Activated Carbon

[peterp63]

Re: Activated Carbon

Thanks, SupaDave.  I was thinking that I would need at least one full layer in my canister filter in order to make sure that there is a flow over the Purigen.  Since I have an Eheim 2260 I would need a bunch of this stuff to make just a thin layer.  Is my thinking off??  Should I just throw a baggie of this stuff in my wet dry's sump?  or just stick it in the 2260 and not cover a whole layer???

[supadave]

Re: Activated Carbon

What size is your tank?

[jeb102385]

Re: Activated Carbon

I have a fluval fx5 on my 140 I took 2 of the bags off dfs.com and threw it on top of the other media and it works great.I have tried to recharge it in the past but like ek I just chunk it and replace it

[Zulaab]

Re: Activated Carbon

Peter -- if you have a wet dry with the Eheim, just throw the purigin in the wet/dry inside a mesh bag...  I would personally put one 250ml per 100g of water and I would add another bottle rounding up (everytime) to the nearest 100g.

Purigin is a VERY fine material like sand... so you have to insert it into your filtration system in a mesh bag.
If you have wet dry you are best off because all you have to do is put it in there.

[peterp63]

Re: Activated Carbon

I have a 300 gallon.  I'm planning on buying some bulk activated carbon from Sparking Clear off TC Jester and 610.  They have 4x8 mesh which is coarse enough that it won't plug my 2260 and it's not pelletized which I've heard doesn't work quite as well as GAC.  I'll load up the 2260 with activated carbon and a bit of the Eheim noodle-looking media.  Might even keep the gravel-looking stuff in their, too.  I have a ton of each.  Then I'll buy some Purigen for my wet/dry and see how that all works.  I'm hoping to do as little maintenance on this aquarium as possible.  A 2260 filled with GAC and enough Purigen to filter out my entire 300 gal (300 mL or more) should do the trick.... right??

[Zulaab]

Re: Activated Carbon

Activated Carbon and Purigen will essentially do the same.
Carbon will last you between 8-12 weeks in your canister and then trash... Purigen will last 6 months+ and then remove, bleach to regenerate it (follow the directions) and then put it back in the canister.  You can do this on average for up to 2 yrs before its time to buy new.

[alexarae]

Re: Activated Carbon

i <3 Purigen.
I know that writing that makes me officially geeky...but I do. lol.
I friggin love Purigen, it works miracles.

[peterp63]

Re: Activated Carbon

Ok, new plan.  Keep the 2260 filled with carbon and some bio/mech media, but then also put a Eheim 2028 on the tank filled with bio media and Purigen (about 500 mL).  This actually works out b/c I wanted to add my Turbo Twist 6x (18 watt) to the tank and couldn't find a good way to hook it into any flow loops to have a low enough flow through the UV sterilizer.  The 2028 is rated at 277 gph, so it probably will run about 225 or so (after head difference) through the Turbo Twist which is perfect (Turbo Twist is rated for 200-400 gph).  As you can see, I'm really trying to filter the heck out of this tank to minimize my maintenance time.  Eheim 2260, Eheim 2028, ProClear 300 W/D, Turbo Twist 6x UV Sterilizer, and reverse-flow UGF.

WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK NOW???

[CichlidFan]

Re: Activated Carbon

Now that's a plan.....make it so #63 and report back with the results.... :)

CF

PS....i put a uv turbo twist (the large one) on my 215.......the tank has excellent water quality.

[wesleydnunder]

Re: Activated Carbon

With all the filtration on that tank I'm confused as to why you need the chemical filtration of carbon or purigen. As far as reduced maint. time goes, you still have some water changes to do to reduce nitrates and DOCs. Not that you have to justify any of this to me, it's just that I see carbon and purigen as a waste of money in a healthy tank. All the long-term aquarists that I know including me, and I've been keeping aquaria since 1968, have forgone the use of chemical filtration in healthy systems.

Mark

[CichlidFan]

Re: Activated Carbon

With all the filtration on that tank I'm confused as to why you need the chemical filtration of carbon or purigen. As far as reduced maint. time goes, you still have some water changes to do to reduce nitrates and DOCs. Not that you have to justify any of this to me, it's just that I see carbon and purigen as a waste of money in a healthy tank. All the long-term aquarists that I know including me, and I've been keeping aquaria since 1968, have forgone the use of chemical filtration in healthy systems.

Mark

Mark, are you saying that chemical filtration is not needed is this case?
If so, please elaborate, I was under then impression that chemical filtration was a critical part of the overall filtration process...im very curious to hear what you have to say....

CF

[peterp63]

Re: Activated Carbon

Hmmm.... well, this tank needs fish in it ASAP (like by this wknd) so, for one, I need to use the chemical filtration to control the water quality until the bio colonies get established, which hopefully won't take too long since I will be using all of the advice from above AND I'll be throwing on my 2028 which has been up and running for quite some time on my 60 gallon.  I typically don't use chemical on established tanks either, but this is going to be a room divider that I've built into the wall of my house so I need the water to be as crystal clear as possible.  So, with the Puigen and GAC I was hoping that it will help accomplish this.  Also, I'm horrible when it comes to changing out water on schedule and hopefully it will help to pick up the slack.  The UV filter should also help with keeping the water crystal clear and kill unwanted pathogens that can come with new fish/food.  I'm relatively new to all of this, just using advice from people on the box and at the LFS's, so if you have any other comments, please feel free to lay 'em on me!

Thanks everyone!!!

[Zulaab]

Re: Activated Carbon

Peter --

If the 2028 has been running for a while on your 60, your bio is half way there.  I use a pro/clear 75, on my 75g tank.  From day one I put somewhere around 20 fish in that tank.  I never saw Ammonia, Nitrites ever rise more than a droplet over 0...  ie barely noticeable.  Purigen will take any unwanted chemical out of the water, same as Carbon.  The only real difference between two is that once carbon is full ie 8-12 weeks its dead... ie you cannot fill more chemicals into it, and you cannot revive it again.  Purigen can absorb a ton more and you can reuse it after you recharge it.
How big is the tank again and how many fish are you dropping in there ?

[CichlidFan]

Re: Activated Carbon

Peter, Wesley is not the first person I have heard talk about not using chemicals. This lack of chemicals does seem to make sense to me in a way I havent' quite figured out yet, but we all gotta do, what we gotta do.... :)

But I also believe you are correct in taking precautions to safeguard your fish since you say they have to be added to the tank as soon as possible. Try not to overload the tank in the beginning.

Good Luck

I appreicate this thread and look forward to hearing/learning more about non chemical filtration.

CF

[peterp63]

Re: Activated Carbon

300 gallon room divider.  If the GAC spends too quickly it will turn into bio media until I find time to replace it.  I will try to keep up with using new Purigen in the 2028 every 6 months or so.  This tank is going to be sweet when it's all done.  I'll post some pics when I get a chance.  The reverse flow UGF is all put together, just gotta take it back down and drill the holes.  I'm still waiting to hear from Sparkling Clear on the 4x8 mesh GAC and I still need to get the Purigen (probably 500 mL).  OH YEAH, and I'm still working on the plumbing for all of this and the wet/dry.  My first time using PVC = many trips to home depot.  Wish me luck!