a Simple and complicated question how do i rinse carbon

[johnpeezy]

I'm thinking of running carbon in my SW tank I have a ton of softies in there with a few LPS. there all doing fine as of right now, and I try to maintain the poisions building up by doing my water changes consistantly.

But its always a bonus if things to better right?

so I have been kicking around the thought of running carbon through my tank.

Now in my freshwater tanks, I'll just fill up a bucket of dechlorinated water and rinse out the carbon that way.

but I use RO/DI=equivilant water in my saltwater tank and would rather not have ANY tap water hit that tank at all since its only a 20 gallon.

I know it sounds like overkill in all but I really try hard to keep that tank doing well, and I honestly have no freaking clue as to what in the heck I'm actually doing.

So any way enough rambling, (except for this little part...jeeze) and on to my question.

Carbon exausts itself extremely fast, TDS and chemicals exist in your tap water. So if you were to use tapwater to rinse out your carbon aren't you absorbing chems from your tap water and kind of transferring them to your tank??

Has anyone ever thought of this or is the ammount of gobboldy gook tranported by the carbon so nill and insignificant nobody really cares?

I'm guessing RO/DI water would be the best method on rinsing your carbon thats what I'm going to do in my own personal paranoid opinion.
what do you all do?

 

[cali_reef]

I soak my carbon in a 5 gallon bucket of RO/DI overnight, stir and scoop out with a fish net, rinse again with some RO/DI again before putting it in the media reactor.

 

[johnpeezy]

well that made me feel alot less paranoid...

 

[tat2z_21]

Well (*Damn it*) I wasn't aware that the reutilization of activated carbon was even possible. I was under the impression that once the chemical interaction with the porous materials took place the active carbon was saturated with the removed organics, and chemicals. I have always purchased new activated carbon. I do know that purigen is a contaminant removal agent that can be revitalized to allow continued use, but I was not aware that carbon was capable of being refreshed.

 

[cali_reef]

Well (*Damn it*) I wasn't aware that the reutilization of activated carbon was even possible. I was under the impression that once the chemical interaction with the porous materials took place the active carbon was saturated with the removed organics, and chemicals. I have always purchased new activated carbon. I do know that purigen is a contaminant removal agent that can be revitalized to allow continued use, but I was not aware that carbon was capable of being refreshed.

He is asking about how to rinse out NEW carbon.

You can renew carbon if you have an oven that can get hot enough.

 

[mcoomer]

I rinse mine in RODI but I don't do it overnight. I fill my reactor cartridge and then slowly pour a few gallons of water into the chamber until it drains clear. I do the same for the GFO cartridge.

Mike

 

[agc]

Cali_reef- hot enough... like an incinerator?

He is asking about how to rinse out NEW carbon.

You can renew carbon if you have an oven that can get hot enough.

 

[trido]

I rinse my carbon in a filter sock wit RO/DI until the water runs clear.


mcooomer....... 81.5 F is real hot for any reef tank.......

 

[cali_reef]

Cali_reef- hot enough... like an incinerator?

Not that hot, you'll need to be between 650 and 850°C for few hours, depending on the amount of organic matters embedded.