Carbon filter media

[bobfnp]

Is carbon recommended in a reef set up? I worry about PO4 leaching...but I like the idea of polishing the water and removing some organics.... what about poly filters are these still as good as they used to be? I have been out of the hobbyu for a few years...back in now with a new 55 g reef, 85# of various live rock, sump, refugium w/ chaeto, lots of water movement and 330 watts of PC lighting, No coral yet its been up about 2 months..... going slow oh yes and RO water with Sea chem supplememnts, and IO salt. any comments are appreciated. Bob

 

[DonW]

Sure, just use good carbon.

Don

 

[matts125]

some say it strips the water of all good and bad but I use it and have a nice lookin reef!!! I use about 1lb in my 120 gallon (180 gallon total volume)

Matt

 

[Sherman]

Most carbons out there claim they don't leave PO4 any more, and it's probably true. As with any additive, it pays to get the good stuff. Especially with carbon, because it's so cheap. I run carbon 24/7 and have done so forever. Definitely a good thing.

 

[returnofsid]

Just make sure you replace your carbon when it becomes "full." I think it will reach a point when it's no longer able to absorb and then you may run into a problem with it releasing things back into the water.

 

[Fishead77]

How do you know when "it's full"?

 

[bobfnp]

Any good brands to recommend and what about polyfilters, any experience?

 

[Llarian]

Black Diamond gets a lot of good reviews and is easy to get. That's the one I use.

Polyfilters are nitrate sinks, I'd avoid them.

-Dylan

 

[Slickdonkey]

How do you know when "it's full"?

There is a Salifert carbon test kit, but IMO it doesn't work all that well.

I can tell when my carbon is pretty well used up because the flow decreases quite a bit from when I put a new batch in, as it gets totally clogged up with junk.

 

[Llarian]

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=72680&postcount=7

Advice on carbon from Boomer. =)

-Dylan

 

[Curtswearing]

Carbon should be rinsed well in tap water to remove all dust and small particles. This step alone will remove a lot of the PO4. Then it is best soaked in a jar of RO/DI water for 24 hours to remove any remaining PO4 and to pre-wet (deaerate) it.

Here's some info from one of the larger Carbon Manufacturers. http://www.calgoncarbon.com/resources/faqs.cfm#six

In liquid applications, why is it important to deaerate (fully wet) the carbon?
A container of carbon is roughly 20% carbon, 40% interstitial space (the volume between the carbon granules), and 40% pore volume (the volume inside the carbon granules). If air remains in the pore volume, the fluid being treated cannot migrate to the adsorption sites. The air becomes a barrier to the carbon functioning properly.

How long does it take to fully wet the carbon?
Typically, Calgon Carbon recommends filling the system with the fluid you will be treating and allowing the system to sit idle for 24 hours. This time will allow the fluid to displace all of the air in the pores of the carbon. After the system has been idle for 24 hours, the next step is to use an upflow backwash to displace any air that has been trapped in the carbon bed. This backwash will also remove most of the carbon fines in the system.

 

[Boomer]

Yes Curt that is a good idea if one wants to do that

 

[bobfnp]

Thanks for the info- I learned something ....The following is a list of activated carbon applications:From the Calgon web site...admittedly they use many pounds of the stuff industrially where hobbyists do not.


Air stripper off-gas
Amine purification
Aquarium water treatment
Amine purification
Carbon dioxide purification
Catalyst protection
Catalyst support
Chloramines from drinking water
Citric acid purification
Corn syrup decolorization
Decaffeination of coffee
Dechlorination of drinking water
Gasoline vapor recovery
Glycerin purification
Glycol purification
Gold recovery
Groundwater remediation
High-purity hydrogen
Hydrogen sulfide from drinking water
Incinerator flue gas
Indoor air filtration for HVAC systems
Iron from drinking water
Mercury removal from liquid hydrocarbons
Organics from drinking water
Personnel protection respirators
Process water treatment
Product purification
Soil/sludge stabilization
Soil vapor extraction treatment
Tank venting
Taste and odor control for municipal water
Ultrapure water treatment
VOC's from drinking water
Wastewater treatment

 

[Sherman]

The generic guideline for carbon is replace monthly, rinse weekly. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Dr. Dee]

Carbon

OK i use carbon in my reef alot but only once a month, and thats for just a week because it removes trace elements.If you leave it to long it will release some bad gases back to your tank.

 

[DonW]

OK i use carbon in my reef alot but only once a month, and thats for just a week because it removes trace elements.If you leave it to long it will release some bad gases back to your tank.

Gases?? Carbon will become biological if left in to long. You can pretty much count on the fact that carbon is reef safe 24/7 and will not strip a properly maintained tank.

Don

 

[bobfnp]

What brands to people use?

 

[Boomer]

week because it removes trace elements.If you leave it to long it will release some bad gases back to your tank.

All that is a myth, where did you get that from

 

[Detri]

I run Fauna Marin Carbon. I have yet to have any ill effects. Polyp Lab (Reef Roids) took a sample of it to test it. They have yet to tell us the results of the purity. I use to use it. But I run Fauna Marin Zeolith instead now.

 

[Boomer]

Bob

Hydrocarbon by TLF, Warner Marine carbon, Black diamond by Marineland, Matrix by SeaChem and Black Magic Super Activated by API.