Orange Flakes/Rust in Red Sea Reef Spec Carbon?

[ThatsNoMoon]

Hi all, I'm sure this must have been mentioned before but I'm not sure what words to search up to find what I'm looking for.

whenever I replace the reef-spec carbon bags in my Reefer250 I see orange specs prob around 1-3mm in the bag. It looks like the carbon is almost rusting. I try to replace my carbon once every few weeks.

Is this orange stuff safe? I'll try take pictures asap but I've recently changed the bags out

 

[Ron Reefman]

bump
anybody else seen this?

 

[Blakethereefguy]

It sounds like Red Sea Carbon might contain Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) might read on the packaging. GFO is used to help control phosphate levels. I’m not familiar with the Red Sea carbon, however I know that Chemi-Pure Blue Elite (specifically the elite version) contains GFO. It’s a common practice I would bet that’s what it is. With the name Reef-spec I’d be willing to be that GFO is what you are seeing. GFO is fine as long as it doesn’t absolutely tank you’re phosphate.

 

[homer1475]

Not normal, no.

There should be nothing in red sea carbon but black carbon. There is no GFO in reef spec carbon. I've used it a few times when BRS was out of ROX, and had nothing but black carbon pellets in the bottle.

 

[CyclonixPT]

I have same problem with Red Sea Carbon, The drawstring mesh bag after a month have some oranges points. I started using this carbon now and I also noticed that my LPS's are retracted the first few days.

 

[anthonygf]

See if any particles stick to a magnet?

 

[CyclonixPT]

See if any particles stick to a magnet?

Yes, there are some stick particles that grab onto the magnet.
It's normal?

 

[Storm Trooper Reefer]

Yes, there are some stick particles that grab onto the magnet.
It's normal?

Absolutely not normal. Metal in your tank is bad. You say you see if when you pull the bag out after a month, so it be from another source. Try cleaning your equipment to see if something is damaged. If a batch of carbon has anything metalic, there would be a lot of news on it

 

[anthonygf]

Yes, there are some stick particles that grab onto the magnet.
It's normal?

What brand carbon are you using? Red Sea? I would contact them and inform them of your findings. Looks like there could be iron particles in the carbon. I would change brands. From what I have read I hear some iron is okay, some even dose iron in there systems. Have an ICP test done on your water.

 

[tamanning]

Yes, there are some stick particles that grab onto the magnet.
It's normal?

impurities. There are metal flakes in it.

 

[anthonygf]

Hi all, I'm sure this must have been mentioned before but I'm not sure what words to search up to find what I'm looking for.

whenever I replace the reef-spec carbon bags in my Reefer250 I see orange specs prob around 1-3mm in the bag. It looks like the carbon is almost rusting. I try to replace my carbon once every few weeks.

Is this orange stuff safe? I'll try take pictures asap but I've recently changed the bags out

Have you tried a magnet as I mentioned to the carbon?

 

[anthonygf]

impurities. There are metal flakes in it.

So, is it okay to use carbon with metal flakes in it? I think not. Strange.

 

[tamanning]

So, is it okay to use carbon with metal flakes in it? I think not. Strange.

Not good. If you are paying for carbon you should be getting carbon.

 

[CyclonixPT]

The test with magnetic I did was done directly from the carbon container.

 

[anthonygf]

The test I did was done directly from the carbon container.

I would stop using it and contact manufacturer.

 

[anthonygf]

Absolutely not normal. Metal in your tank is bad. You say you see if when you pull the bag out after a month, so it be from another source. Try cleaning your equipment to see if something is damaged. If a batch of carbon has anything metalic, there would be a lot of news on it

This may be the beginning of the problem or no one has tested the carbon for iron particles.

 

[anthonygf]

I have same problem with Red Sea Carbon, The drawstring mesh bag after a month have some oranges points. I started using this carbon now and I also noticed that my LPS's are retracted the first few days.

I just noticed after reading this you have your carbon in for a month? I do 2 weeks a month. I would not leave carbon in any longer than that, what ever is in it may leech out, from what I hear it is covered in slime after a couple of weeks and is useless.

 

[CyclonixPT]

I just noticed after reading this you have your carbon in for a month? I do 2 weeks a month. I would not leave carbon in any longer than that, what ever is in it may leech out, from what I hear it is covered in slime after a couple of weeks and is useless.

Supposedly this carbon can stay up to 2 months in the aquarium, but after a month I changed it.
After switching to the new carbon, I realized that LPS Hummer and Duncan were withdrawn in the first few days and only then slowly returned to normal. This has already happened two months in a row

 

[anthonygf]

Supposedly this carbon can stay up to 2 months in the aquarium, but after a month I changed it.
After switching to the new carbon, I realized that LPS Hummer and Duncan were withdrawn in the first few days and only then slowly returned to normal. This has already happened two months in a row

I doubt that it is useful for 2 months. Just check your filters after two weeks, they will most likely be covered in slime, I think from corals releasing slime when threatened or eating.

 

[Minhaj Qazi]

Not normal, no.

There should be nothing in red sea carbon but black carbon. There is no GFO in reef spec carbon. I've used it a few times when BRS was out of ROX, and had nothing but black carbon pellets in the bottle.

Any Comment as carbon is Non metallic.