Carbon

[[email protected]]

Hey guys,

Was just doing some reading about the ZEOvit system, and in regard to runnning carbon.... My tank dosen't have a sump, so my question is can it be run through a reactor, if so can any one reccommend one to me.

THanks
Craig

[CAReefer]

It is not recommended to run Carbon in a reactor with the Zeovit method. Mainly because forced flow will strip too much of the desired elements from the water. I imagine, if you must, you could run it through a phosban type of reactor. You would need to keep the flow extremely slow. Not an ideal remedy, but better than looking at a bag of carbon in your display tank.

Marshal

[G.Alexander]

Craig, basically you have to be very careful placing the carbon in a active water flow. This can cause a lot of damage while a lot of available activated carbon brands remove elements to aggressive from the water and this can cause coral damage very quick.

I run a 1200 liter system (315 gal.) and place constant 0.5 liters korallenzucht carbon placed in a filter sock on the top of the zeolite in the zeofilter so it is flown through active. This works fine however I can not use 1 liter carbon in this way. Especially my red Trachyphyllia geoffroy bleaches slowly with the whole quantity while other LPS corals do not show this issue.

I remove the carbon temporary while pumping the zeolite daily.

I would everybody who want to give it a try recommend to start slow with half of the recommended quantity.

Please consider this can not be done with every carbon. I exclusive run korallenzucht carbon which works perfect in this way. The carbon is changed completely every 30 days.

G.Alexander

[CAReefer]

Great idea Alexander.

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carbon

thanks for the replies. Putting it on top of the zeolites is a great idea, considering my tank is only 50 gallons, and I would not need that much in there with the zeolites. This also cuts down the cost of buying another reactor.

Thanks
Craig

[trythechi]

Alexander

I run 200gms carbon through a Tunze quick change filter - which would be classified as a forced flow and exchange this every 2 weeks. This is on a timer which switches the carbon off at night - when I do the dosing and comes on again in the moring after the doses have been absorbed and comes on during daylight hours to keep the optimum light penetration for the T5s - so far no problems with tissue recesssion.


Does this OK?

MAny thanks

SIMon

[G.Alexander]

Simon, testing different carbons in the past I have noticed it is not possible to run every carbon in a active water flow without getting problems with the corals. This really depends to the used carbon and personally I prefer korallenzucht carbon for my system.

I run a 1200 liter system and use 0.5 liters carbon in a filter sock on the top of the zeolites in the zeo filter and 0.5 liters in a passive water flow in the sump. I exchange both once a week against each other.

Watch out for tissue lost and bleaching in SPS and LPS, those are the problems I got using a improper carbon.

G.Alexander

[Aged Salt]

Good points, Alexander Simon, another consideration is that hours of no flow through[anoxia] the carbon at night, will result in bacterial death & possible pollution. I'd recommend continuous, but very slow flow through your carbon filter. Bob

[trythechi]

Thanks Alexander and Bob

I'll change the pump to a lower output one and perhaps just leave it off for 30 mins. With T5s I'm keen to get maximum clarity and I figured that if carbon use is constant (and fresh) then sudden changed to the environment will be a much lower risk. So I'll halve the amount and change weekly.


Thanks again

Simon

[Brad Villeggiante]

I have been doing the same thing as Alexander, seems to be working fine so far.

[G.Alexander]

Brad if you notice the corals turn to light, just remove the active flown carbon for some days from the reactor and place it in the sump. Also adjusting the quantity works fine.

G.Alexander

[Brad Villeggiante]

sounds good.

[DMK]

i run carbon (not on zeo yet), in my overflow sock. this gets alot of flow. should i place the bag of carbon elswhere in sump, where there's less flow? i didn't know u r not supposed to keep carbon in high flow area. is this just for zeo users or for any tank? can this be the reason i suffered a few sps losses due to STN over past 2 years?
thanks. Dennis

[Aged Salt]

Hi Dennis, good questions Initially on ZEOvit with marked clearing of your tank water & therefore, increase light transmission reaching our corals, it would be better to place your carbon in a filter sock in a low flow area of your reef. After a time when your corals have adapted to the lower nutrients & increased lighting, then consider using carbon in a reverse flow canister. Just to summarize Alexander's points:

1)split the usual quantity of carbon/ZEOvit guide for your net vol. into 1/2 into the canister at a very slow flow & 1/2 passively in your sump. Rotate the exchange these carbons every two wks.
2)if too much coral lighting occurs, then place all the carbon in passive flow.
For those using Spur2, if the corals lighten from the active flow carbon filter, then lengthen the dosing of Spur2 to 3-4 wks.

Dennis, I can not say with absolute certainty, but I do believe there is more going on in your reef for the past two yrs. not related to the carbon. Bob

[Bob V]

Hi Bob,I have a question on Korallenzucht carbon?When placing the carbon in a filter sock its so fine compared to others i rinse over fresh water then the last rinse in ro water.Then i place the carbon in a cloth bag where my protein skimmer emptys is this to much flow?Corals with colored tips all go pastel or fade away is this my problem?The water flow from my skimmer is about 950 per hour