AlexKilpatrick Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I am getting ready to treat my tank with Flatworm exit, so I bought an inexpensive carbon reactor to help minimize the stress. I was wondering if anyone here was running carbon as a general practice? If so, how often do you run it? How long can carbon sit stagnant before it is bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I run it in my tank always. Helps if you are running a mixed reef. There are varying opinions on how long it stays active. I have heard everything from 2-3 days to a month. I have followed the once a month method. I figure it is not going to hurt anything if it is not active for a week or 2. HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddybluewater Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I have a media bag that I keep in my sump with carbon. I change the carbon once a week. If you are going to run cabon let it run. I would not turn it off unless you are medicating the tank. I just ordered a carbon and gfo reactors from BRS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mcallahan Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I run it in my tank 24x7. I use 1 cup for my 100G tank. Bulk Reef has some great info on carbon. The main things are: - less flow is better - change it 1x a month Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefman Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I run it continuously in a Two Little Fishes reactor, and like Gabriel try to change it out about once a month. Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexKilpatrick Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 Thanks guys. The articles at BRS are a good read. I remember the issues now -- mainly that the carbon will built up filtration bacteria such that when you change it out you will make a big hit on the filtration capacity of the tank. I guess if you replace it often enough that is not an issue. This is the reactor I got: http://www.marinedepot.com/NextReef_MR1_Media_Reactor_Chemical_Reactors-NextReef-NX1111-FIFRISCR-vi.html Inexpensive, and seems really well made. I hate those thumbscrews though. They tear up my fingers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mcallahan Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 dang, I could have sold you my reactor that comes with the pump for $45. No thumb screws either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefman Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 What kind is it Mark? I might be needing another one. Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mcallahan Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I have this one: Via Aqua Reactor They make a larger size that you'd need for your tank Stephen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhart032 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 +1 of 24/7 i dont need it as much as i did when i had my kenya trees, but its still good practice to run it. i aswell have a mixed reef. it helps fight chemical warfare b/t softies and sps/lps corals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 As far as changing carbon what I have always done on my tanks in the past running carbon was to have two bags to make up the total volume of carbon you want to run. Change one out in the middle of the month and change the other out at the end of the month. This way there isn't a potential hit on the system from toxins building up and then quickly being reduced again. Your water quality as far as what carbon can do for you will maintain at about the same level. You will only get small swings when the carbon is changed rather than one drastic change every month. Depending on whats in the water it probably may not matter but I always had good luck with doing i that way. I did that for years when I was running my 75g freshwater with a large Oscar and never had any issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexKilpatrick Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 (edited) One thing I hadn't considered was running carbon in bags inside the reactor. That would certainly make cleanup and changing carbon a lot easier. Mark -- your reactor wouldn't have worked for me anyway. I did look at that same one on MD, but it is too small for my tank. Edited December 4, 2009 by AlexKilpatrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Simon Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 I run carbon all the time in a DIY reactor and change it monthly. Been doing it for years and see no issues. (note I also do 10% weekly water changes, use kalkwasser as topoff and have a calcium carbonate reactor). So your mileage may vary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 +1 for 24/7. I have (2) Two little fishys reactors and one has carbon mixed with a LITTLE phosguard, and the other one had Rowaphaus (GFO). i change both on average of every 1-2 mnths depending on what the tank is doing in its cycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexKilpatrick Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 I have run carbon for the past 24 hours. When I went in to check on the tank this evening I thought something funky was up with the lights because the tank was a lot brighter than I am used to. Then I realized it was just the extra clarity of the water because of the carbon. My ORP has also gone up after running carbon, but I not sure how reliable that is. Pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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