# Carbon



## kamal (Apr 21, 2009)

For those of you who run this media on your reef where do you purchase it? and what brands are favoured and which should be avoided like the plague. I want something that balances quality and price. I have heard the BRS rox 0.8 are fab.....I will run this without a reactor in my sump until I scratch the pennies to get one.

Thank you 

Kamal


----------



## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

kamal said:


> For those of you who run this media on your reef where do you purchase it? and what brands are favoured and which should be avoided like the plague. I want something that balances quality and price. I have heard the BRS rox 0.8 are fab.....I will run this without a reactor in my sump until I scratch the pennies to get one.
> 
> Thank you
> 
> Kamal


BRS regular carbon is OK, but " until I scratch the pennies to get one.", you will just waste money by running carbon in the sump if you do not have enough flow goes trough carbon

here is the Canadian BRS

http://www.reefwater.net/shop/

*100% free webcam site! | Awesome chicks and it is absolutely free! | Watch free live sex cam - easy as 1-2-3*


----------



## jd81 (Dec 16, 2011)

There is a BRS group buy going on:
http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41329


----------



## kamal (Apr 21, 2009)

jd81 said:


> There is a BRS group buy going on:
> http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41329


Thanks already on it  now following Sigs reco I need a reactor.....anyone selling a used one?


----------



## TypeZERO (Jul 20, 2007)

I use blackdiamond from marineland or brs carbon. I dont like rox stuff personally, find it too harsh. Kent had a recall a year ago or so. There was a little experiement done and i think the reaults concluded that blackdiamond was one of beat bang for buck carbons out there, in terms of how much dye it could absorb for cost.


----------



## wildexpressions (May 3, 2010)

Here is a link to two excellent bits written by chemists that specialize in aquariums. There cover lots of the errors in the general understanding of carbon and how it works. http://quintereef.ca/article/carbons-opinions-by-chemists/

and her is a preloaded search http://www.advancedaquarist.com/search?SearchableText=carbon+hlle

that has a couple of excellent articles on the connection of carbon to hlle in fish.

The bottom line is that only two companies (I'm aware of), Seachem and Rowa, make pellitized carbon in very small pellet sizes.


----------



## ReefABCs (Nov 10, 2012)

So do I understand this correct using GAC is good but rinse well to reduce the chance of hlle. ? 

I have never used Carbon but was considering it.


----------



## wildexpressions (May 3, 2010)

ReefABCs said:


> So do I understand this correct using GAC is good but rinse well to reduce the chance of hlle. ?
> 
> I have never used Carbon but was considering it.


well it is generally good idea to rinse anything granular prior to putting it in your aquarium.

You will never get a straight answer as to whether to use carbon or not. I use it to solve problems but on a good running well established aquarium I rarely ever have use for it unless I've been doing something that peeved off some corals and they slimed the tank. During the first year a tank is running I use it quite bit and on a big system I will install a carbon reactor for that first year or so.

It is largely a matter of opinion and personal preference. The HLLE issue generally only effects decent sized fish.

The studies seem to indicate that rinsed granulated carbon largely eliminates the issue. Seachems head chemist indicates that small rounded pellets function better for a couple of reasons and everyone seems to agree that the raw non granulated carbon is not as good from several perspectives.

Another thing to consider is that some carbons increase ph. Not only is that mentioned in one of the articles but on Thur I coincidentally had a client call me asking if I knew why the ph of the water in his tank was 8 but the ph of the water coking out of his carbon reactor was 8.4. As a result I will no longer be selling a certain very popular big name brand of carbon and will go back to only carrying Seachem and Rowa brands.


----------



## ReefABCs (Nov 10, 2012)

Thanks Wildexpessions

That is some great info.

My Tank is new so I may add some. I will send you a PM.


----------

