Has a tank ever crashed from not using carbon? No
Has a tank ever crashed from using carbon? Yes

Not sure we can factor defective products into this. Tanks have crashed from defective salt, we're not going to call salt optional :)

Some people have beautiful tanks and don't do water changes. No way I have the guts to try this... I'll keep running carbon.

But keep the desert island analogies coming just the same.

Has a tank ever crashed from not using salt: Yes
Has a tank ever crashed from using salt: Yes

Lol! A little different.

Well, we don't know if a tank ever crashed form not using carbon. Maybe yes. Then it's exactly the same story.

I think for the purposes of this discussion, we're talking about quality products without contaminants :)

Well my two cents is I use Carbon and will continue to do so!!

LOL, yeah lets not throw a curveball into this home run of a discussion ok????

:smile:

PS.. I use carbon and GFO on all of my tanks... always have, always will.

I personally have run carbon 24/7 for 12 years, wouldn't think of not using it.

Of course you can, it's a risk involved in using it so one has to determine if the risk is worth the benefit. You can't say a tank has crashed from not using carbon, plan and simple. You can argue the use of carbon MAY prevent a crash but the lack off is certainly not a cause.

Salt is not optional and neither is water or the container everything is held in, those risks are unavoidable.

Everything can present a risk, but I think it's so small and random, that we can't discuss the use of a product, as a requirement for tanks, based on that small risk.
The discussion is about using good carbon vs not using good carbon. Now with that identified, we can carry on. :)

I personally have noticed water quality issues (as far as clarity is concerned) when not running carbon. I have had no bad experiences with running it. So on that alone, I will always run it for that reason.

I think that if it is regularily changed out, and used in a reactor, the benefits are obvious.

I think a lot of issues come about when people run the same carbon all the time in media bags which just collect detritus, and cause spikes nitrates or phosphates. Changing it out regularily, and using it in a reactor has benefits that I enjoy having in my tanks.

Is it nessessary? No. Does it have visible benefits? Yes.

Good carbon? :lol: Yes lets discuss the benefits of using a product but only if that product is good, and by good it will only do good and not cause any issues.

This is a theoretical discussion on the use of carbon. Fine, you voted, you don't like carbon. Ok, got it.
THIS particular thread is about the good carbon. I only use good carbon, therefore I run it 24/7 and it's awesome. Now we can let others give their thoughts.

But if it can be demonstrated that carbon removes compounds that otherwise cannot be removed by skimming or water changes, then it is providing a function that is helping a closed system exist in good health for longer. Claiming that it's pointless to run things on the hopes it helps promote longer term health, on the basis that "something else will ruin it for you in the meantime" is like saying go ahead and enjoy an unhealthy lifestyle because who knows maybe you'll die in a car accident. It may be a technically true statement but that doesn't make it the best advice.

I take the viewpoint that there are certain best practices. To me, for the reasons that are outlined nicely in the link I put up earlier, I do consider carbon use a best practice approach. In this case I don't consider it optional whatsoever. I know it's providing a function that serves to keep the system at optimal health.

No this is typical Brad ignorance. Trying to globally disregard a perfectly logical reason why not to use carbon based on actual fact and previous experience from many members here for the pure reason you don't agree.

Nothing to see here folks, move along....

the only thing i got from this thread is i was right and carbon in not essential to running a system, its helps sure and MAY even save your tank someday...but it could also ruin it too.

so with that right there i dont run carbon nor will i unless an emergency arrives in which case i have carbon and a reactor on standby...god forbid :)

after having a look at my tank it seems everything is happy, no horrible contaminants or old tank syndrome. my water is clear enough for me and im not trying to sue kent for garbage carbon....

at the end of the day im happy and my tank is healthy....ill let you know when it crashes then everyone can say " told you to run carbon"

I also learnt a valuable lesson, one that could change everything.

Only use good things and everything will be awesome :lol: Wish I thought of that.

has a tank ever crashed because it ran carbon: YES
has a tank ever crashed because it didn't run carbon: YES
has a tank ever crashed because it used bad salt: YES
has a tank ever crashed because it used good salt: YES
has a tank ever crashed because it was totally awesome: YES
has a tank ever crashed because a baby kola bear farted : YES

So, what I got out of this thread is that I should just pack it in now because my tank is going to crash at any moment (again). :cry:

Brad.. step away from the button..

http://idontbreak.files.wordpress.co...09/dogtags.jpg

Can you hear the silence? errie, isn't it......

On second thought ... forget it. I'm out.

Peace all.

YUUUP. No use beating things to death lol

For a reef, success is often achieved by ensuring that your water source is pure. That starts with RODI which uses carbon to remove the toxins. Running carbon in the tank then continues that process.

But I am a hypocrit. I run local Calgary tap water, but believe in using carbon. I don't think I would ever run RODI water. Then I make up for it by using carbon.

I'm currently rocking tap water WITHOUT carbon. I'm doing things you guys haven't even DREAMED of :mrgreen:

never mind

Not gonna ban the poor guy just because he doesn't get something :razz:

Not typical at all. My ignorance has no pattern. And I think you mean arrogance, right? Thanks for wrecking a perfectly good thread about a real topic just because you're your typical poohead. Big sigh, let it all out.

Oops, look at that, thread closed.