INFO~~ PLEASE HELP Should A Carbon Filter be used...????

[irnman51]

hello my ? is about a whisper 4 filter pad ... should i use it ? and filter with it for 48 hrs? I have had just a filter pad(w/out Carbon) running insead of the factory one(with cabon)had a green alge bloom and heard you can filter the water with carbon to provide extra purification. but was not sure if it was to be left on all the time or in stages. Please help with info

 

[thomas712]

Not knowing anything else about your system or main filtration I would have to say YES YES AND YES on the carbon. Many reef owners will only use carbon once in a while. I use it 24/7 with no bad results. Use a high grade carbon like black diamond or kents reef carbon, or Chemi-Pure.
It would be easier to advise you if we knew some more about your system and means of filtration.
Thomas

 

[irnman51]

Thank for you reply Thomas,
My system is includes:
Tank Size 49 gal custom
Tank Filtration: custom hood/ 2 15w 18" aquarium bulbs /
bio life 55(side mount) all on a computer module on hood.
Added: whisper 4 on the oppsite side with filter foam pad running..
one powerhead med
Tank inmates: 1 grouper sm-4"
1 sm pinapple trigger
1 striped damsel sm
1 lawnmore blenny med 4"
fiddler crabs,
3-4" CC bed
3 med-large pieces of LR
salin lev. 1.022-1.023
Have not yet tested ph,nitrate,nitrite,amonia
... The fiter carbon pads i was going to use are the replacement cartriges that you can get a Wally Martinez... aka Wal-Mart
comes with carbon already. do you think i should take out that carbon disguard and fill with kent reef carbon or does it make a difference.??

 

[ocellaris_keeper]

I ran my tank without carbon for a year and a half and when I got tired of having yellowish water - i bought a cheap ($15.00, 25GPH) hang on filter and added Chemi-Pure. the water was crytsal clear the next morning and my mushroom polyps have never looked better.
I would say absolutely and hiogh grade Carbon like Chemi-Pure cost my $5.99 - so for $20.00 my water is crystal clear!!

 

[wrassecal]

I also run carbon 24/7.

 

[dindi]

I would say you have alot of inmates for a tank never tested, maybe just me, but what are your current water conditions? Hey we need to learn

 

[irnman51]

Dindi,
I started with 3 month cycle process with 3 x med to large LR. Supplemented with Stress- zyme. and instant ocean salt 25 gals of bottled and topped off with tap/ dechlorinated lights on.. I in countered a green alge bloom that took the tank over ..and would spot clean every so often. then tank had stablized so added 4 damsels sm-med size. salinity at start was 1.028-1.029
and at the time of adding the dams.. was 1.024. as far as the other ph/nitrate/ nitrite/ amonia still has not been tested. i am working on getting a test kit. ..
I do have a re-occuring film of green and red algae on the top of the CC. hence the ? down below
Another ? .... As far as cleaning the CC do you think it could be cleaned like you would a fresh water system... and use the cobra siphon cleaner.? or would that take up all my usefull bacteria from it.
~? i also was walking threw a hardward store and happen to go and look for the Southdown playsand.. No luck ... yet they did have a bag of 100% silica sand IS THIS THE SAME.. CAN IT BE USED ..?!~?!~

 

[silverturbobug]

My tank is only 6 weeks old but I have taken the carbon out during the 3 weeks, and now running with 2packs of chemi-pure. The Mushrooms are spreading all over and the anemones are doing fine, one has gotten 1/3 bigger since I got it.

 

[irnman51]

Another ? .... As far as cleaning the CC do you think it could be cleaned like you would a fresh water system... and use the cobra siphon cleaner.? or would that take up all my usefull bacteria from it.
~? i also was walking threw a hardward store and happen to go and look for the Southdown playsand.. No luck ... yet they did have a bag of 100% silica sand IS THIS THE SAME.. CAN IT BE USED ..?!~?!~

 

[bas12547]

I am surprised that people use Carbon. How often do you change it?
I was told by the LFS (Who's owner is one of the good guys) told me it loses effectivness quickly.
Brian

 

[jlem]

A lot of people ripp on C/C, but if you do water changes and use a gravel cleaner then you accomplish cleaning out a good amount of gunk from the C/C before it breaks down and pollutes the tank. The gravel cleaner will not remove the good bacteria and it will stir up the C/C and bring the nice white stuff to the top. I had 1-2 inches of C/C before I went with sand and it worked great. I also did bi-weekly 10% water changes which pretty much maintained a nice white bottom and reduced the parameter change in the tank that a monthly large change can do sometimes. I run carbon all of the time. I change it monthly. A good quality carbon will not leach back into the tank from what I have read in my three fish books, now they could be wrong I guess but so could the books that say otherwise. One of my books even advises to only replace 2/3 of your carbon at a time because once the carbon is exhausted it becomes a good media for ammonia, nitrite, and the deep pores even sustain nitrate reducing bacteria. For the little amount of good elements that carbon removes it removes a ton more nasty stuff. If you don't run carbon then you midas well not protein skim which removes good stuff as well.

 

[birdy]

As for your question about sand, southdown is an aragonite based sand, so it helps with the buffering capabilities in your tank. I have used white silica sand in a tank (it is so much cheaper), I did not have any problems with it.