Carbon - Yes or No?

[sphelps]

I just hate using carbon because it's a PITA to clean and change out on a regular basis. If I can't automate something then it better be damn good for me to consider it. It's also an easy way of adding contaminants, these days you got to be really picky on the brand you use and even then a bad batch is still possible. Not much point using a product for long term tank health of 5+ years when it can wipe out the whole tank from one dose.

Water changes are you friend, carbon isn't going to eliminate all your build ups and ruling out certain organics as causes for long term failures may not be overly accurate either.

For water clarify, UV and ozone are other options. I use UV on and off, water clarity has never been an issue and I can't think of any risk involved in using it.

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by sphelps

It's also an easy way of adding contaminants, these days you got to be really picky on the brand you use and even then a bad batch is still possible. Not much point using a product for long term tank health of 5+ years when it can wipe out the whole tank from one dose.

This is possible with salt too. But of course that's a necessary evil in this case you're suggesting why add more risk.

[kien]

Originally Posted by lastlight

This is possible with salt too. But of course that's a necessary evil in this case you're suggesting why add more risk.

or if you turn your lights on wrong apparently that can nuke your tank too.

[jorjef]

Originally Posted by kien

or if you turn your lights on wrong apparently that can nuke your tank too.

Use the wrong source water and some say your tank is doomed....

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by lastlight

This is possible with salt too. But of course that's a necessary evil in this case you're suggesting why add more risk.

Yeap pretty much, for me I don't like adding anything I don't have to. While it might be hard to believe I keep things as simple as possible, it's just that my idea of simple might be different than the next guys.

[reefwars]

see what you got started brad lol way to go!!

after today i bet a dozen people are either going to pull their carbon or start to run carbon lol


disclaimer:

if you dont run carbon because i dont and your tank crashes....its not my fault lol

i choose what i feel works best for me even if its not what others find to be successfull....everyone, do your own research and choose based on your own tank and what works for you both long term and present.

[sphelps]

I think people have to realize that your tank will eventually crash, if it's not the use of carbon or the non use of carbon it will be the faulty float and rolling blackouts, or the kids dumping a full container of something in the tank, or the faulty heater, or the faulty pump, or the bad programming of the controller user, or the tank breaking, or the LEDs burning, or the jealous wife poisoning, or the inexperienced tank sitter, or that special fish or invert that died and polluted the tank or the....

The point is using something purely for long term tank survival is utterly pointless

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by reefwars

see what you got started brad lol way to go!!

Only because you were hijacking some for sale thread with this topic

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Only because you were hijacking some for sale thread with this topic

im sorry i dint realize its hijacking when im the one giving him a reactor and gave him the gfo last week??both for free mid you....do need to post that im giving him the reactor for everyone to see?? i thought thats what pm's were for so why do we have pms again??

and since im the one giving him the reactor im not allowed to give advice on the equipment he got??


its all noted though no worries ....just so were clear i have to post if i want to sell something a pm is not good enough , and i cant offer advice for anything i sell.....

gotcha !!

[christyf5]

I run carbon, have for years. Would I ever not run carbon? No. If carbon removes some bad juju out of the water why would I not want to run it. I also do weekly 20% waterchanges when time allows (sometimes bi-weekly or tri-weekly but mostly I stick to the schedule).

Would I not run carbon for short periods of time? Sure why not. Sometimes I'm lazy. Then I think, I should get my act together and put some carbon on there. Makes the tank look better, water clearer etc. I've been in the hobby 10+ years now and frankly I wouldn't run my tank without it, but then there's a lot of things I wouldn't run my tank without that others seem to get by without just fine.

Do I think I need carbon? yes.

Do I think everyone needs carbon? No, because the average time of the average joe in this hobby seems to be about 18 months. I think you can "get by" without carbon for about that time, then the **** hits the fan, perhaps from not using carbon, perhaps from a myriad of other factors.

Do I think everyone should use carbon? Yes. Someone needs to open a window sometime when stuck in a small room with a bunch of people.

And thats my two cents