Running carbon or not?

[ridomart]

I've got a 120 gal reef with skimmer, 30 gal refugium, 3 inch sand bed, 160 lb of lr. I've had a on going problem with nitrates. I want to build a carbon ( reactor ) using a piece of 3 inch PVC, 15" long placed in my refugium. Will I lose a lot of beneficial thing by doing this? Maxi jet pushing water into the carbon filled pipe filled with Quality carbon. Fish; sailfin tang, manderin, 2- blk clowns, & a blk cap bassle, lots of coral.

 

[hatessushi]

If you are trying to get rid of nitrates by using carbon, that's won't work. Lower nitrates by water changes or get DeNitrifier which IMO work great.
Carbon will just remove chemicals, clarify water and should only be run about 1 week a month, some run it more but it will strip water of beneficial stuff also that's why most run it on and off.

 

[farslayer]

Carbon is good to run if you have a lot of leathers, they tend to pollute the water. I run it 24/7, have for many years, with no adverse affects.

 

[ridomart]

Been changing water every 4 days, keeps lowering little by little. Thanks for the ideas.

 

[wattsupdoc]

You can achieve denitrifaction in a couple ways. Carbon wont lower nitrates at all. It is beneficial to run. Carbon media can be placed so that water flows through it any where you can place it to do so. Water changes are probably the best thing to do for nitrates, you should do them regularly to replace nutrients you're skimmer removes as well as lower nitrates. Also a 3 in sand bed is generally considered in the danger area. DSB(considered 4 in to 6 in) in you're fuge is considered to be the best method of denitrifaction. However, a 2 in sand bed should be sufficient, i personally observed my 2 in SB to denitrfy my 65 .Recently I converted to 4 in and believe that I will be slowly going back to a 2 in bed. I just dont seem to see the amounts of bubbles I used to perculating up from it. :notsure: Research DSB and SSB and make a decision there.

 

[marinerfr]

Originally Posted by wattsupdoc
You can achieve denitrifaction in a couple ways. Carbon wont lower nitrates at all. It is beneficial to run. Carbon media can be placed so that water flows through it any where you can place it to do so. Water changes are probably the best thing to do for nitrates, you should do them regularly to replace nutrients you're skimmer removes as well as lower nitrates. Also a 3 in sand bed is generally considered in the danger area. DSB(considered 4 in to 6 in) in you're fuge is considered to be the best method of denitrifaction. However, a 2 in sand bed should be sufficient, i personally observed my 2 in SB to denitrfy my 65 .Recently I converted to 4 in and believe that I will be slowly going back to a 2 in bed. I just dont seem to see the amounts of bubbles I used to perculating up from it. :notsure: Research DSB and SSB and make a decision there.

carbon also takes out ur trace elements

 

[farslayer]

Originally Posted by marinerfr
carbon also takes out ur trace elements
Not to a significant degree. If you do weekly water changes, and, if necessary, dose with Kent essential elements, you will be fine. I run carbon 24/7 because I have a crap load of leathers and I have no problems. It really makes the water sparkle.