Carbon is it good or bad ?

[raymondcookjr]

I read one article about carbon it says it can cause hlle. Then i read another article carbon is fine for your tank.

Hear are the articles. I can us everyones feed back thank u http://joejaworski.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/does-a-reef-tank-need-carbon/ and the other one Activated Carbon
There is plenty of anecdotal evidence suggesting that the use of activated carbon in filters is a causation of HLLE in fish, particularly tangs. It is purported that HLLE can result when carbon particles leech into the aquaria, or the leaching of organics filtered by carbon, or by the removal of essential water elements by the carbon’s mechanical filtration component. Whatever is the cause, animals prone to HLLE kept in aquaria that relies on natural filters, such as sandbeds, live rock, refugium systems, macroalgae or mangrove tanks and good water movement throughout the system, usually remain healthy and free of HLLE.
That is not to say that hobbyist should throw out their canister filters. Rather, if HLLE erosion is an issue in your system, or if you plan to keep fish prone to HLLE, then use carbon sparingly rather than constantly. Use it for a few hours occasional to polish the water, not a constant exposure. Natural filters, regardless of disease considerations, is always a healthy choice for captive marine animals.

 

[mr. limpid]

As for leaching organics into your tank, this will happen only when you carbon is old a can not absorb any more organics. The only leaching happen is the dust which why carbon needs to be rinsed very well before using. The only thing I have read bad about the used of carbon in long term that it removes good minerals as well as bad. I believe the use of carbon is out dated with new aquariums of today using live rock, natural sand beds and refugiums.

 

[btldreef]

I run carbon on all tanks, except QTs when medicating, 100% of the time and have no issues with HLLE. I think it becomes an issue when it is not rinsed properly before use or is used for too long without being changed. Carbon really only lasts 2 weeks at best in most cases once it's in the tank, and many people stretch this out. I also prefer to keep it in a reactor, or at the beginning-middle of my filtration systems. This way, there is still filtration after it in case any chemicals might be leaching out or if a piece of carbon itself were to pass through. Personally, I think the benefits out weigh the risks. My tangs are all happy, healthy fish.

 

[eric b 125]

i use carbon once a month, because it removes trace elements from the water column. i will use it for 3 days leading to my water changes. once i do the water change the carbon comes out. i think a lot of it also depends on the quality of carbon. coconut shell-based carbon is no good and can leech phosphates into the water

 

[btldreef]

It might also help that I do a minimum of 20% weekly water changes.

 

[deejeff442]

i wish i had the time to do all of what you guys are maintaining.i might do a water change every 3 weeks and change my carbon with the water.too many hobbies i guess.

 

[2quills]

Here's my take on the carbon.
Is carbon bad? IMO no it is not bad for our aquariums. It has many benefits.
Does carbon leach phosphates? Yes and No...there are different forms of carbon and different manufacturing processes. Naturally activated is the best. The carbon that I use is steam activated per the manufacturer and does not leach phosphate. I've used it for 1 year in my saltwater tank and 3 years in my freshwater tanks. Haven't seen any ill effects. Not even on my tang. My phosphates always remain the same which is fairly low (not undetectable but low). I've never had a cyano outbreak (knock on wood).
Chemically activated carbon is another story. Chemically activated means that it has been rinsed in phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid = phosphates. Coconut based carbon...well, coconuts are high in phosphate and magnesium phosphate so there ya go. But I don't necissarily think that carbon dust, persay, is the specific culprate.
Does carbon cause HLLE? This I think should be looked at a little closer. HLLE is a sympton and not a disease...much like Ich, Ich is a symptom and not a disease. If you look at the types of livestock that tend to be most prone to HLLE then you'll see that some of these fish are often one and the same as the ones that we often refer to as Ich magnets (not always but alot of the time). I believe alot of these fish do have a disease but it pertains more to a immune deficiancy dissorder than anything. And symptoms such as HLLE or Ich tend to manifest themselves when the fish become irritated or stressed by something when their immune system is not strong enough to combat them.
Personally, I think this is why alot of times we see that a healthy diet alone is enough give the livestock the protection they need to fight these things off and why some say that they go away on their own. Ofrcose, we know that Ich doesn't go away on it's own, we just don't see it anymore. I'm also leaning towards the idea that these fish are being captured with an already weakened immune system. Perhaps it's genetic, or perhaps it has something to do with a lack of sufficient diet in their natural habitat. Who knows?
How long should we use carbon? Well I think it all depends. On my tank right now I have dual canisters...I clean one every other week and replace the carbon. So it gets switched once a month in each canister. Carbon can remain effective for many months. If it didn't then we would have to replace our carbon filters on our R/O units and such every couple of weeks. How long depends on the everybodys individual systems. IMO, 2-4 weeks is a safe time limit.
Does carbon leach chemicals and bad things other than phosphate back into the tank? From alot of more recent evidence that I've seen, it does not. From what I understand happens is...carbon breaks down organics and these organic compounds, elements, chemicals become absorbed/trapped within the carbon. Then bacteria grows on the carbon thus locking them in. More times than not I think it becomes more of a case that overtime, the carbon becomes satruated with these organics, chemicals and bacteria to the point where the carbon then becomes no longer usefull for it's intended purpose and therefore needs to be replaced. But does it actually leach them back? I don't know, the jury is still out on that one IMO. Where it becomes bad is when we leave it for too long and the system becomes dependant on the bacteria growth in the carbon and then we all of a sudden remove that carbon. 2-4 weeks seems safe from my observations.

Trace Elements? Those are depleted in any reef system which is why we do regular water changes with salts that replace those minerals and or by dosing. Especially when using mineral a defficient water source such an R/O or Distilled.
End note: Research, research, folks! Find out everything you can about the products you're thinking about using in your system. Ask around the forums, read the articals or even email the manufacturer if you're unsure, it only takes a moment. There is lots of good info out there these days, some of which might be a tad outdated but no less valuable. By no means though should we base all of our opinions from just one or two sources. Find out all you can and then formulate your own opinion. I shall do the same
I.E. I don't think that live rock or live sand renders carbon outdated. One is a form of biological filtration and the other is a form of chemical filtration. They are two totally different things. Someone help me out if I'm wrong here.
JMO

 

[deejeff442]

+1 only because i get lazy and dont change out water and carbon often and dont see any difference in water quality.

 

[2quills]

lol don't we all sometimes. I'm pretty good about my water changes though, I do them religiously each week.
On the subject of the HLLE that I forgot to mention. Again I think we need to look at the carbon that's being used. Certainly there is alot of anecdotal evidence of people reporting signs when adding carbon and then disappearing after they remove it. I'm leaning towards possibly some type of irritant in certain types of carbon possibly causing the fish stress and in result a manifestation of HLLE. And at the same time there are alot of people running it with no ill effects. I'll stick with the naturally activated stuff untill I see a problem with my own eyes.

 

[btldreef]

Very well said Corey.
Just out of curiosity, what brand do you use?

 

[slice]

I link to old, but still pertinent research on GAC here:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/forum/thread/383683/i-found-this-fascinating-gac-usage
It supports the opinions of several posts in this thread; shows relative performance values of different types of carbon; addresses some of the
issues folks have after changing their carbon.

 

[2quills]

Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/384631/carbon-is-it-good-or-bad#post_3371005
Very well said Corey.
Just out of curiosity, what brand do you use?
I've just been using the API brand. I started out with it in my chichlid tanks a few years back felt that it did a pretty good job at keeping my tanks from getting that yellow tint to them. So since it probably the most readily available stuff around town I decided to stick with it for my saltwater tank. I really didn't know much about the differences in the brands when I first started using it. It was only more recently that I started looking at lot closer at the different types. Things like the link to HLLE and phosphate leaching had peaked my interest. But since I had never seen any adverse effects of running it I decided to take a closer look as to why my carbon seemed fine for me when others were reporting these kinds of problems. I suppose it was just dumb luck that I had started using a brand that claims to be phosphate free and naturaly activated.
I've considered switching to Chemi Pure Elite but just haven't really seen a need yet. But just like you I attribute alot of why I don't have many issues is the fact that I keep up with water changes religiously. When the new system gets going I plan on having a primarily sps dominant tank so I may very well chose to go with Chemi Pure on that system to keep nutrients and low as I possibly can. My softies, right now don't seem to mind the way my system is being maintained. I've tried twice and can't seem to keep any xenia alive for very long. Algea growth, other than on the glass is almost non existant. I feed well, make sure everybody gets what they need. Have had zero losses of fish since my experience with Ich when I first got into salt. Everyone seems to be doing quite well (knock, knock).

 

[2quills]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Slice http:///forum/thread/384631/carbon-is-it-good-or-bad#post_3371045
I link to old, but still pertinent research on GAC here:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/forum/thread/383683/i-found-this-fascinating-gac-usage
It supports the opinions of several posts in this thread; shows relative performance values of different types of carbon; addresses some of the
issues folks have after changing their carbon.
Interesting suff, Slice. I'd love to see a new study done with the products that these brands are producing now awadays and see what has changed. I think alot of these manufacturers have begun to catch wind and we see more products that are being labeled as phosphate free these days. It seems quite logical to me that carbon would be most effective ran in the active mode just because you'd get more water passing through ALL of the carbon and not just mostely around the stuff packed around the outside of a bag/sock. Slower flow also makes more sense.