Carbon and Phosphate

[ddaddy2420]

What brands of carbon and gfo is everyone using? or does it really matter?

 

[jimmystephens]

I use brs. Dont think it matters much but i could be wrong

 

[skriz]

It matters. A lot.

Seachem matrix carbon is the best.

 

[jimmystephens]

How so?

 

[clay4au]

JimmyStephens;878234 wrote: How so?

With carbon its not the brand but the size of the particles, the smaller the better.

I use BRS rox.8 carbon and BRS high capacity GFO

 

[sewer urchin]

and... not just the size of the particles but the size of the pores in the particles. A good aquarium carbon should have both micropores and marcopores.

 

[rdnelson]

Sewer Urchin;878246 wrote: and... not just the size of the particles but the size of the pores in the particles. A good aquarium carbon should have both micropores and marcopores.

"Macropores". That's what the bank calls my account. :-(




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[skriz]

JimmyStephens;878234 wrote: How so?

What the others have said AND how the carbon is treated, what it's made from, etc. There are so many variables to consider.

For instance, there are cheap chinese carbons. Forget all science and just use it once in your tank. You'll immediately know there's a difference!

Seriously, though, you have lignite carbon, bituminous, coconut, etc. You have different treatments for activation, different ash ratings... All of these make a difference.

 

[sewer urchin]

Macropores". That's what the bank calls my account. :-(

mine is more of a black hole... money just disappears from it and never comes back

What surprised me, but then thinking about it made sense,

was that all carbon contains phosphate, but the higher grade carbons are treated the remove it.

 

[ralph atl]

Clay4AU;878236 wrote: With carbon its not the brand but the size of the particles, the smaller the better.

I use BRS rox.8 carbon and BRS high capacity GFO

These work the best, IMHO.....

 

[ddaddy2420]

thks for the replies

 

[ichthyoid]

There are studies comparing different types of GAC (granular activated carbon) in aquarium applications.

Any 'top shelf' brand rated for aquariums is going to perform well, ime. I think it has a role, albeit a secondary one, in reefs.

Smaller particles increase the rate of adsorption (used more quickly), but also increase the available surface area (as a function of the square). So smaller is better on particle size.

I have used , SeaChem-Matrix, Marineland-Black Diamond, Kent, BRS, all successfully/without incident.

I also believe in changing it out within 10 days, if used. Studies indicate GAC becomes a big bacteria colony after that.

 

[jennm]

beccaf91;878222 wrote: I'm using seachem rox carbon and seachem phosguard and very happy with both

I believe "Rox" is BRS. Seachem's carbon is called Matrix Carbon.