Activated Carbon

icepick5587

New member
I've heard a number of different ways that poeple use this, some say to change some of it weekly, some say to completely change it monthly, and others say only use it for 1 week at a time. What's your experience with this?
 
i use it any time the tank has a funny smell or the water isnt as clear as id like it to be. I normaly let it sit in there for a few days and then take it out.
 
Actually you can reuse carbon, but first you must bake it in a 400 degree oven. This bakes off all the crud from using it and reactivates it. When you do this, it is covered in a fine gray powder which is then rinsed off. I used to do this and reuse my carbon two times and never had a problem doing this.

However, after finding a source for Carbon at $2.00 a pound shipped, I no longer do this. At two bucks a pound it is not worth the effort to reuse the carbon.

Dave
 
Yes it does Goda. You can hear it "sizzle" again when it is wet...but it is no fun to do... I didnt do it very many times. Especially as I said, once I found a source for carbon at 2 bucks a pound.

Dave
 
I believe you have to cook carbon under pressure to reactivate it. You can check with Randy in the Reef Chemistry on this one. He knows the process, and it's really not anything very practical for most people. Most people I've heard from change it monthly (I do partial changes weekly), but it really depends on how much you're using, the volume of water and how much it's pulling from the water. I use carbon pretty much continuously, but I really don't know if that's the norm.
 
I took some carbon that had been running in my filter, a magnum 350 canister, for one week. Baked it 450 degrees. Rinsed in distilled water by soaking for a day. When I put it back in the Magnum 350 and used it for another week, the performance of the carbon was the same as it was the first usage. At the time I was doing this, my tank was very young and it was very obvious when the carbon was no longer effective.

You are correct when you say it won't be as good as new, but it will be good enough for a second usage to accomplish removing organics from the water.

Dave
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8156237#post8156237 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by flfirefighter13
THANKS!!! may have to get a local group order going on that one!

I am thinking of doing the same thing..

Has anyone used this stuff before?
 
I use it only every two months. I let it sit in there for a few days too and then I take it out. I use activated carbon for reducing some toxins of the corals and other bad ingredients.

To make the water clear I often use Easy Life, it's softer for the corals than activated carbon, which often reduces trace elements rapidly.

Especially Xenidae have sometimes problems with the usage of activated carbon.

But if you do regular water changes (20-30 % at month), it wouldn't be a problem.

Greetings

Sudad
 
I think Ill stick with buying loose activated carbon from my LFS for 3.25 /lb. I dont think the time or effort is worth it...plus it probably stinks in the oven-end up with your next roast tasting like soot.
 
Reactivation occurs at temperatures between 1400-1700°F . Good luck setting your oven to that temp.

Mike
 
I've got a kiln that can get about that hot, how would you go about reactivating carbon? Just spread it all out on a tray and let it sit in there for about a half hour?
 
Back
Top