activated carbon-to do? or not to do?

[matty0h_52]

i just got a new sump for my 200g reef and theres a little space in it that i can put some type of active carbon, or some sort of nirtate remover. Whats so pros of doing this? and i guess the gigest question would be why would i want to do this?

 

[gwen_o_lyn]

I have never used carbon- my reasoning is because I try and keep my reef as natural as possible. Putting chemicals in my tank does not sit well with me. Also keep in mind that activated carbon is reported to deplete some beneficial trace elements in the water. Some people will use it every now and then to help out with problems which is fine. The live rock and sand is your most important filter.

 

[matty0h_52]

then maby some small plant.....? hmmmm so many disions. I like your idea to keep i all natural, i allmost forgot what this hobbie is about, thanxs for splapen me back on track..

 

[bang guy]

Activated carbon is useful for polishing the water. It will remove the yellow tint caused by algae and it will also remove the toxins produced from soft corals. I usually only use it when the water gets the yellow tint.
It needs to have water forced through it to work properly and it's useful for a couple of days. After that it should be pulled out and discarded. Once a month is a reasonable timeframe but every tank is unique. With some of the very low nutrient systems without softies carbon may never be needed.

 

[murph145]

i use activated carbon on my reef tank 24/7....
i have lots of softies along with lps and i now have 4 pieces of sps in the tank.... ive never had a problem with it and my water parameters are always good and water is very clear....
i use high end carbon though and i change it every 4-6 weeks even though the label swears its good up to 3 months i figure i have a large bioload in my 100 gallon reef tank....
i think its always a good thing tro use either once in a while or every day...

 

[wallie]

i have used it 24/7 in my 55 i have 2 330 bio/wheels that run cabon in them i also have one in my 36 i dont no my lfs has alwas told me to use it i think mabe he is just trying to make a buck

 

[escape2thewater]

I run carbon 24/7 in my tanks alsver 2 years running now with my 120g reef with mixed softies, LPS, & some SPS lately with no problems. Everything is healthy and growing so I would say its safe to run it all the time. Just my $.02.....
Escape
:happyfish