Activated Carbon in CO2 Scrubber

[hexcolor reef]

Co2 media is just Kalkwasser, IceCap media sucks and it’s hard to find lime crystals vs powder.

How long would activated carbon last in a co2 scrubber?

 

[Mikeltee]

Not sure if it would react the same but I've ran my co2 scrubber for 6 months and haven't had to change it.

 

[bakbay]

Not sure if it would react the same but I've ran my co2 scrubber for 6 months and haven't had to change it.

What does your pH graph look like? Mine lasts around 5wks doing recirculating CO2 scrubber.

Co2 media is just Kalkwasser, IceCap media sucks and it’s hard to find lime crystals vs powder.

How long would activated carbon last in a co2 scrubber?

I got soda lime in bulk from Amazon, cheaper than going Direct with JorVet due to shipping.

Soda Lime 5 Gallon

 

[Mikeltee]

Raised it .4

 

[Mikeltee]

What does your pH graph look like? Mine lasts around 5wks doing recirculating CO2 scrubber.


I got soda lime in bulk from Amazon, cheaper than going Direct with JorVet due to shipping.

Soda Lime 5 Gallon

That's a lot of lime! How do you like the recirculating feature? What does it add to yoir pH? I see so many people with moisture issues that it's not worth it to me. That could possibly be contributing to your use, although 5 weeks seems to be closer to what BRS states to expect. I don't know why mine has lasted so long. It is bright pink just like the day I got it. Surely that tiny bit of rodi I put at the bottom has dried up. Maybe it's just not doing anything. I'll take it offline for a day and see what happens.

 

[hexcolor reef]

That's a lot of lime! How do you like the recirculating feature? What does it add to yoir pH? I see so many people with moisture issues that it's not worth it to me. That could possibly be contributing to your use, although 5 weeks seems to be closer to what BRS states to expect. I don't know why mine has lasted so long. It is bright pink just like the day I got it. Surely that tiny bit of rodi I put at the bottom has dried up. Maybe it's just not doing anything. I'll take it offline for a day and see what happens.

Exactly mine is still pink. I switched out inlet outlet hoses to larger size to allow more air flow and still pink. It’s definitely pulling air but no change.

What I did was create a 12” waterfall over my sump. That keeps PH pinned at 8.3-8.4. I turn it off over night because it’s loud. I get around 8.0 over night. Scrubber not doing anything at all. I’m pulling air from outside

 

[Gtinnel]

I could be wrong but I thought the media changed from white to pink when it was depleted?

 

[hexcolor reef]

I could be wrong but I thought the media changed from white to pink when it was depleted?

Icecap changes to white after depletion. I left some out of the bag just to see if it actually works and it does just not in the scrubber.

And by work I mean it went from pink to white when left out of the sealed bag. Can’t check room air PH for changes ha!

 

[Gtinnel]

Icecap changes to white after depletion

Here is a screen shot from CoralVue website that says to replace the media once it turns pink. I also just found a YouTube video of someone with an unopened bag that was white.
I am going to go and see if I have an unopened bag. I really thought it started off white (although I have usually used BRS media)
ETA- I also know with some brands of media it will change from white to color when depleted, then will eventually go back to white, making it looked like it was unused when it is actually depleted. Not sure about ice cap though

 

[hexcolor reef]

Here is a screen shot from CoralVue website that says to replace the media once it turns pink. I also just found a YouTube video of someone with an unopened bag that was white.
I am going to go and see if I have an unopened bag. I really thought it started off white (although I have usually used BRS media)

BRS sells icecap as well. It’s pink at least for this brand.

 

[Patx]

From pink>>>>to white (end)

 

[bakbay]

Depending on media, my JorVet soda lime turns from white to pink/purple when depleted. I know it’s time to change media when I dip below 8.

If not recirculating, the media should last 1-2wks max. Here was mine before & after in June vs today — I need to swap out later.

 

[hexcolor reef]

You think it’s worth it only getting .1 bump on PH? When I added my scrubber I was looking for .3-.4 bump minimum and having to a shutoff valve.
I thought I may have been doing something wrong but from seeing what you guys posted it’s about the same over night.

I’ll have to find a way to isolate the noise from the water fall because that worked liked a charm. No problem.

 

[Doctorgori]

I wonder what a side by side would look like comparing cost & capacity of carbon vs lye for co2 removal

 

[Gtinnel]

You think it’s worth it only getting .1 bump on PH?

It’s not IMO. I added a scrubber to my outside airline and the saw a minimal increase in pH. After just a few media exchanges I quit replacing my media. I ended up adding some sodium hydroxide solution to my sodium carbonate alkalinity supplement to get my pH where I want it.

 

[hexcolor reef]

It’s not IMO. I added a scrubber to my outside airline and the saw a minimal increase in pH. After just a few media exchanges I quit replacing my media. I ended up adding some sodium hydroxide solution to my sodium carbonate alkalinity supplement to get my pH where I want it.

I usr Marine Buffer. Which works great. I use fry. Mixing 20tbls to 500ml of fresh water. And dosing 20ml will bump my PH to 8.2 and Alk by 1 DKH.

I wanted to pin PH at 8.3-8.4 without having to hit 11-12DKH though.

 

[hexcolor reef]

I wonder what a side by side would look like comparing cost & capacity of carbon vs lye for co2 removal

me as well. I’m down to experiment here.
For now the water fall seems to be my answer for 8.3 PH

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m confused. Why do you think GAC will remove any CO2?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Co2 media is just Kalkwasser, IceCap media sucks and it’s hard to find lime crystals vs powder.

How long would activated carbon last in a co2 scrubber?

CO2 media is not kalkwasser, solids or liquid. Folks have used kalkwasser liquid and it can have some effect, but the soda lime (the actual media) works better.

 

[hexcolor reef]

CO2 media is not kalkwasser, solids or liquid. Folks have used kalkwasser liquid and it can have some effect, but the soda lime (the actual media) works better.

Straight from BRS them selves