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Refilling carbon filters


distracted

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Brilliant guide. Have to bump this and get it on my content :yep: Here I was thinking I'd have to somehow get rid of suspicious looking cylinder and buy a new one!

This can be done with Rhino filters, can't it?

:unsure:

Edited by greatwhiteshark
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I was told but I can't confirm it without doing some reading that activated carbon for water cleaning is charged positively

Aha!

Interesting. :smoke:

I'll take that as a starting point and do some research!

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please post what you find :D

This can be done with Rhino filters, can't it?

Yep it can but it won't last as long once refilled as the rhino carbon is crushed and therefore has more surface area so lasts a bit longer, but with fresh carbon it will be perfect to use again

Edited by distracted
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please post what you find :D

Yep it can but it won't last as long once refilled as the rhino carbon is crushed and therefore has more surface area so lasts a bit longer, but with fresh carbon it will be perfect to use again

Well it should still work out cheaper or if not it won't be any more than buying a new filter surely. And it'll save lugging the old one out and the new one in.

What about crushing the newly bought carbon bits to get more surface area out of it? Would that be more trouble than it's worth do you think?

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please post what you find :D

I will :)

As far as I can ascertain after twenty minutes with Google ("activated carbon differences" and "activated carbon manufacture")there don't seem to be any differences between "aquarium" and "air purification" carbons.

There are physical differences between various forms (hardness, amount of dust, granule shape, etc.) depending on what material they're manufactured from (coconut, coal, peat, etc.)and the method of activation, (physical or chemical) but no chemical differences in the finished product or differences in their mode of operation (although some forms are manufactured differently and chemically treated to perform specific functions, like mercury vapour removal).

The Wikipedia entry on activated carbon seems pretty comprehensive (but badly structured). :spliff:

None of the other sources I've found seems to indicate any significant differences in "general purpose" activated carbon.

One thing that did occur to me is that the smaller granule size might lead to denser packing and thus slightly reduced air flow, but I might take a chance on that and just turn the fan up so that it's sucking harder. :)

I've popped a question off to one of the bigger (scientific looking!) e-Bay sellers to ask if there's any reason not to use "aquarium" carbon in air filters... I'll let you know what they reply.

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Update: the e-Bay bloke got back to me a few minutes ago, and offered to send me data sheets on all the types of activated carbon (granules & pellets) that they sell.

Initial info on the 4mm pellets they sell for "aquarium" use sounds good:

"Manufactured from coal by steam activation"

"Specially designed for use in vapour phase adsorbtion systems"

"Low pressure drop characteristics"

"Excellent hardness"

"Specially de-dusted"

Sounds great, and at £25 for 5Kg (plus p&p) it looks like a bargain.

Edited by A Bloke Down The Pub
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Well, after much consultation & reading of datasheets, the conclusion is:

Activated carbon sold for "aquarium use" is the same as "air filter" carbon. :)

There are special types available for specialist uses, but you're not likely to find them outside a lab or a chemical factory.

The guy I was talking to has a lot of experience with using and testing activated carbon in the lab, and when I asked whether using granular or pelleted would yield the best results, he said:

"We have air handling unit (fume hood). I’ll be honest, we throw a mixture of the lot into our unit." :D

So, if you can find carbon pellets or granules at the right size & price, don't worry about what use they're intended for!!

I've just ordered 9.8kg (to get in under the 10Kg shipping rate) of the 4mm granules for a tad over £55 inc p&p.

I'm a happy bunny. :)

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  • 2 months later...
Guest hartson

I've just ordered 9.8kg (to get in under the 10Kg shipping rate) of the 4mm granules for a tad over £55 inc p&p.

I'm a happy bunny. smile.gif

How many filters and size would 10kg fill ?

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  • 5 weeks later...

i just got my 8 carbon back of my mate who filled it with some carbon stuff that Hospitals use to get rid of smells of dead body's and all that type off stuff.looking back over the posts here the stuff i have is more fine.anyway i got some plants 2 weeks away from end ,and this stuff in my carbon is killing the smell.i will talk to my mate some point in next few days and find out the name of this stuff.if i can get a year out of it i be more then happy,but it could smell in 24 hours time,but so far its killed the smell.will find out more and post back.

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  • 1 month later...

Google:

activated carbon 4mm

online purchasing is available on at least one of the top hits, if you don't want to buy "hydroponics carbon pellets" then buy odour control pellets... they are the same!

Edited by distracted
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little up date.had to get the dude to put some mesh in side, as it was to fine and blowing out.so not tested as such.was also thinking of just getting big bag of this stuff and putting it in a 30l bin...i blow into my carbon filter works well for me.so i will stick my duct end in the bin that's full of what ever and see what happens. cannot see why this would not work if i am blowing into it,will get my mate to get me a sack. :wink_kiss:

will get name of the stuff soon,keep forget

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I've found a few sellers online but there seems to be a bit of a disparity in pricing so am gonna shop around.

Does it have to be 4mm btw, I can get smaller pellets if they are better?

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Odour carbon filter pellets are 4mm. I suppose it depends on how big the holes are in you filter walls if you can get away will smaller but you will decrease porosity if you decrease particle size, while increasing surface area. If in doubt would use the same as your filter already has as this is what it was designed to use

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