better ways to run carbon?

[fitbmxdude989]

ok i have a backpack filter on my tank to run carbon, it does its job but has negitive features, here they are:
1. when i pull the filter pads out to fill with carbon, detritus goes everywhere clouding my water
2. takes up space in the tank
i have a sump for my tank and was wondering if there were any other options i can use to run carbon thats not so messy?

 

[btldreef]

There are a few options.
A bag of chemi pure elite just dropped in the sump
OR
A phosban reactor, but put carbon in it instead. This is what I just did and it is working great.

 

[fitbmxdude989]

thanks, im kinda looking into a cheaper solution but that works ill look into it

 

[btldreef]

Just put the carbon in a bag in a high flow area of your sump.

 

[fitbmxdude989]

thats not a bad idea...lol why didnt i think of it? lol, i never thought that would work, but now that i looked into a phosban reactor it think im going to get on for that when the budget allows

 

[spanko]

^this.

 

[jackri]

carbon/phosphate reactors literally cost about 30-35 bucks to buy and can be run with a maxi-jet pump which are 13-20 bucks? Then you can get the media of your choosing in bulk -- easy to clean out and you can adjust flow with a ball valve usually.
It's cheap in saltwater terms but may cost 100 to get started with media, reactors and if you don't have an extra maxi-jet laying around.

 

[fitbmxdude989]

yea i noticed that earlier, im going to look into it, its looking really promising

 

[btldreef]

Yes, the prices really aren't bad. I prefer Chemi Pure Elite, and in a 155G, that adds up, but when placed in the reactor, it will last longer.
I spent about $100 on everything, but now, my yearly cost will be about $60 or less depending on which carbon I choose to use next time, as opposed to about $500 a year, so it was a huge savings for me.
And I have to honestly say, the carbon has been running in the reactor now for only 2 days and the water is noticeably clearer. I've always ran carbon, and never had cloudy water, but the reactor makes a HUGE difference.

 

[fitbmxdude989]

i wonder if its possible to use pvc pipe to make the reactor completely out of the tank? i dont have alot of room in my sump so im kinda pressed for space, so to speak, any dyi ideas plumbing wise?

 

[jackri]

google **************
My reactor sets completely out of the sump minus the maxi-jet, hose to reactor and hose to dump water back in.

 

[meowzer]

The phosban reactor doesn't go in the sump...it stands by it....it's really not very big, and I am running mine off the same return pump from the sump.....Mine is the 550, so it is probably a little bigger then the 150
Attachment 244181

 

[fitbmxdude989]

intresting, thanks meowser, im guessing that top line going into the reactor is the main pump then the other line goes to the tank? right?

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by fitbmxdude989
http:///forum/post/3284002
intresting, thanks meowser, im guessing that top line going into the reactor is the main pump then the other line goes to the tank? right?
The line in the center top of reactor is actually going back to the sump....the line that is on the right side of reactor is hooked into the "braided" line...you can see the white pvc tee....that line is run from the return pump....

 

[fitbmxdude989]

oh ok, well that helps alot, i think i might set mine up like that or similar, if not ill probably buy the pump and fit pvc pipe to make it work...lol

 

[fitbmxdude989]

hey how often would i have to change the carbon in one of those reactors? if im not mistaken im supposed to be changing it every two days for regular

 

[jackri]

In a reactor? 4-8 weeks depending on variables is what I do.

 

[fitbmxdude989]

ok, stupid question here, why is the time scale of changing out the carbon so different with carbon in a reactor, then with the carbon in a bak pak filter

 

[jackri]

Actually rereading some stuff time change on carbon is about 2 weeks before it loses most of its effeciency. I just change it out monthly roughly -- same time with my GFO.

 

[bang guy]

The testing I've done has convinced me that GAC (carbon) is only effective for about 48 hours and effectiveness is severly reduced after 24 hours. When I ran it I would use it in a canister filter for 24 hours about once a month or whenever I noticed accumulated gelbstof. I would clean out the canister and add new GAC right after taking it offline so it would be ready for next month or in case of a chemical emergency.
It appears that GAC is most effective when water is forced through it. The bag in the sump is only about 20% as effective as a canister as measured by how many hours it takes to eliminate gelbstof.