Running Carbon - How much is too much?

[Beverly]

Never run carbon unless something toxic has died and the tank's inhabitants seem stressed. Then I use it for a couple of days, then toss it. Also do a 25% or larger water change in this instance.

Do weekly 10-15% water changes and clean prefilter foams in outgoing changewater. Never have problems with cloudy water unless I turkey baste the tank, which I do weekly the day before water changing and foam cleaning in each of our 2.5g, 7g, or 42g. Tanks are not skimmed and have no sumps or refugiums either.