Does anyone notice paler colors after replacing carbon?

[sugartooth]

Hello,

There are several pieces that I would like to have more robust color. It seems they are on the pale side and I'm not sure if I am focused on the right issue?

I have switched to the Rox carbon from bulkreefsupply. It seems when I put new carbon, (TLF reactor) my colors fade and become pale. After about 3 weeks it starts to darken up again.

I do have some hair algae that grows on the teeth of the overflows. I have this weird cotton candy dark red type of algae that grows on some rocks. It just peels off in one piece, so I peel it about 1X a week or so.

So, in this case, is it phosphates that would do this and not the carbon? I have never tested for phosphates. I replace my phosban media every 3 months.

I also do feed 2X a day some frozen foods w/ enrichments.

I understand there are many factors that can go towards color. I'm just not sure in what order I run a checklist?

Here are some pictures as examples:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nullcable/2289344982/" title="blue tip tenius by nullcable, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2040/2289344982_47f5ee7d54_o.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="blue tip tenius" /></a>


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nullcable/2221387982/" title="butanai #1 by nullcable, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2250/2221387982_8ca6be4821.jpg" width="500" height="391" alt="butanai #1" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nullcable/2396774489/" title="jacq side shot by nullcable, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3224/2396774489_b82e773588.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="jacq side shot" /></a>


There are others, but don't come out right. They come out very blue and I don't want to tweak the colors too much since they won't be accurate. I hope you can get an idea of what I'm talking about with just these pics.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[JMBoehling]

Man.. i am glad you posted this... I have noticed big problem with GAC and my SPS. I originally thought it was ROWA, then Phosphates.. What i notice is realy upset SPS when I added GAC to my reef. I stopped using GAC and replaced it with Purigen and everything has done great. Well, a year later I decided to add some GAC after a Reef Club purchase from 2-part Solutions using the ROX.8.. Well, I noticed problems of STN on all my Tricolors.. I also noticed my polyp extension was bad on my Chips, Millies and other SPS.. Also noticed my colors faded away...

I removed the carbon immediately, and within 24 hours my SPS looked healthy again, the STN on the base of all my tricolors stopped and colors are coming back. I was just getting ready to start a thread in the Chemistry forum about this... No more GAC for me, just Purigen.

Thanks,

Jim

[sugartooth]

Oh my gosh. I'm sorry to hear that. My situation is not as extreme, but it's concerning. I just couldn't tell what was the main contributing factor here. I wasn't sure if Phosphates mainly affect growth or both?

I wonder if it's (ROX) just too potent and I should only fill the reactor halfway? This is a 170 gallon tank.

I have a bottle of Purigen and have been too chicken to use it yet. Maybe I will give it try.

Jim, did you try adding any trace elements or using any additives to see if it helps? I got some of that Eco System Reef Solution and was going to try some to see if it made a difference.

[Maximus]

Hmm, I've been noticing the same thing and didn't even attribute it to the carbon. I change out carbon quite frequently and never thought about it. Now that I think about it, I don't think it's the carbon but it's the effects of carbon. As we know, carbon clears up the water. Because of this, there is more light penetration, thus bleaching may occur.

[sugartooth]

Maximus: Yes! I was wondering about that too, but if that was the reason in my case.....I would think cleaning my reflector glass would have that same effect, correct?

I regularly get salt on my glass shield and after the cleaning, I don't notice the same thing. Perhaps it's the combination of cleaning and carbon? I personally don't see my water becoming that much more clear after changing fresh carbon, but then again I don't have high quality glass in this tank.

Thanks for the input. I think I will try Purigen next time and see how it goes.

[JMBoehling]

My problem is not necessarily a "Bleaching Event" as much as it is a really upset coral.. I have been trying to diagnose my issues for over three years... The only thing that seemed to help was stop using GFO's and GAC's... When I removed these, all my SPS seemed very happy.

When I reintroduced GAC at the mfg recommended dose about 3 weeks ago, (After not using it for over 1 year) my Tricolors and a Monti Spumosa started STN'ing. Everything started from the base (similiar to a Phospahte STN), within 24 hours off removing the carbon, everything looked healthier...

Jim

[Jeff]

Other people claim its the carbon dust that enters the tank during a changing of the carbon that irritates the corals.

[colubrid]

I have also experienced fading colors and less polyp extension on my sps with the addition of GAC. I run my carbon in a reactor and change it out about once a month. Within a day after changing the carbon I begin to notice the sps have paled somewhat and then color back up by the end of the month. I dont use carbon for water clarity(my water is crystal clear normally) but to remove possible allopathic toxins from some of the lps in my reef. I suspect that the sps is reacting to the removal of certain organic molecules by the carbon and not the enhanced water clarity.

[91yota]

ive been running the rox8 for about 6 months now changing a whole TLF reactor full every 3-4 weeks... never noticed any ill effects from it...

[Toddrtrex]

I use Seachem's matrix carbon and have never noticed any changes in my SPS after I change mine. I do run my passively in a bag, on a shelf in my sump. Think I change it about once a month, or when I remember too.

I do rinse my fairly well before putting it in the bag.

I will have to keep an eye on the ones I just got for you, sugartooth, to see if I notice anything with them.

[miwoodar]

I'm using ROX passivly on a 24/7 basis. I've never seen any changes to my corals upon changeout.

[sugartooth]

Thanks for your input everyone. I guess I will focus on the carbon and make changes, then monitor more closely.

Todd: Yes, please do let me know how they look over the next few days. If you run into any problems, let me know and I will do my best to make it right.

I changed new carbon on Friday, and noticed yesterday to today a difference in some of the colonies. The 'Shades' has remained unaffected as well as my monti's. It seems the torts are the ones I noticed thus far.

[Nanook]

I've never witnessed pale colors with carbon additions.

[cybrsufr]

I run GAC actively in a reactor and have never noticed anything abnormal at all. I have used Black Diamond (Clumps way too easy), and Seachem Matrix Carbon (Love this stuff) and change it out about every 3-4 weeks. After reading this thread and a couple other I will pay real close attention to the corals after the next change to see if I can see a noticeable difference in coral health or polyp extension.

[GSMguy]

Kathy with the gradual lightening you are experiencing do you think adding some clean nitrate source, IE AA and a coral food would help?

[sugartooth]

cybr: I haven't noticed it with Black Diamond brand or ESV. It seems like it started happening when I started the ROX. But it could also just be coincidence.

Perhaps I'm reaching? Anything else I should be looking at as well?

GSM: I hear what you mean, I wouldn't know if it would help or not. I'm too chicken to try Prodibio or anything like that. I do feed the tank/coral daily. It's amazing, I actually see these polyps grab small chunks of food (Rod's and Red's) and close up.
Especially that first coral pictured. So, instead, I got Eco Systems Reef solution to see if that would help things out. We shall see.


Also, for the last 2 months, I have tried to train my tank to get used to less frequent water changes. Prior to that, I was changing every week, then every other week, now I'm trying to change every 3 weeks. (I want to decrease the amount of salt I use)

So maybe it has to do with that? I just switched over to ROX a couple months ago as well, so it could just be coincidence.

[Canarygirl]

FWIW, I've been told that if you run your GAC in a reactor, you should use only half the quantity you would ordinarily use if in a filter bag in the sump (passive use).

[cybrsufr]

This is a good topic though for me as I am considering ordering ROX and now after reading a couple posts like this I will be careful and go very easy at first.

[mpoletti]

I've used GAC in a reactor for over a year. I change it out every 4-6 weeks depending on how busy I am. I think that without testing for PO4, it is hard to say. PO4 is the 3rd test I do in importance behind KH and MG.