file a complaint. The more people who can be vocal about this, the better chance of Petco fixing the problem and preventing this from happening to others. I'm awaiting word back from managment and I'll keep you updated.

finld000 · 04/20/2014, 07:14 PM

I just had very similar results with the Petco activated carbon product. The first time I used it, it killed ALL my softies but I thought maybe with me being relatively new to the hobby, I screwed something up. Well today, I tried it again and all my softies started retracting and my damsels literally tried to jump out of the tank, thankfully I had a lid on. I immediately removed the carbon bag from the filtration chamber of my tank and tossed it, replaced 5 gallons of water in it, and tossed in a Chemi-pure bag instead (should've just used that in the first place).

I wrote Petco an email right before adding a post to this thread. I pray my animals aren't dead in the morning!

08/21/2012, 06:05 PM	#1
acroman Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Palm Bay, FL Posts: 152	Petco carbon bad? Has anyone used the petco activated carbon recently? I ran out of carbon, and needed more. Taking the cheap route (its carbon right?) I grabbed a thing of Petco's store brand carbon. I tossed the old carbon, rinsed the new stuff well, and tossed the filter bag in the sump, as every month prior... then went to bed. I checked the tank quickly in the morning, on my way out the door, and all the polyps were closed/retracted; a bit strange. This was mushrooms, leathers, and SPS. Bit odd, but whatever... had to go to work. Came home, snails have been trying to escape, havent seen SPS polyps, leathers are droopy... everything kinda looked like a toxicity response. Well, its now been a few days, and I am starting to see a bit of tissue necrosis on the base of my pink birdsnest. I did a bit of digging, and found this: http://www.kentmarine.com/news/news-...arine-reef.htm I wonder if they get their carbon from the same supplier? I have water mixing for a water change, and i think i am going to get some fresh carbon... hopefully to remove heavy metals from the Petco carbon (if that is the case)

08/22/2012, 10:38 AM	#2
Reeferz412 Coral Hoarder Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,247	I have the same carbon except i used it in my planted tank... It killed all of my loaches. I know loaches are way more sensitive than other fish. You may be on to something. __________________ Alex FMAS Member Current Tank Info: 400 Gallons of frags... 30 gallon Deep Blue mixed reef ... 70 other tanks throughout south FL

08/22/2012, 11:17 AM	#3
Reef264 Where's The Reef? Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Southaven, Ms Posts: 2,098	It's very possible that the carbon did it.Cheap carbon has a tendency to leach things out instead of absorb bad things.I have examined Petco's carbon before, I must say it looks a bit like rat pellets that were spray painted black. What are your phosphate levels? __________________ I'd rather Die on my feet, than Live on my Knees. Current Tank Info: 150g SPS Reef, 2x250w 14k Pheonix Metal Halides w/T-5 Actinics, 2 Tunze 6095's, Tunze 7096 controller, Ozone, Precision Marine Skimmer, Reef Octopus Bio-Churn Bio Pellet Reactor, GFO & Carbon Reactor, Ozone Reactor, ATO, Reef Keeper.

08/22/2012, 02:21 PM	#5
aandfsoccr04 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 3,561	http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...ht=kent+carbon __________________ 120 gallon mixed reef

08/22/2012, 01:44 PM	#4
acroman Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Palm Bay, FL Posts: 152	Now that you mention it, it does look a lot like rat pellets. phosphates were < 0.05mg/l before the water change that i did last nite. I did a 15% water change last nite, and ordered new gfo and carbon from BRS. All in all, I think i lost a peppermint shrimp, and will probably lose the birdsnest. Could definitely be worse.

11/20/2012, 05:29 PM	#6
blacklab75 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 32	I just had this happen to me. I bought some Petco "rat turd" carbon a few weeks back and used it for the 1st time last week. Noticed my mushrooms and xenia retracting and also one of my fish scratching. I chaulked the softies retracting up the water being too clean. As far as the fish I thought and it could be something else so I pulled the carbon and threated with Prazipro. As the week went by everything returned and looked great. Today (1 week later) I did another water change and added Petco's carbon back in thinking it would be a good idea to help remove whatever Prazipro was left. An hour later my corals retracted and all the fish look stressed. I yanked the carbon did a 50% water change and added some API carbon I had around. Most of the fish look better an hour later but my blenny and coral beuaty a looking rough and breathing heavily.

11/20/2012, 07:31 PM	#7
blacklab75 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 32	Update: I took a refrigerator magnite to the Petco "rat turd" carbon and a few peices of carbon stick to the magnite. I guess this shows the presence of some sort of metal? My coral beuaty and blenny still continue to breath rapidly. Is their anything further that I con do for these guys?

11/21/2012, 07:14 AM	#8
400M1963 Premium Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: NE, USA Posts: 282	YOU ARE DEFINITELY ON TO SOMETHING. TRYING NOT TO GO INTO ORBIT. This is an established tank with no known losses for years. Insert Petco Carbon, BOOM, dead livestock and invertebrates, practically overnight. I went through lots of testing and futzing with the tank trying to find out what was wrong. WHAT AN OUTRAGE.

11/24/2012, 02:05 PM	#9
400M1963 Premium Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: NE, USA Posts: 282	Mixed up 64 gallons of Reef Crystals and swapped out half of rig volume so far. Closed corals are opening a little. This forumula has something to neutralize heavy metals. The poor now dead livestock; I feel responsible almost. Thing may improve. Even so, I'm still steamed over this Made In China boondoggle that has so much of our culture and lifestyle in effect held hostage to those without any ethical pretentions whatsover.

11/24/2012, 03:22 PM	#10
moab Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 64	I have used different brands of carbon through the years. What I hated was all the brands I have bought before took a very long time to rinse the black dust off and get to the point of the water running clear off of the carbon when rinsing it. The best carbon I have ever bought has been the Rox carbon from Bulk Reef Supply. It rinses off very fast. This is the only type of carbon that I will buy now. It is worth buying and trying.

11/24/2012, 04:01 PM	#11
400M1963 Premium Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: NE, USA Posts: 282	No more stopping at Petco for convenience (kids in tow). BRS is on my list

11/24/2012, 06:21 PM	#12
blacklab75 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 32	Please, those that have had an issue with this carbon contact Petco Corp. 1 888-824-7257 and file a complaint. The more people who can be vocal about this, the better chance of Petco fixing the problem and preventing this from happening to others. I'm awaiting word back from managment and I'll keep you updated.

04/20/2014, 07:14 PM	#13
finld000 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 1	I just had very similar results with the Petco activated carbon product. The first time I used it, it killed ALL my softies but I thought maybe with me being relatively new to the hobby, I screwed something up. Well today, I tried it again and all my softies started retracting and my damsels literally tried to jump out of the tank, thankfully I had a lid on. I immediately removed the carbon bag from the filtration chamber of my tank and tossed it, replaced 5 gallons of water in it, and tossed in a Chemi-pure bag instead (should've just used that in the first place). I wrote Petco an email right before adding a post to this thread. I pray my animals aren't dead in the morning!