activated carbon

[Tackett]

I think i may have posted this previously, but here it is.
I recently threw my HOT magnum canister that I had running reef crystals, into storage. Was this a mistake, should I continue buying the crap every 2 or 3 weeks?(that is mega wallet strain.) or should it sit and rot? Nothing is out of hand, water is clear, params in check, I just worry that for some reason, I may have created a time-bomb. No clues to point that direction, just that old adage "if it aint broke, dont fix it" comes to mind. Well, it wasnt broke, I was the only one that was "broke", which was why I took it down.

 

[SnowManSnow]

You shouldn't have to use the HOT can constantly... but I'd personally keep it around just to polish the water every other day or so for a 3 or 4 hrs...

Is it a nessisity? As long as you have good LR and a decent skimmer... no

B

 

[Tackett]

should i change the carbon everytime I stop it, seems like the stationary water inside the canister would get nasty.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a canister that just runs all the time with nothing in it. It's there in case I need to polish the water or have a chemical mishap. It provides a little water flow and I can pop a canister full of carbon in it quickly if need be.

 

[Juck]

I use a canister for running carbon and water-polishing on my 29g,,, I don't have a sump on this tank so I have nowhere else to put the carbon.

I buy my Activated Carbon in bulk, 25lbs at a time,, costs about $40 including shipping,,,, I use carbon on all my tanks (90FOWLR, 75, 29, & 2 Nanocube reefs) and 25lbs lasts me about a year.

 

[reefann]

Juck can I ask where you get it for that price?

 

[Anonymous]

I like running carbon in my powerheads. Fast and easy to change.

 

[hillbilly]

As some carbon can leech phosphate, I soak it in RO water for a couple of days before use. According to my tests with the Hanna colormeter, this works well. Anyway, a passive use of carbon is all you really need in the reef tank. Just bag it, and throw in the sump. IMO, if you need to run carbon 24/7 to keep tank clean, you need better skimming.

 

[Juck]

As some carbon can leech phosphate.

How does carbon leech phosphate?

 

[Anonymous]

How does carbon leech phosphate?

GAC (Granular Activated Carbon) is an organic product that is heated almost to ignition but not allowed to burn. This creates a charcoal that is incredibly porous to trap chemical compounds.

The heating process does not remove all the phosphate and as a result the phosphate can dissolve from the GAC and enter the water.

 

[Juck]

>>as a result the phosphate can dissolve from the GAC

Well,, flick my nuts,, I learned something new today.

 

[Tackett]

I knew it could leech, but I didnt know for that reason. cool.

 

[dodo99]

I've seen carbon in pellet form. Would this version do the same?

 

[Tackett]

thats the carbon that I use. I recon it can do the same thing, since they are all made the same way.

 

[Anonymous]

you could try a lessor expensive filter media. Like the water polisher for instance. Or even crushed oyster shells. They only cost $5-8 for 50 pounds. and help maintain calcium also.

 

[liquid]

Crushed oyster are also known for leaching phosphate and at the normal tank pH of 8.2 (or even >=7) oyster shell (primarily calcium carbonate) will not dissolve. You need low pH in order for calcium carbonate to dissolve and just running normal tank water through it will not dissolve it.

Shane

 

[Anonymous]

Crushed oyster are also known for leaching phosphate and at the normal tank pH of 8.2 (or even >=7) oyster shell (primarily calcium carbonate) will not dissolve. You need low pH in order for calcium carbonate to dissolve and just running normal tank water through it will not dissolve it.

Shane

shane:

I understand and have heard that many many times. But dispite all that my calcium did rise from 250-300ppm to 400ppm and stayed there after adding oyster shells. Additionally in this thread on reef central http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showt ... did=476360 im-buford reports:

My calcium was steady between 200 and 275 untill i put some crushed coral in one of my drawers, and 90 percent of my water flows over it. And now my cal stays steady at 500 all the time. Weird huh....I thought you could not get crushed coral to break down unless ph got to neutral or below, but my ph was 8.2 ---

So calcium carbonate sources do raise calcium even at higher phs then you post.

Tackett: sorry about hijacking your thread. Just wanted to post my experiences is all. I think your system will be fine with or without the magnum. But you could still use it without the expensive filter media. and provide some good to the system.

 

[HClH2OFish]

Toss some LR in it and leave it running....

Just my .02

 

[Tackett]

toss some LR in the canister? never thought of that, I think i will do that.

 

[Playdope]

I also read keeping carbon in all the time will pull desirable trace elements out of the water (assuming you are running the carbon in addition to skimming).

I've been having pretty good success running it for about 4-5 days every 2-3 weeks in a bag in the sump, and it's been fine, but I'm thinking about trying to run it in the phosban reactor just to see how that works out. Anyone tried it .. curious to know if the charcol holds together, and if it's more efficient.