Chemical Media: What to use? How to use it?

[knobhill]

Hi,
I am expanding my sump to accommodate more filtration for my 175g. The tank houses a discus community as well as large plecs.
Currently, it is a dual tower wet/dry with a commercial bio-wheel and uv sterilizer. For chemical filtration, I have a cocktail of sorts sitting in the sump. I placed one bag of chemi-pure, bio-zorb, and PURA complete before the pump.
I am adding a fluidized bed filter and a Kent Phos reactor.The reactor will serve as the chemical media portion of the system. After reading about the various chemical media, I was thinking about changing from what I currently have.

Was thinking about using one of the following:
Purigen
Renew
High-grade carbon

Or should I continue using the bags and just put them in the reactor? Will that work or will I have to take the media out of the bag in order for it to be suspended?

Thanks

[knobhill]

no one has an opinion on what media to use????

[C_of_Discus]

Most will say no carbon due to leaching issues.

They will recommend nothing but sponge filters for biological issues

Most people around do such large water changes that they use little filtration

[knobhill]

Large daily water changes on a 175g is not practical from an R.O standpoint (it would be on 24/7). I change the water every week, about 30%. Okay, I will fish somewheres else. Thanks tho

[Graham]

Most will say no carbon due to leaching issues.

C of D just to clearify something...Activated carbon does not and can not leach anything back into the water. Once an element reacts with AC, it's chemically bound to it and cannot not be released.

There are some concerns that AC binds up to many trace element and that may affect discus in really soft water

G

[salth20]

I agree. Seachem has a fine carbon. They also make Purigen. A combination of those two products almost makes the fish look like they are suspended in air. As far as trace elements, yes, carbon can remove those. Just re-add them once a week with your water change. I'm still trying to get a line on why there is so much resistance to carbon in discus tanks. IMO, carbon provides more benefit than harm, but it has to be the right carbon. You can run your own leaching test. Test your RO water to get a baseline, (PH and phosphate) then drop a couple tablespoons of carbon in it. Wait a day or two, and check for changes in those values.