Long term success without carbon dosing

[Rice Reef]

Originally Posted by reefermadness

start the pellets....whats the down side. You can feed more and get more fish....

+1

Every system is going to be different and every hobbyist is going to look at it slightly different (base on the amt of money one wishes to spend on this hobby and amt of time to look after their tank etc...), however for every action there is going to be a reaction and it will be based entirely in what you are wanting to achieve. I dont think there is a right or wrong answer ( to dose or not to dose carbon)... determine what you want to keep in the tank, how many fish you want to keep, whether you plan to feed often or not and how much you plan to do water change. If you do start to dose do so slowly and gradually build it up. If you are at an undetectable level why not keep it undetectable rather than to wait until all hell breaks loose and then do something about it? What do you want to achieve...to maintain an undetectable nitrate level or something close to that or being willing to tolerate an amt of nitrate?

If you choose not to then the advice given by others are also very valid... Feed less, have less fish, more frequent water changes or tolerate brown corals.