DSB and fluidized?

So... to summarize... DSB rocks the socks and FSB is coolish as a supplementary. BUT would running the DSB and the FSB with the carbon or phosphate remover be beneficial or deteriorate the desired effects? ie. more nitrate than is good or would the DSB cope with the little extra that the FSB gives off?
 
It is running already with the filter media and the carbon.. Should I stop it and just do say... Seagel from Seachem or leave as is? Was planning on running Purigen as the media when have the cash!
 
Hi CaCO3 - yes any/either of those will work.... This is in preparation in any case, and prevention. So your tank should not have a LOT of phosphates in any case, to start off with....
 
Hi CACO3
My suggested system would include at least the phosphate remover in the fluidised bed, I doubt much if any nitrogen waste products would be produced but if they are the DSB will cope with them. Carbon can be added at a later date if you wish, I only use a small amount and must admit that I just leave it in for months. If I see water clarity is not quite what I expect i add a little more. On monday for instance I thought my water clarity was a bit down (slightly yellow), I decided to catch out a Coral Beauty (to stop it eating baby Banggais) and had to remove some rocks and corals to catch it, then opened up my fluidised filter, rinsed the sponges and carbon, added some more phosphate remover, removed the bag of purigen (to be bleached before using again) and reassembled. Water clarity improved within a day.
 
Hi Steve,dont you feel that carbon eventually leaches toxins back into the water column after a certain amount of time?
 
Yes I agree with mekaeel on the carbon,ive seen a small nano being destroyed by leaving carbon in for too long,with I have to admit its a small tank and it was a lot of carbon
 
I know it is rumoured to be theoretically possible for activated carbon to release nutrients into your system, I have never seen or heard of a case myself. In fact it is probably very unlikely unless the activated carbon is very vigourously agitated or crushed. It adsorbs, absorbs and assists in catalytic reactions but also eventually the pores will become clogged with a biological film and bacteria and will eventually act as a medium for bacteria to grow on, as in an aerobic or in some instances anaerobic filter. This is putting it simply and others may wish to describe it more technically or point out other views but I am sure you could get more use out of small amounts of carbon used for water clarity only for more than a month or two. I think it is important to use it in a complementary capacity rather than essential capacity.
 
Yes that is often the case but I have also found that giving the carbon a rinse will remove trapped detritus and although it is certainly not as good as replacingt the carbon still is beneficial in restoring the water clarity/sparkle. I would rather do that with a good quality carbon that replace it with an inferior one. This might enable one to get phosphate remover as well if money/budget is an issue.
I even sometimes get an improvement if I reverse the flow of the FB and put the discharge to waste but this is not as good as rinsing the carbon and sponges.
I must admit that I run my systems at home as simply as possible, no protein skimmers, filtration as simple and natural as possible, low fish stocking levels in my SPS tank but quite heavy in my son's reef tank. Topping up for evaporation normally involves the use of a bucket or hose pipe.
 
I've never worried too much about the brand and don't specifically use any one over another. Whatever is availablle at the time but generally you pay for what you get. With my work at Bayworld I occasionally get hold of good quality carbon that is not usually available in small quantities. Cheap, poor grade carbon with no name or specs would definitely not be on my shopping list.
 
Mekaeel - I have learnt that activated carbon made from coconut shell are the best to use. The "common" GAC is made from bone charcoal. I believe it is the bone charcoal that leaches phosphates as well...
 
I can't remember the name off hand but the carbon I am using at present is the same as SA Breweries use to purify there water supply for making beer.
 
jacquesb said:
Mekaeel - I have learnt that activated carbon made from coconut shell are the best to use. The "common" GAC is made from bone charcoal. I believe it is the bone charcoal that leaches phosphates as well...
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yip thats the one i use coconut carbon
 
Steve Warren said:
I can't remember the name off hand but the carbon I am using at present is the same as SA Breweries use to purify there water supply for making beer.
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are you pleased with the results?
and how the heck did you manage to get your hands on that carbon lol
 
We use it at Bayworld for dechlorinating seawater, I was able to get some from the supplier, it is normally sold in large quantities, another good make is Norrit. Interestingly, chlorine is not adsorbed or absorbed by carbon but through a catalytic reaction converts the chlorine to less toxic byproducts (putting it simply) and therefore by backwashing the carbon to remove clogging of the pores the carbon is able to be used for several years before being broken down far enough to need replacement if the water is prefiltered before coming into contact with the carbon.
This is partly what convinced me to try cleaning the carbon I use at home.
 
Steve Warren said:
Basically what I meant, I think the Phosphate remover is important from the beginning, initially you could possibly do without the carbon but eventually I would use it also. I would rather use the carbon than a skimmer, which also removes trace elements if it is working properly.
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Cool...
 
CaCO3 - sorry - I just re-read your last questions.

Here are my take on them:
1) The DSB is an AWESOME form of filtration. If it works well, then YES - it would definitely be able to off-set the nitrates released by the FSB...
2) Any phosphate remover is good - SeaChem PhosGuard especially has a good name....
 
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