can I use activated carbon in salt water tank?

[32Bit_Fish]

I think I messed up my water quality by adding too much shrimps into my tank. The shrimps got rotten and smelly really bad in the tank.

I want to know can I use activated carbon to clear out the water?

Now the water is very cloudy and maybe a little smelly too.

This is my new tank and I was trying to speed up the cycling by adding grocery shrimps in the tank. I guess I added too many of them.

[JFK_Jr]

Yes... you can run carbon. Also do a partial water change if it smells that bad.

[lcstorc]

Yes you can but rinse well with ro water and replace it frequently. Most here who run carbon do it one week a month so I would replace it weekly. If left too long it can become a partial bioligical filter which you do not want. Long term let your lr and skimmer be your filtration and you will have far less problems,

[32Bit_Fish]

Ok thanks.


The carbon will be a temporary solution in my case. I probably give a little more time to see whether or not the skimmer can clean up the water.

[BoomerD]

Not sure how big your tank is, but one or 2 shrimp would be plenty for up to about 90 gallons...any more, and you're adding more to the stink, than anything else...

[lcstorc]

The tank is a 20g so one should have been plenty.

[sasquatch]

Considering how fast seafood spoils, then adding in warm water and current, yup that wolud stink, I suspect the cloudyness is more a bacterial culture growing in there than anything else, so no open sores when in the water!! maybe raising the temp would kill it off.Steve

[32Bit_Fish]

Would you guys think the water will clear out by itself in a few days?

I probably just sit back n watch. Let's see what will happen.

[Dentoid]

Most likely it will. Make a partial water change, test it everyday and leave it alone. Nothing good ever happens fast in a reef aquarium. Let the natural cycle occur. May the force be with you.

[32Bit_Fish]

How often should I test the water for Alk, Cal, Phosphate and Copper?

Do I really need to test them? I think the process of tests are much complicated than the tests for Ammonia, PH and Nitrate etc.

For now I would test for Ammonia, PH, Nitrite and Nitrate during the cycle.

[Dentoid]

Personally, I think Alk and Ca are secondary tests during the cycling process and are not as important at this point. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and possibly phosphate are the ones to deal with now. When your cycle is through and you are considering adding live stock then Alk and Ca become more important. But you definately want to have these parameters in line before adding live stock. A good salt mix should provide the proper water chemistry at first.

As for copper, I don't think you test for copper unless you are unsure of your water source and it may contain copper or if you are using copper to treat sick fish and want to test its level in the water chemistry. Or if you are trying to remove copper via carbon and want to test for its presence after the carbon treatment.

[basslover11]

ya activated carbon usually causes a milky substance in the water, but if you use activated uranium or radon it will work. also you deffinetly added way too many shrimp to your tank and you should replace them with bass.

[Woodstock]

Originally Posted by 32Bit_Fish

Would you guys think the water will clear out by itself in a few days?

I probably just sit back n watch. Let's see what will happen.

It is a large bacterial bloom. Carbon will not impair the cycle and may be used. Unless the stinch is bad, I would not do a water change. Let the bacteria do their job. You will have a huge surge of nitrAtes when it is finished but water changes will get those down when it's time. Your skimmer should be going nuts now....

[32Bit_Fish]

I found a lot of yellowish color water in the skimmer cup. It's like someone pee in it.

The tank is started getting clear, better than yesterday.

[BoomerD]

Sounds like things are progressing normally then. You may want to set your skimmer to be a bit drier then, (Remora? raise the cup a little) so the liquid you get is a darker color.
I'm with woody. No water change until the cycle is complete. You CAN use activated carbon, but it's not necessary at this time. Just run your skimmer 24/7 and let nature take it's course.