Once in a while my cat does scratch the acrilyc a little bit. But it's easy to buff the scratches out. The nose prints and paw prints are more annoying.
I'm interested. Also I'd be glad to host the meet at my place. I'm just off the Harlem exit of 290. Additionally there's a couple of bar's and restaurants nearby. Here's my e-mail.
atodnem@earthlink.net
You can purchase a scoop of live sand from an lfs. Or you could buy a rock with some zoo's or shrooms on it. Also there are places online that sell pods. Google detrivor kit.
It's not essential, but it's still a good idea to use one. If you don't you should be real careful about your bioload. Also, you'd need to be religous with your water changes.
IMO, and others, there's a couple of problems with long term use of carbon.
It might work too good and remove some desirable trace elements and nutrients.
Also, eventually, it needs to be replaced and or cleaned. The charcoal has such a high surface area that a lot of the beneficial...