Activated carbon

craig110768

craig110768

Member
I have a wet-dry system and bought a protein skimmer a few weeks ago. Should I also get activiated carbon, or is that the same as protein skimming. You can buy these boxes full of carbon, but where would I put it. Most of the carbon, I see are for cartridges, that I don't have.
The wet-dry system has a tray with a felt filter, and then holes to allow the water to run though to the Bio-balls below. I figure that the carbon would just drop right through there.
Should I even be looking at getting activated carbon. Not sure if i'm gaining anything???
Any comments!
 
rhomer

rhomer

Member
Activated carbon is chemical filtration. (I believe) that it works as just another step in the filtration process, I think that it is negative charged, and the fish waste is postive charged, and this causes particles to connect to the carbon. Most people I have talked with run carbon for a few weeks, then run their without it for a few weeks.
If you get it you buy a box of it, and get some panty hose, put the carbon in the panty hose, and tie it off, Then rinse it really well in cold tap water. I have mine on top of my return pump in my sump.
 
jakob4001

jakob4001

Member
depends on whom you ask & if you plan on a reef tank or fish only w/ live rock; in a reef tank w/ corals & various inverts like anemones & shrimp/crab some say leaving it in all the time removes important trace elements; some reefers may use occasionally to help clean the water when it becomes cloudy or smells or if they have some kind of chemical water problem;
of course some reef people leave it in 24/7 to aid in filter the water & feel doing water changes & putting additives keeps the trace elemnts in check
you could also purchase a media bag at LFS that will hold the carbon for you & place where it was suggested or where there is good water flow in your sump/wet-dry
 
efrank

efrank

Member
How much does this carbon cost? I buy a carbon cartridge for my Aquaclear once a month and it costs my $8 which seems like a lot.
 
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