Carbon filtration is SW tank?

Monkey Man Zero · 03-10-2008, 04:07 PM

I am getting ready to fill my 125 gallon SW tank. I have 2 Emperor 400 bio wheel HOB filters in addition to my sand, rock, sump and skimmer.

I have read that carbon filters sometimes take out good things you want in SW so my question:

Should I run just the biowheels and leave the carbon inserts out?

Nereaga · 03-10-2008, 05:52 PM

Hey MMZ,

If it were me, I would lose the bio-wheel and run the carbon maybe once a week just to polish the water. You are right in that if you run carbon too much it MAY extract good things from the water aswell as bad. But then on the other hand, I have read that people run carbon in there tanks 24/7 and have had no issues with livestock or corals.

IMO, you won't need the bio-wheel. You will have plenty of places for the bacteria colonies to grow.

Just my 2 cents.....

Brad

CBRrider · 03-10-2008, 09:10 PM

If you do run carbon, i'd recommend using this:
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...ct~KM3273.html

Tommy Gun · 03-10-2008, 09:38 PM

I am with CBR....I love essential elements and use it even though I do not use carbon on my tanks (not even my FW ones) on a regular basis. I think some people may need it more than others, but IMHO and IME, if you are using RO water to make saltwater, there really shouldn't be all that much you really need to be removing, so my thinking is that it may only be taking out good stuff. If you aren't using RO water, that might be a different story.

Oh, and I think that carbon use is actually suggested when keeping certain types of corals because it can remove some of the toxins they produce. I have also heard one author suggest that carbon can help reduce the risks of keeping things like cowfish or sea apples, but I don't think that is really plausible for a couple reasons. I guess you can cross that bridge when you get there...if you do.

So yea, I just wanted to add a wishy-washy answer to Nereaga's.

Talking about carbon is a lot like talking to my kids....people are always changing their minds!

Monkey Man Zero · 03-10-2008, 10:21 PM

Cool, thanks for the ideas guys.

I just finished installing my RO system and am watching the water trickle into jugs right now. I truly see where the phrase "nothing good comes quickly" comes into SW.

I think I may run with the bio wheels and carbon for the 1st week or 2 and see what happens. There will only be rock, and sand, so I expect not much.

After I am established and research what corals I want to keep, I can make a call on the carbon.

Thanks again to everyone!