Best way to add carbon

[ninjamini]

What's the best way to add carbon to a sump. I added chemipure this week But that would be expensive. IS there a better way to do it?

 

[lion_crazz]

I am not sure what you mean. Are you talking about where to place the carbon or how to keep it consistently in there?

 

[murph145]

i use 2 bags of chemipure in my sump and change them out everytime i do a water change so like every 3-4 weeks
if u buy online u can find it a lot cheaper than at the LFS

 

[ninjamini]

I was talking about what to put the carbon in if I dont get chemipure. Chemipure is $5. I do weekly h2o changes and I dont want to spend $20/mo on chemipure.

 

[lion_crazz]

I have used both regular carbon and chemi-pure and have never seen a difference in the two of them.
If you do not use chemi-pure, just get a small filter bag cloth. Most LFS sell them for $2 or $3.

 

[xdave]

Read the directions, why are you thinking you have to change the ChemiPure with every water change? It's good for 4 to 6 months!

 

[joncat24]

thats what I was thinking that it could be used for months...I use purigen in my sump and noticed an amazing difference in about three weeks time. My nitrates always stayed at about 30 even with weekly water changes. now the highest they get is 10 and when I do water change they are pretty much zero. And the nice thing is after six months you can regenerate the purigen and use it again for another 6

 

[joncat24]

guess I never answered the main ?? though. I have mine in a small wally world hob filter in my overflow of main tank

 

[dmc888]

I had the cheaper media bags before but i like my ezclose bag better. Its a little more but i think its worth it. Cost me 7 bucks. I place it near my return pump but make sure it can't be sucked in the pump.
No string just velcro.

 

[gatorwpb]

I use a filter bag next to my return pump in my fuge. Carbon good for 3-4 months it says. Supposedly helps to rinse it off in fresh RO water every couple of weeks.

 

[saltn00b]

if you have a phosban reactor, you can put carbon in that, you will get more bang for the buck out of your carbon that way, because water is forced to go up through it, and not just roll over the top of it.

 

[ninjamini]

Originally Posted by saltn00b
if you have a phosban reactor, you can put carbon in that, you will get more bang for the buck out of your carbon that way, because water is forced to go up through it, and not just roll over the top of it.
Do you mean to say that you put carbon in there with the phosban? Wouldn't that mash up the phosban?

 

[saltn00b]

i havent added it to my reactor yet , but from what i understand, you put the carbon in the filter bag, inside the chamber, which is only about 1/3 filled with phosban media to begin with. the flow is still throttled back alot for the phosban so i dont think there will be problem. the directions for the reactor even mention it, so it was built with that in mind.

 

[moneyman]

I would just put the carbon in the reactor w/o the bag.
Carbon needs to be replaced weekly. Else, the trapped organic will decay back into the water. Think how many gallons a Pur or Brita produces before replacement.

 

[saltn00b]

i think most people replace carbon once a month or more, at least i do, with no ill effects

 

[teresaq]

I use knee highs

 

[bang guy]

I've done quite a few experiments with carbon. In my opinion carbon should to be placed in such a way that water is forced through the grains. It seems to only work for about 48 hours. After that it doesn't seem to clean the water. So, I'd suggest using it for 48 hours once a month using new carbon each month.