Carbon?

[Rincie]

I am doing research on sps to see what it will take to keep them in our 150g reef tank and have read that you should run carbon, like in a phosban reactor. Why is this that you would run carbon? If you run carbon how often would you change it out? We have softies in the tank as well and maybe this is why the carbon? Is there a certain carbon we need, like marine carbon? Please explain the idea of running carbon in the tank with softies and sps.

Thanks

 

[psteeleb]

Most successful SPS tanks run carbon to pull out impurities that will get into the water from the house or other corals

Changing it often (even up to once a week) seems to be key to success in a mixed reef with pickier SPS

All corals emit some slime to protect themselves and this slime has some chemicals in it to help fend off predators and create space. Some of these SPS slime when touched to a point of being ridiculous (e.g. green slimmer)

As for softies, many use chemical warfare that is detrimental to other corals, especially many SPS. There are a lot of marine hobbyist that will not even entertain putting softies in their system due to this. Carbon definitely helps to curb the toxins emitted by this chemical warfare. On the flip side carbon can also pull out trace elements and minerals that are beneficial to corals to a point where they have to be supplemented or replaced with water changes

The phosban reactor just helps with the water to surface contact of the carbon. It’s not a must but does significantly helps in making the most out of the carbon use (both in speed and total absorption).

 

[Rincie]

aahhhh that explains it. Thanks!! I have a phosban reactor I am not using at the moment so I can set it up and put carbon in it. How much carbon do I need to add? I also do weekly 10 % water changes so that should put back in what is taken out from the carbon.

Thank you so very much for explaining this to me.

 

[Kay]

I keep an sps dominated tank with some lps and I don't run carbon all the time, maybe half of the time, if that, mainly because I don't want to pull out all the minerals I have added. I do use ozone, but it doesn't come on that much, and if it does, then it filters back through carbon into the tank.

Kay

 

[psteeleb]

@Rincie wrote:

I fill mine about 1/3. this way when the water flows up it will create a tumbling action with the carbon and it will take up more space or about 1/2 the chamber. You don't want to fill it so much to prevent the tumbling and it also helps to keep the carbon in the reactor. Even though there is a screen and sponge pieces will get past them

 

[Rincie]

All, thanks for the replies!

 

[Frogspawn]

Be sure to rinse the carbon good before turning it on in your tank or you'll have a black cloud! yechh

 

[DaveJ]

@Rincie wrote:

I run 24/7 carbon, always have. One thing you want to be aware of is if you haven't run it before and then put it in, you'll see an increase in water clarity. That translates into more light so you may see some light stress on your corals.