Running carbon...bad?

[Larah]

I have a bag of carbon in the sump all the time.. Is this a bad thing?

[Kigs]

You should change it every once in awhile. Whatever impurities they suck up might get released if you continue to leave the carbon in the system and make it useless.

[650-IS350]

After a while they lose their nutrient suckin capability and like kigs mentioned, they will leach it back to the tank.

[Paradiddle7]

Carbon loses most of its eficacy in just a few days. Don't replace all your carbon at once though because it can hold a significant amount of denitrifying bacteria in your tank, which is helping you with filtration. Just swap half at a time, so that your tank can adjust accordingly.

I swap half of my carbon every week when I do a water change. It's easiest to just use 2 bags, each containing half the amount you would normally use. Just pull a bag out and swap it for a new bag and you can rotate between new and old carbon.

[SSpiro]

Not a bad idea (two-bag idea)..

[Larah]

Yeah I do change it out.. But I don't swap like you were saying, that's not a half bad little idea! I like it!

[nellahtes]

where should it be placed? or just toss a bag in the sump?

[Reefman79]

Change it once a month toss it in the sump, wash it once a week.