activated charcoal(carbon)

[vito525]

What is the time frame for knowing if your activated charcoal(carbon) has outlived it's usefulness??

 

[reefnut]

Usually people change it out once a month... I would say that's the minimum.

 

[joker_ca]

some people change it once a week, but most of the time just change every month

 

[mudplayerx]

Carbon wont last more than 2 weeks in salt water. Actually, if you have a reef tank, it is recommended in some circles to only use carbon to clear the water, then remove it.

 

[snipe]

I run mine all the time and change once a month.

 

[mudplayerx]

Nod Snipe, it won't hurt anything at all if you leave it in constantly, it just saves you money to only leave it in while clearing up the water. I guess I agree with the cheapo people lol.

 

[snipe]

I think you can get some carbon that reactivates itself you just take it out and let it dry and it will turn back the black way it used to be or something like that. I know they have other types of filter media that dose the same thing and can be reactivated also.

 

[cvk531]

dang you snipe, i'm having a hard time catching up with you, look at the board replys, i'm on like all of them, lol

 

[betacrash]

I know that you can also reuse the carbon by baking it and burning off all of the organic material. There is a thread somewhere on here and someone explains how to do it.