CAinster filter W/O Carbon?
- Thread starter roggy23
- Start date
elfdoctors
Active Member
I doubt it.
Carbon get depleted after a short time anyway and needs to be replaced at least weekly. It probably hasn't been doing anything for a while anyway. Many cannister filters don't even have carbon. If you want to use carbon to put a shine to your water, many people just put it in a separate bag and put that into your sump.
Carbon get depleted after a short time anyway and needs to be replaced at least weekly. It probably hasn't been doing anything for a while anyway. Many cannister filters don't even have carbon. If you want to use carbon to put a shine to your water, many people just put it in a separate bag and put that into your sump.
elfdoctors
Active Member
That sounds fine to me. The live rock and the protein skimmer are the most important components and may be all you need. You can always add the cannister filter back if you have problems. You could also run carbon in a separate bag occasionally.
dreeves
Active Member
Granted the LR and skimmer are two important parts of running a natural system. For most of the average hobbyist...the two are insufficient to provide adequate filtration for the typical system. Most hobbyist are borderline over populated and produce excessive waste matter for a natural system to work...it is one of the reasons behind artificial filtration such as your canister.
Artificial filtration serves many purposes...of those, most have beefed up bio capabilities along with enhanced mechanical methods. There are some things a protien skimmer just cant remove due to the objects size or whatever.
As for the carbon...some use it some dont...I dont.
Artificial filtration serves many purposes...of those, most have beefed up bio capabilities along with enhanced mechanical methods. There are some things a protien skimmer just cant remove due to the objects size or whatever.
As for the carbon...some use it some dont...I dont.
elfdoctors
Active Member
I agree with Squidd. I have heard of people having problems from things as innocent as a power outage.
I am not sure the problem is beneficial bacteria dying as much as certain toxins being made in anaerobic conditions. I believe that hydrogen sulfide (which causes a rotten egg smell) is one of the most common toxins produced when the oxygen is depleted. Some of these compounds are made in a tank (e.g. in a deep sand bed) but these are able to be washed away quickly and broken down by other beneficial bacteria.
I am not sure the problem is beneficial bacteria dying as much as certain toxins being made in anaerobic conditions. I believe that hydrogen sulfide (which causes a rotten egg smell) is one of the most common toxins produced when the oxygen is depleted. Some of these compounds are made in a tank (e.g. in a deep sand bed) but these are able to be washed away quickly and broken down by other beneficial bacteria.
