Quick question about Carbon

[revgeoff]

Question #1
Should I run (or should I not) carbon in my new reef? I have just switched over from a FOWLR to a reef and I am not sure if running carbon is a good or bad thing...and if one carbon is better than another.
Thanks for any info!

[FishFun]

I had a fowlr & ran carbon 24/7, then went reef. I did some research & found that carbon can remove good things as well as bad, however lots of people with reefs run it 24/7 & swear by it!!! I run carbon about once a month for a day or so depending on several things ie. if I medicate, cloudy water, or just to clean it of bad stuff that may end up in the water from the local surroundings , like in my house hair spray . Its somthing that I think each reefer has to find out on there own what to do, thats why I still run it from time to time but not 24/7 anymore, its my own prefrence & its working fine......I also run a big uv its timed.

[OCDP]

IMO & IME running carbon in reefs is fine, if anything I find it to benefit my reef. I have great water clarity and I notice my water has less smell, also I have noticed more polyp extension on my SPS .

You'll be fine running carbon on your reef.

[Quagmire]

IMO carbon is very important.High grade 0 phosphate carbon.It will take out some good stuff, so will your skimmer and water changes.But it takes out more bad stuff.Most people will end up with alot of types of corals most of which use chemicals to fight for space,good carbon will help to remove the chemicals before the water becomes toxic enough to have an effect on your corals.Assuming you dont have something very toxic like GSP growing right under your Acros.It will also remove disolved organics that yellow your water and add to Nitrate build up,letting your light penetrate the water easier.Anything (most?)good thats removed by carbon will be replaced by water changes.