reef Posted March 31, 2005 Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 Here are some pics of my tank two weesk ago after using too much carbon. My tank turned out looking looked a desert with no life on the rocks and a number of acropora bleeched and turned brown. So the advice is if you use a high grade carbon dont use too much, maybe 250ml per 1000L. Also it depend how you use the carbon. if you use it in a canister filter it will much more Efficient. Will get some recent pics as the tank has recovered and back to normal. before overview use of carbon photo Photo with lots of carbon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted March 31, 2005 Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 Same problem I lost a slipper coral my one and only branch coral is having die back and my two LTAS are bleached and reduced back in size big time BTAS and very thing else ok Try and take pics today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted March 31, 2005 Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 Good on you reef for putting your photos up, other reefers need to know good and bad to help us learn. Please keep us posted on recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted March 31, 2005 Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 thats kind of scary, what is a good brand of carbon?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted March 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 Its a german carbon . works great but have to use less, i did not follow the instructions, just added a litre of it. Lucky i did not have too many losses, Certainly proves the point that too low a nutrient tank is not that good, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 31, 2005 Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 Certainly proves the point that too low a nutrient tank is not that good Really it proves that a sudden drop on certain nutrients can have a negitice effect. The dangers of carbon shock is well documented. I use 'cheap' carbon' from brooklands, not sure of brand, 0 phophates though which is good. I use 300ml at a time, over 2200 litres of water. Keep it in the tank for 3 weeks, then it gets dumped. I then give the tank a break for a week or 2. I run mine in a stocking in my liquidosed reactor. Shame about the bleeching and problems, hope it all sorts its self out shortly. Piemania Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted March 31, 2005 Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 Really it proves that a sudden drop on certain nutrients can have a negitice effect. Not really. Depend on what your definition of nutrients. I think of nutrient as coral food. Ever seen a large water change do that. I think it may have more to do with the clarity of the water, and light related bleaching, than corals responding to any drop in levels of their food. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 31, 2005 Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 Everything i've read shows and says not to use to much carbon too quickly or to run it in a filter as it strips too much from the water, stress's the animals and causes problems. Its not hard find this information in books and on the net, its a common theme. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted March 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 Well at least the carbon works well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scatman Posted March 31, 2005 Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 Do you use carbon and phostphate remover together in a canister filter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 31, 2005 Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 I have my phosphate remover in a liquidosed reactor, and have a bag (stocking) with carbon in the same reactoer, seperated by an eggcrate divider. Super carbon! Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scatman Posted March 31, 2005 Report Share Posted March 31, 2005 My phosphate is in my deltec skimmer before the sponge and my carbon is placed in my sump-is this not good enough or will i need to get a canister filter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 Its not hard find this information in books and on the net, its a common theme. Doesn't mean it's true. I think that the sudden drop in whatever the carbon is pulling out is not the cause. It is the result of a sudden increase in intensity of light for the normal photo period, which stresses the corals, not what is removed from the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 Layton - So your right, and published authors like Bob Fenner & Julian Sprung are wrong? I know who I am beliving Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 What are they saying? Do they say that coral bleach due to rapid decreases in food? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 Nah too be honest, I hav't actually read a lot about it. Just saying that I have read a lot of stuff and its a very common theme, but in all fairness is often only a few sentances and doesn't appear to be the sucject of a great deal of tested. I also remember reading something on Advanced Aquariest Online about people using carbon to remove excessive yellowing of their water, which they belive increased the light and shocked the coral into recess/bleech. So I am sure your theory is sound. But in the examples above, Fay was already using carbon, but changed brands, the EXTRA STRENGTH carbon hosed her tank, I doubt it had anything to do with making the water so much clearer that lights got better. I just chucked another 400watter light on my tank, no side effects at all, I am sure this would add more light than cleaning the water with carbon (which I do as well, my water is often sparkling). Piez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 I just chucked another 400watter light on my tank, no side effects at all, I am sure this would add more light than cleaning the water with carbon (which I do as well, my water is often sparkling). True, but some people do have problems when upgrading lighting. I still don't see any reason for corals bleaching due to rapid drops in nutrients. Rapid increases, sure, but not decreases. It doesn't make sense to me. I still think it may be light related Maybe the carbon was contaminated? Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 No Pies I didn't change Brands I was using the same brand I have been using for months I was using 250ml and increaesed it to 600ml according to Zeovit instructions and running it in the sump in a very high flow place<> Brendon said to move it to a low flow place and I have reduced it back to 250ml Brendon also said it was probably the clearity of the water<> It was clear as!!! The LTAS were both up high<> as the BTAS were down the bottom. IN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION DO YOU USE CARBON IN A FILTER NO!!!!! We just made that point very clear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also depending on the quailty of carbon as how much to use!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Unfortunalty we learn by our mistakes the hard way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 ahh zeovit as well. hmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 :lol: dont start!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 I won't.... again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 Before After Before After Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 Woah, Nice view! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 fay - i think you're just showing off!!!!!!! nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 I guess you have to keep LTA's to know that the white one is bleached and unhealthy notice on both they have very short tentacles compared to the before photo the pink one has coloured up alot since this happened nursing them both at the moment extra feeding on white bait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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