Is carbon filtration bad? My LFS seemed poo poo it yesterday when I was ready to buy the Biocube filter pack. They said to buy the Purigen instead, said it acts like a protein skimmer. Also they said to buy the bulk blue filter pad for filtration. Thoughts...

In my NanoCube I use a bag of carbon and chunks of LR. No pads, sponges, or packs as these can build up with detritus and nitrifing bacteria and create nitrates. I have not used Purigen but have a favorable impression of it from what I have read. I have read horror stories about people incompletely rinsing it after regeneration. If you do use it you must be super careful when regenerating to COMPLETELY, TOTALLY, THOROUGHLY rinse it until no bleach remains. I don't think that it takes the place of a skimmer.

Thanks CarmieJo. I have a Biocube 14g. Should I ditch the carbon filter pack? What do you think if I put a small bag of chemi-pure next to my return pump and use some bulk basic filter blue filter pad at the input chamber.

I find carbon to be very useful, and run it 24/7 on both of my tanks. There's no reason you couldn't run carbon AND chemi-pure. The pads are great at physicaly filtering out detritus, just be sure to thoroughl wash them out every couple of days to avoid a buildup of nitrate.

I agree that Chemi-pure in no way replaces a skimmer.

ok, its been a long time sinceIvr researched it, but please give me the pros and cons. I dont use it regularly because I thought that it toook out trace elements/minerals, but if PHURST runs it/ 24/7, there must be a good reason that I am missing :unsure:

Removal of trace elements is about the only cons I can think of. If you keep up with your WCs, it won't be a problem. I only change mine once a month or so, even though it's likely exhausted after days to a week. There was some speculation several years ago that carbon might contribute to HLLE, but I believe that theory has fallen out of favor, though I do still hear it from time to time.

There are plenty of pros IMO. Cabon removes the yellowig organics in the water, so your water is clearer, and you get better light penetration. It also removes the toxic agents corals release into the water to fight each other. After I replace it, I can tell by the next day. Everything in the tank looks happier and the water is noticibly clearer and cleaner. Plus, it's just so easy to run in a media reactor :)

I too run it 24/7 in both of my tanks.

Can I use chemi-pure instead of carbon? Is it like carbon?

wow I mmay reconsider! I now have corals for the first time sps, lps, and softies. I do a water change every two weeks with nsw, sufficient to keep 'good stuff' in? Hmmm, Youve got me thinking...
I'll bet there are threads about the pros and cons-I shoulp probably look:up:

Chemi-pure is basically carbon. I use it if I find it cheap. :)

I never use carbon. I use purigen and cellpore in my emperor 400. I also have heard stories of HLLE and carbon. Until it is disproved, I will stay away from carbon.

I'm not sure there's a good way to prove/disprove the corolation. I've always used carbon, and never had any HLLE, but that doesn't really disprove anything. Everything I've ever heard for/against has all been speculation, just like the possible link between HLLE and stray current in a tank.

I figure if I haven't had any problems, I'll keep using it, but certainly to each their own :)

How do you like Purigen? How long does it typicaly last for you? I've been thinking about trying some.

They say it lasts 6 months and that it can be regenerated with bleach after it darkens. I have quite a few packages on hand and just add a new one every 2 or 3 months. I am very happy with it.
Steve