Looking to start running carbon

[steveoutlaw]

For those of you who are running carbon, what do you find to be the best way? Putting a bag in the sump? A fluidized reactor? I have a 220g tank.

 

Any help is appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[PotomacBoater]

I run a bag in the return area of my sump,

it made an immediate improvement

 

I am still trying to figure out how often to change it

I think 4 weeks is about the usefullness limit.

 

I will eventually go reactor (possibly with GFO)

but this works for me for now.

 

I haven't noticed any HLE, but I do worry about it, and wash my carbon thuroughly in RODI before putting it in the sump

[John]

I run it in a bag and change it every month.

[sachabballi reef]

Reactor and change once a month

 

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[Coral Hind]

I use an old Grey Sea UR618 reactor powered by a MaxiJet. When adding carbon for the first time do it gradually so as not to shock the tank. If the water clears up too fast you can burn corals from the extra light penetration. I have the output of the reactor going into some filter media to catch any fines as there is some evidence that fines can cause HLLE.

[jamal]

well if the question is what is best a fluidized reactor is the answer. while a bag will yield some benefit the reactor increases contact time which is essential. if you can get a reactor. youll never look back

[scott711]

I use an old Grey Sea UR618 reactor powered by a MaxiJet. When adding carbon for the first time do it gradually so as not to shock the tank. If the water clears up too fast you can burn corals from the extra light penetration. I have the output of the reactor going into some filter media to catch any fines as there is some evidence that fines can cause HLLE.

 

+1 I do the same thing with both my carbon and GFO. Pre rinse too

[Integral9]

I feel carbon is a use as necessary option. It is generally good to use, but if you let your reactor get clogged up you just create a problem.

 

fyi: You generally don't want the carbon tumbling in the reactor. It is supposed to be packed like you would pack DI resin. The tumbling causes bits to break off eventually they get into the water column and that is what is believed to be the cause of HLLE. I think the jury is still out on what exactly the issue is, but I think there is evidence that shows a correlation between tanks with reactors that have carbon floating around and fish w/ HLLE. In the same experiment, the fish in tanks w/out the carbon moving around the reactor and fish in control tanks w/out any carbon, did not develop this problem.

[Gadgets]

I feel carbon is a use as necessary option. It is generally good to use, but if you let your reactor get clogged up you just create a problem.

 

fyi: You generally don't want the carbon tumbling in the reactor. It is supposed to be packed like you would pack DI resin. The tumbling causes bits to break off eventually they get into the water column and that is what is believed to be the cause of HLLE. I think the jury is still out on what exactly the issue is, but I think there is evidence that shows a correlation between tanks with reactors that have carbon floating around and fish w/ HLLE. In the same experiment, the fish in tanks w/out the carbon moving around the reactor and fish in control tanks w/out any carbon, did not develop this problem.

 

Depends on the type of carbon.

[steveoutlaw]

Depends on the type of carbon.

 

Can you elaborate on this?

 

Also, is there a difference between larger pieces and the finely ground carbon media?

[Gadgets]

BRS ROX .8 carbon in fluidized reactor. No better than this. IMO

Edited April 9, 2013 by Gadgets

[Gadgets]

Can you elaborate on this?

 

Also, is there a difference between larger pieces and the finely ground carbon media?

 

I use the rox stuff and tumble it with GFO. Doesn't break off like others i have used before. Just my experience though.

[yauger]

BRS ROX .8 carbon in fluidized reactor. No better than this. IMO

 

2nd... lab grade carbon is by far the best. will not use anything else. If you're not using it, then go buy some and see the difference in ease of use and performance.

[steveoutlaw]

Any insight on fluidized reactors?

[sachabballi reef]

+3

I tumble it and have extra filter in the chamber just for security

 

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[Integral9]

Well, since I don't (didn't) tumble the carbon (I don't use carbon anymore and am switching to biopellets), I found the smaller sized particles from the 0.8 micron ROX to be more problematic as it clogged up my reactor faster. It literally only took a couple of days before the flow through it was reduced to a trickle.

 

Yes there is a difference between the various carbons. Some carbons have large holes, some have small holes. The large holes trap the larger bad stuff, but miss the small stuff. The carbon with smaller holes, traps the smaller stuff, but misses the larger stuff. ROX carbon has a good mix of both types of holes. So it's very good carbon and traps both kinds of contaminants. It's also much lower in dust compared to the other carbons. I just don't like it because it because my reactor clogs up quickly.

 

BRS has a good video and explanation of the different types of carbons on their website.

 

I use the rox stuff and tumble it with GFO. Doesn't break off like others i have used before. Just my experience though.

How long have you been tumbling it?

[sachabballi reef]

I just use the BRS reactors for carbon and one for gfo....tlf for me always crap out somehow. BRS ones are built very well

 

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[Coral Hind]

I would not tumble carbon or GFO as they will break down and fines could cause issues in your system. My BTA's and clams really got stressed from the fines. I would not mix them either as GFO does not need to be changed out as often as GAC.

[basser9]

A simple thing to do is have all water exiting your reactor

run thru a 1 micron bag.

You dont need to rinse ....you can tumble any type of carbon or gfo

its easy and a perfect solution to the fine issue.

I run a 100/10/1 micron bag setup.

last about 3 months before i change them.

Biofuel sites have them as low as 1/2 micron if needed.

[Oprah Wrangler]

I run a bag in the return area of my sump,

it made an immediate improvement

 

I am still trying to figure out how often to change it

I think 4 weeks is about the usefullness limit.

 

I will eventually go reactor (possibly with GFO)

but this works for me for now.

 

I haven't noticed any HLE, but I do worry about it, and wash my carbon thuroughly in RODI before putting it in the sump

 

What is HLE?

[Oprah Wrangler]

Never mind, goggled it. Can you just gout the carbon and/GFO in you filter sock?

[Coral Hind]

The filter socks will clog after a few days and the media will overflow into your sump.

[sachabballi reef]

instead of packing it tight I add a couple of foam pads in mine so it barely moves...and I haven't had an issue of media in the sump at all.

[Cliff Puckstable]

I use my carbon in a filter bag and have it my sock from the drain. I change it every two weeks when I do my wc. I find it a pita to clean. It's messy. When I was using the BRS dual, life was easier.

[ToddR]

I run 2cups in a BRS reactor the first 3 days of every month.