activated carbon myths and facts please help.

[Steven R]

I am using deep blue activated carbon in my lps dominated tank. I have read that it will remove trace elements and it wont remove them and so on and so forth. my questions to the senior guys is does it actually remove the trace elements from the system and how bad is carbon for the system in general. Also how often do you run it in your system and approximately how much per gallon.
all info is appreciated thanks

 

[Chompers]

You are wiser than most in that you recognized that there is a lot of myth and speculation about it (and nearly everything else). Trace elements can not be tested with a home test kit of any kind. With that said, any answer is at best an educated guess.

The manufacturers aren't helping either. I've had conflicting information about which types of carbon to use. Of course, if they don't sell it, that's the bad one.

 

[aquabull]

i use carbon for about a week, once every month, or so. Passively in a bag in the sump. It is great for removing gelvins, but also does remove compounds that trace element related or not, the corals do benefit from.

 

[guy]

Good Q, I am running both Carbon and GFO an have heard any were from q week changes to 8 weeks for the Carbon and 1 to 4 weeks for the GFO ?? Though about changing what I do now which is 4 - 6 weeks with both and I am running the GFO that " dosn't ;each the Phosphates back into th water." Buy the cheapest carbon out there. There is a internet " pond supplies " that jas it at about 1 - 2 $$ a pound depending on amount purchased.

 

[dknuckles]

CAUTION!!!
Cheap carbons can be loaded w/ phosphate!

 

[mgovernali]

Make sure that your carbon is rinsed well. You dont want the carbon dust in the tank. If you have any fish in the tank you run the risk of HLLE (Head and Lateral Line Erosion). See the article in the July/August issue of Coral Magazine.

 

[Steven R]

cool thanks guys. I have had the system up for eight months and have not had any problems yet except for a small amount of smell so i put deep blue professional in at 3 tbs per 10 gallons on a 58 total volume with sump. ad my brain and my green star polyps refused to open so I yanked the carbon back out and they returned to normal in about a day and a half. thanks for the input. I think i will just keep running no carbon I do a weekly water change of 15 percent. thanks guys for the input

 

[Steven R]

Make sure that your carbon is rinsed well. You dont want the carbon dust in the tank. If you have any fish in the tank you run the risk of HLLE (Head and Lateral Line Erosion). See the article in the July/August issue of Coral Magazine.

yeah i forgot about that and i do have the issue thanks