Who runs carbon all the time ?

[snowmansnow]

What say ye? Does't thou run carbon 24/7? What are the pros and cons? I've always been of the persuasion that I can leech impurities BACK into the water when its all done...

Thoughts?
B

 

[Steve Burton]

What say ye? Does't thou run carbon 24/7? What are the pros and cons? I've always been of the persuasion that I can leech impurities BACK into the water when its all done...

Thoughts?
B

I haven't come across any data on the possibility of leaching impurities back, but it seems unlikely that would happen, I've always assumed the carbon would absorb until saturated and that's it. Absent some action or catalyst why would it expel what it naturally absorbed?

 

[bg2311]

Perhaps if it's allowed to tumble in a reactor and gets ground up releasing dust? We fill a large media bag with ~20Tbsp (200 gallon system) which is placed into the sump weir. Water falls through it into the return pump section. It's changed out every 4 weeks.

 

[Cook]

I only run carbon now when I need it for clarity or removing medication.

 

[Tanster2]

I only run it when I know I need it. Included after a heavy feeding and there's leftover food, when water seems slightly less clear, or if an invert dies and I discover too late.

I should note that I only keep nanos these days. Cons are you can easily strip nutrients out of the tank if you aren't careful. But there are some pros in the group who definitely run it 24/7.

 

[enderg60]

I run it 24/7 and change it every 2 weeks. It has kept me from killing off most of my tank when fragging paly's, or leathers, when an anemone gets into a pump, random times a not clean hand has been in the tank and on and on. Its just worth it to keep it in there just in case.

Its also how I was able to keep leathers in with SPS without issue.

The only downside to running it all the time is if you dont change it out often and you get a nitrate sink.

 

[timeconsumer]

I run carbon full time but I don't use a very aggressive carbon like ROX 0.8 or Lignite.