Amazing carbon

[KathyL]

After about 4 years of neglect(just kidding), I cleaned up one of the small systems, and it all looked good except for the water--kinda green even after a 50 % water change. I partially filled up a 2 little fishies phosban reactor with carbon, set it up with a minijet pump, and overnight the water is crystal clear. Amazing carbon.

[spawner]

It sure its. We take our bay water and clean it up into a deep ocean blue perfect sea water source. AC is a big part of that process.

[Suzy]

Just an FYI, if anyone is interested. You can save a ton of money by buying your carbon in bulk from your local water treatment machine salesmen. Our state opened a Cabellas a while back and they have these huge giant freshwater tanks to show off their fishing gear. I was talking to the guy who maintains them, and he told me how much carbon he used to set it up. He was using it as a substrate to grow biofiltration, like we use aragonite in our sand beds. I mentioned that must have cost a ton, and he told me he got it all for under $100 bucks at Culligans Water Softeners. I called them got the same deal. The box was so heavy I couldn't lift it. This big guy carried it to my car, and he was struggling! I had enough for a year, with a dozen tanks.

If you wanted to split it with a fellow reefer, you can both get a bucket full for about the cost of 2 large Kent bottles.

[Scottt]

Do you all find that a certain type of carbon works best?

[Suzy]

Coconut shell here, but I've never done any experiments.

[Luis A M]

But are you aware of the claimed relationship of carbon and HLLD?.Seen the last Coral?.

[Suzy]

I did read that. I do not use it constantly, but I live in an inland area and I live where the water is rank. I posted the citys read out once on RC, and a guy asked me what country I lived in, because there was no way it could be in America! Arsenic, heavy metals, ect. Even with and RODI unit, my water tests bad on professional tests. I also worry about Caulerpins from my planted tanks. I am not sure carbon removes all that but I kind of feel like my hands are tied in this area. So, I do use it. So far, no HLLD, knock on wood.

I love Coral magazine!

[Scottt]

I bet there is something to the claimed connection between carbon and HLLD. However, I do not think it is understood yet. A friend of mine rehabilitates fish, which often come in with HLLD. They run carbon in a HOB filter to keep the water nice. The HLLD almost always clears up, even with the carbon in the filter.

It must be something like unwashed carbon, or a certain type of carbon. Carbon and ..., or something? (that causes the issue)

[Suzy]

I wonder if it is nutrition related.

I need to know the rationale for a disease process. Is the carbon removing something, or adding something? If it is changing the electrolyte balance, is that what is causing it? That would be seem to be able to be documented.

[PaulG]

Some AC is washed in phosporic acid as part of the manufacturing process, I know my local MASA has done testing of various carbons that have been used and some have shockingly high phospate content which leaches out of the AC.

Who knows what else it could be leaching as well, a lot of the higher quality AC's don't leach anything.

[Suzy]

So, it could be leaching something toxic into the water? Why would it only affect certain fish?

It seems like that would be something that could be tested.

[PaulG]

well.... some fish are more prone to HLLE than other, if I recall tangs get it more than any other fish.

Also the quality/mfg process of the carbon would have a lot to do with it as well.

[Chuck]

just saw that this morning...

"Activated carbon affirmed as causative agent for HLLE disease"
in there

[Scottt]

I still think it's more complicated than they are getting at. I've personally seen many tangs with HLLE from tanks with poor water quality. They were treated in tanks with carbon and good water quality,and the HLLE completely went away.

[PaulG]

I think so as well, I run carbon on all of my tanks and don't have an issue.

but I guess its something to be wary of though

[Amie]

I've always heard that you shouldn't run activated carbon all the time in your tank, that you should give it a rest. Too much of a good thing??

[PaulG]

If your doing regular water changes you shouldn't need it at all but not all of us have that luxury nor good water quality.

[EasterEggs]

Most fish aren't prone to HLLD, and definitely not the fish that most of us are breeding. I have gone through spurts of using carbon, then not in my reef tank. For fish only tanks I have always used carbon. I just bought a 30 lb box of Aquarium Pharmaceuticals carbon for the breeding room. I use BRS ROX carbon for my reef. Some carbons leech phosphate. Boiling in RO and draining seems to leech it out.

What brand are you guys using?

[Suzy]

Culligans! A box so heavy, I cant carry it. Lasts for years.

[EasterEggs]

Ya, that's what I was going to use to, but found the box of AP from another hobbyist.

[HighEndOfTheLow]

There was an article about this in coral magazine. It was more about cheap carbon that gets dusty. I know zeovit sps tanks use carbon all the time but change it monthly and rinse well first.

sent from high_end_of_the_low's phone

[Suzy]

Culligans power rinses for me....