How long do you run carbon?

peter1215

Member
I'm curious how long do people with fowlr tanks run activated carbon since its considered to be one of the culprits that cause HLLE. I currently run chemipure everyday but I'm considering reducing to every other week.
 

unleashed

Active Member
i run carbons at all times replace them every couple months..as for being a culprit of HLLE i don't know about that i have always used carbons and have never had a case of even slight HLLE i have been keeping sw for 7 yrs ..proper feeding and good water quality are the key to prevention
 

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by unleashed
http:///forum/post/3037331
i run carbons at all times replace them every couple months..as for being a culprit of HLLE i don't know about that i have always used carbons and have never had a case of even slight HLLE i have been keeping sw for 7 yrs ..proper feeding and good water quality are the key to prevention
I actually did get HLLE...I eliminated carbon along with all the other things stated to do for that....I have run carbon once since then due to a cloudy water issue, and ran it for about a week...changing it every other day until the cloudiness was gone.
 
OK, I am starting to get frustrated....Read one place and they tell you activated carbon is great, use tons of it...then another place says it is bad, causes HLLE. WHAT THE HECK IS HLLE??
 

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by TheDuncanator
http:///forum/post/3037346
OK, I am starting to get frustrated....Read one place and they tell you activated carbon is great, use tons of it...then another place says it is bad, causes HLLE. WHAT THE HECK IS HLLE??
LOL...Don't get frustrated...yet...you are always going to get different opinions...REMEMBER...what works for one doesn't always work for the other
To get a better understanding HLLE, go to the disease forum and read what it says
 

bang guy

Moderator
I run it for 48 hours and then throw it away. I only use it when the water looks yellow, about once a month.
 

peter1215

Member
Originally Posted by TheDuncanator
http:///forum/post/3037346
OK, I am starting to get frustrated....Read one place and they tell you activated carbon is great, use tons of it...then another place says it is bad, causes HLLE. WHAT THE HECK IS HLLE??
I'm not saying its an absolute fact that carbon causes HLLE as i use it myself 24/7 with no problems. That said, I have read in several articles including in this site, which list activated carbon as one of the potential causes for HLLE. IMO , i feel excellent water quality, proper nutrition and low stress is the best med for healthy fish.
 

meowzer

Moderator
They key word....POTENTIAL...That does not mean it causes HLLE...
So as I said before....in one person's tank it may work running it 24/7 in another's it may not...In my tank since I did get the HLLE...I chose to remove the carbon...I no longer have HLLE...I do not know, and can not say that the removal of the carbon cured the HLLE...I also added a grounding probe, and started adding vitamins and such to the feeding.
 

big

Active Member
Originally Posted by TheDuncanator
http:///forum/post/3037346
OK, I am starting to get frustrated....Read one place and they tell you activated carbon is great, use tons of it...then another place says it is bad, causes HLLE. WHAT THE HECK IS HLLE??
Hee is a quote from a good emailed weekly site that covers it well. Notice the use of cardon in there but near the bottom of the suspected caused
Quote as follows"
This disease stems from the lateral line that fish have, thus appropriately named Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE). It is also referred to as Lateral Line Erosion (LLE), Lateral Line Disease (LLD) and Hole-In-The-Head Disease. It appears as open pitted wounds around a fishes head and along the lateral line, as if something is slowly eroding away the flesh. HLLE disease in the short run is not fatal, but over the long run if the disease continues to progress the fish stops eating and becomes lethargic. The open wounds make the fish susceptible to other infections which in turn leads to the further deterioration of its health, and these secondary infections are what may eventually contribute to its demise.
 

big

Active Member
What is the Lateral Line?
The lateral line is a tube running just below the surface of the skin along the sides of the body, usually marked externally by a series of pores that open out through the scales. View these fish anatomy diagrams from the Badman's Tropical Fish website to get an idea of where the lateral line is located. Even though these diagrams are of freshwater fishes, the lateral line relates in the same way to all fish species. It is a very important sensory organ. It can detect minute electrical currents in the aquarium water and also functions as a kind of echo location system that helps fish to identify their surroundings. There is usually only a single lateral line on each side of the body, but many variants of the typical lateral line may occur. For example, on the sides of the Belonidae (Needle Fish), Hemiramphidae (Half-Beak Fish), Exocoetidae (Flying Fish), and a few other fish families, the lateral line runs very low on the sides. On some species the lateral line may also be incomplete, in which case it stops short of the base of the caudal fin. It may also be interrupted, meaning that it ends and then recommences after a gap, perhaps several scale rows lower down on the body, as in some of the Labridae (Wrasse) species. Strangely enough, in a fairly large number of families the lateral line is absent altogether.
 

big

Active Member
Possible Causes
There are many "theories" as to why this disease occurs, but there seems to be no single definitive answer that can be pinpointed or solely connected to it. Many of the contributing theories include stray voltage in the aquarium, poor water quality and environmental conditions, high nitrate levels, lack of vitamins and poor nutrition, stress, parasitic infestation (a protozoan, Octomita necatrix), using carbon, and that some fish may just be genetically pre-disposed to this disease condition, such as Tangs & Surgeonfishes (refer to sixth discussion down).
Treatment
Most of the above possible causes can be easily addressed. Stray voltage induces stress, so adding a grounding probe to the aquarium is a wise thing to do in any case. For poor water quality and environmental issues, follow good regular aquarium maintenance routines. Reduce and eliminate any other stress inducing factors, correctly diagnosis for parasites and always feed
 

big

Active Member
Using over the counter medications do not seem to do much in treating this disease. However, those that contain antibiotics can help to treat for secondary infections. From all the research we have done, no matter what the actual "cause" may be, it appears that improving water quality and providing supplemental vitamins and adequate nutrition are key elements in "treating" HLLE. Many aquarists have had great success in reversing the effects of this disease by providing the fish with supplemental vitamins, such as A, D, E or B's, as well as iodine. This can be accomplished by feeding them foods soaked in Selcon, Zoe or other liquid vitamins, providing algae eating species with vitamin-rich live plant sources, such as macroalgae, i.e. Caulerpa (refer to the third discussion down) and adequate live rock growth, and even by [feeding a diet of broccoli supplemented with peas and other prepared foods ............The End
 

big

Active Member
As a second thought. A few months back my main tank was not being neglected but care was at a minimum due to a family members health taking up most all my time.
My large Orange Monti was suffering and bleaching a fair amount. Running Carbon was the first thing I did to help restore the Monti............ Within a week the Monti was recovering nicely with the only big change being the large Carbon run in my sump......... I do not feel that Carbon is a bad thing to have on hand. It has its place. Plus like Guy said it make very nice clear water when run.
BTW Guy if you are still following this thread. What is the composition of stuff in the water that causes that occasional yellowing in our tanks when carbon is absent???
 

bang guy

Moderator
Originally Posted by big
http:///forum/post/3037667
BTW Guy if you are still following this thread. What is the composition of stuff in the water that causes that occasional yellowing in our tanks when carbon is absent???
The common name for this substance is Gelbstoff. This is German for Yellow Stuff or Yellow Matter. It's mainly produced by algae and is a result of the breakdown of organic material. It is unavoidable in a healthy reef but overskimming will reduce it significatly by removing the organics before they break down. Ozone will also remove it.
 
I have always used carbon..24/7
Mainly Chemi Pure..I usually replace it every 3 months
If I use other type carbon I replace every month.
 

big

Active Member
Originally Posted by Bang Guy
http:///forum/post/3037991
The common name for this substance is Gelbstoff. This is German for Yellow Stuff or Yellow Matter. It's mainly produced by algae and is a result of the breakdown of organic material. It is unavoidable in a healthy reef but overskimming will reduce it significatly by removing the organics before they break down. Ozone will also remove it.
Thanks Guy. So even the Germans called it yellow water too!
 
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