About Charcoal

alvarado41

alvarado41

Go BEARS
Feb 20, 2005
28
0
0
I was doing some searching on how much Active Charcoal to use on a 50 gal. tank and it's very hard to figure out the amount to use. I started with 12oz. and now I'm at 18oz. I still have a small amount of cloudness on the side views but at a front view it's clear. Am I using to much or not enough??? Any help on this will be great.
 
It would help to know more about your system history/filtration/bio load.
I usually suggest using activated carbon on a very limited basis in marine tanks. I have seen cases where large volumes of AC appeared to trigger HLLE very suddenly on some species. This is not a scientific statement, only my personal experience... notice I used the word "appeared." This was unusual, since HLLE normally is thought to be associated with slower processes, involving water quality, dietary defficiency, etc. At any rate, AC is usually used for occasional water polishing or removing yellowing, not cloudy water. Water changes and a good skimmer would be alternatives.
 
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don't us AC too much, and make sure you give it a GOOD wash before you put it in the tank. don't use it more often than every 2 weeks. What are you trying to get out of it anyway.
 
My Specs.

I have a 50 gal. tank. 50lbs of Arogonite sand, 15lbs live rock, fluval 303 canister filter ( filter sponge first stage 18oz charcoal second stage. Third stage is empty. ) 180 gal protein skimmer. powerhead to move the water and a top water skimmer to keep my surface clean.
1 hermit crab
1 blue damsile
1 med. Yellow tang
1 Tomato Clown
1 chocolate chip starfish
1 brittle sea star
1 cleaner shrimp
1 med. Atl. green mushroom.
My water conditions:
ph 8.3
Nitrite 0ppm
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrate 20ppm
My water looks cloudy when you look at the sides of the tank, but when you look at it head on it's clear.
 
Okay a few more Q's...
1. how long has the tank been set up
2. how long has it been cloudy
3. was anything recently changed/added
4. how deep is that sand bed
 
Some more info on the tank

The Tank was setup on Feb the first Saturday of the month and it’s been cloudy ever since the initial setup. Nothing has changed my sand bed is about 2” deep. The blue damsel digs under the live rock and moves the sand around. I also have an Rock anemone but other than that.
 
Well, I'm not a filtration authority so take this with a grain of salt...
first thing I would look at is the cannister...I have never been a big fan of cannisters; they do not add oxygen (even a trickle filter will do better with oxygen/gas exchange), hard to clean and can quickly become a nutrient trap. You would be much better off with a planted refugium/sump IMO. Next, the sand; Sand beds should be less than an inch OR more than 4 inches according to some marine experts. Your 2 inch bed falls into the no man's land.
Cloudy water could be a sign of a filtration flow rate problem or stagnating substrate. You are only moving about 200 gph thru the cannister (4X per hour)... are you getting good volume of dark sludge daily in the skimmer? If not, then your system is likely not getting enough turnover/filtration and the skimmer needs adjusting or replacing. Either way, it's doubtful AC will help your problem, other than maybe adding additional active bio media over time... but that can increase nitrate output. IMO, your skimmer should solve the problem if it's working correctly.
 
I'd suspect the canister as well. Even on a new set up they sometimes suck up a large something or other that just sets in there and rots. If you have l.r and don't have a lot of fish ditch the filter media. Also I've never done more than lightly rinse my ac just enough so that it doesn't run black any longer. I run it 24/7 in my reef ,"lots of softies, anemonies and lps," 24/7 I just change out the pack 1 time a week and my critters look so much better ," thanks to dave and o.g. for convincing me to try it!,".
You want at the very least10x turn over per hour on f.o and at least 15x per hour on a reef.
hth
chris
 
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