Activated Carbon

[PoriferaBob]

Is there a rule of thumb as to the amount to be used in a system??

 

[druce]

I think the instructions on the back would be a good rule since each product is slightly different.

Other than that, I run a cup of carbon for 100 gallons 3 days a month in my phosban reactor.

 

[outy]

why only 3 days?

 

[druce]

I've read many tank write ups on successful tanks and most of them run carbon only 3 days a month.

Carbon looses it's effectiveness rather quickly, and some people believe that 3 days a month is the most effective

I used to run it all the time, and change it monthly, but I found it seems to do more in 3 days (could be a perception thing really). So, emulating the more successful tanks and went with the once a month for 3 days routine.

I'm not sure really how long or how much carbon you can run for so long before it runs out of "scrubbing power." Would be interesting to hear other opinions on this though.

 

[0p3n Brain]

Druce, is that an extra phosban reactor or are you just replacing the phosban with activated carbon for those few days?

 

[druce]

just replacing the phosban for a few days

I'm up in the air about phosphate media, I can't seem to find any that work as well as I think it should.

I run 27 days with phosban, then carbon for 3 then new phosban media for another 27 days

 

[outy]

allot of the TOTM run 24/7 so i run that way

i just thought after 3 days there would still be some media left in the carbon for cleaning

ive heard a week out the month too but im not switching just yet.


always looking for more education thanks for the reply druce

 

[druce]

yea, no problem - hard to come up with a good run time on carbon. I was hoping some others would chime in with some advice.

I do agree after 3 days, it would seem the carbon would have a lot of cleaning power left

 

[Electrobes]

I guess it also depends on the nastiness of your tank.. I mean just how much funk is in one's tank.. if it's full of it then carbon's efficiency will drop faster, but if one's tank is less funky then carbon's efficiency will drop slower.

A good question to any reefer would be what other filtration do you have in your tank? Water change routines? etc.. plus what are you using carbon for?

I use it to polish the water to get more light through the tank on top of removing the toxins my softies produce in my smaller tank.

Another thing I've noticed is when carbon is new it's more willing to "bounce" in my phosban reactor then it does about a week later. After about two weeks of running... none of the carbon particles are boucing.. even with me tapping the reactor. I am guess it's mostly done on scrubbing power.

Oh yeah just my opinion only Would hate to start a riot making others think I know what I am talking about!

 

[druce]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8072627#post8072627 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Electrobes
Oh yeah just my opinion only Would hate to start a riot making others think I know what I am talking about!

I like the bounce idea, I may have to try that.

Also I forgot many people run AC to help remove the "chemical warafare" that all the corals unleash.

I may have to rething my current schedule now.

 

[djtodd]

I just fill a largish bag with carbon and wedge it between a couple of rocks next to the intake of my return pump in the sump. I don't even pretend to know how much I should be using. I'm probably going a little overboard. But it's cheap, so I don't let it bother me.

I change out the bag about once a month, or when I remember.

 

[druce]

btw, while going thru some chemicals I found my carbon bottle.

the Kent marine directions are 1 cup for 100 gallons, for 3 days a month in max flow