carbon

[dave &melanie cusson]

Why do we only use carbon once a week for a month? Why not use it continously for the month?

[Aquattro]

Carbon can/does remove essential trace elements from the water. It also removes non-essential nasties. Using it for a week takes out some nasties without depleting the good stuff. I use it a week before I do a water change.

[ruck'n'reefer]

I heard/ read that if you leave it in any longer it will go biological. And can increase nitrates.
Not 100 % on that though.

[canadawest]

The bio-theory that you're speaking about Rob is due to the fact that people often use carbon in a canister filter type arrangment. Detritus gets caught in the carbon, then breaks down there potentially causing an increase in nitrates.

I suspect that if you just dropped a carbon bag in your sump or main tank that you would not be contributing to increases in your nitrates at all.

I use carbon for about a week or two each month, or until the carbon bag starts to get clogged in my canister filter (whichever comes first)

[StirCrazy]

I use Carbon in my planted tank 100% of the time, I change it out once a month, there have been studies in planted tanks to the effext it has on trce elements and it is very small, mind you the fertalizers we add replaces them right away so it might be a little more in a reef but it ou are adding stuff or doing frequent small water changers I wouldent worry about it personaly.

Steve

[Silverfish]

Just reading the Kent Reef Carbon container and it says "best results will be obtained by using any carbon for only 3 days per month or so. (This is because any carbon will continue to remove trace elements long after it is totally plugged with organics.)"

HTH

Oh ya, I have been running carbon since sunday, and the water looks a bit clearer. [img]images/smiles/icon_cool.gif[/img]

[ 30 January 2002: Message edited by: Silverfish ]</p>