carbon

[Sea Turtle]

I really do not want to add another reactor to the sump. I already have a gfo reactor but I want to run carbon. I have bought a couple of mesh bags. Is this affective by filling the bags with the carbon and sinking them to the bottom of the sump? If so , how often should I replace the carbon in them?

 

[Len]

I can't find the article, but carbon run passively is about 15% as effective as one through a reactor. Water simply doesn't want to pass through a wall of carbon unless you force it through. A reactor is a very good idea. You can alternate between running GFO and GAC if you don't want to get another reactor.

 

[Sea Turtle]

I heard that it absorbs the nutrients like a sponge? Is this true?

 

[Len]

Carbon is highly absorbent, yes. It's extremely porous and traps a range of dissolved compounds.

 

[Anonymous]

I hang a bag on the back side of my overflow compartment, at the top. The water can flow around it, but since it's down hill and the first point of contact over the overflow, I think enough water flows through it to make it effective.

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

You can run carbon in the GFO reactor along with the GFO. The only problem with this is that the carbon will exhaust faster than the GFO. I would get another reactor and run it in series with the first reactor, only putting the carbon first, so you don't need a second pump.

How often to replace carbon is a bit of alchemy. Every 2, 3 or 4 weeks for it to stay effective.

 

[Sea Turtle]

I hang a bag on the back side of my overflow compartment, at the top. The water can flow around it, but since it's down hill and the first point of contact over the overflow, I think enough water flows through it to make it effective.

Louey

great idea.