Question on Running Carbon???

[italquam]

I want to start running carbon on my aquarium again, from time to time as needed. I am thinking of using a BRS dual reactor i have as follows, place carbon Rox in the first unit and a sediment filter in the second housing (which ca trap carbon dust if any). The reason i am thinking of this is to prevent any carbon dust from entering the system due to the fact i have a purple tang and do not want him getting HLLE again from carbon. In the past with chemi pure usage he got HLLE, i took the carbon/ chemi pure off line for a year and his HLLE cured 100%.

I have attached an image of the reactor for anyone who is not familiar with what it looks like.

 

[zachxlutz]

In my experience, the BRS Rox Carbon has so little dust on it, it's hardly worth rinsing.

 

[Elegance Coral]

That should work fine.
I run the discharge from my reactors back to my 100 or 50 micron socks to remove any potential dust.
You may have to play with the micron size on your sediment filter before you find one that works well. To small and it will clog way to fast.
HTH
Peace
EC

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

There won't be any significant dust from ROX and a sediment filter will rapidly clog with detritus from the tank. So I'd nix the sediment filter.

FWIW, I had HLLE sorts of issues when using Marineland Black Diamond, but not when using ROX.

 

[italquam]

That should work fine.
I run the discharge from my reactors back to my 100 or 50 micron socks to remove any potential dust.
You may have to play with the micron size on your sediment filter before you find one that works well. To small and it will clog way to fast.
HTH
Peace
EC

Does that trap a lot of the dust, do you recommend the 50 or 100 micron socks, which is more successful for you??

 

[italquam]

There won't be any significant dust from ROX and a sediment filter will rapidly clog with detritus from the tank. So I'd nix the sediment filter.

FWIW, I had HLLE sorts of issues when using Marineland Black Diamond, but not when using ROX.

Do you run your carbon constantly or as needed on your tank?

 

[azreeftank]

I have run ROX carbon year round for years on my tank and I have 6 large tangs including a purple and not one has ever had HLLE. This is the best Carbon hands down. Just rinse it before use and don’t worry. I have never used any sediment filter after but if you want to do that it’s fine. Even the idea of placing the return into a filter sock would be good. I still think HLLE has more to do with lack of nutrition than anything else.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Do you run your carbon constantly or as needed on your tank?

I used it 24/7 for 20 years, yes. Last few with ROX.

 

[Elegance Coral]

Does that trap a lot of the dust, do you recommend the 50 or 100 micron socks, which is more successful for you??

I use ROX carbon so I don't really see much dust. I change carbon before a water change, and pump a couple of gallons of tank water through the reactor, into a bucket, to rinse it.
100 micron would probably work well for most. 50 micron doesn't let much get through so it clogs fast, but they do a great job of polishing the water. IMHO, 200 and 300 micron are almost a waste of time and money. They're so thin they fall apart after a few washes, and they don't trap much.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I used rox for a long time in a reactor never had a problem with dust but I do rinse it off first never had a problem with my tangs or any other fish I have a purple also. Since restarting the tank I switched to esv carbon so will see how that goes so far I have found it keeps my water cleaner and no problems with my purple and two other tangs.

 

[italquam]

I used rox for a long time in a reactor never had a problem with dust but I do rinse it off first never had a problem with my tangs or any other fish I have a purple also. Since restarting the tank I switched to esv carbon so will see how that goes so far I have found it keeps my water cleaner and no problems with my purple and two other tangs.

Are you using a BRS reactor??

 

[Greenstreet.1]

Are you using a BRS reactor??

No phosban 150

 

[Tautog]

I used it 24/7 for 20 years, yes. Last few with ROX.

Randy, how often are you changing out the ROX?
I just started using it, and directions say every 2weeks, but is the products performance used up so quickly? I realize companies need to sell, but from the chemical end, What’s your opinion?

 

[zachxlutz]

Randy, how often are you changing out the ROX?
I just started using it, and directions say every 2weeks, but is the products performance used up so quickly? I realize companies need to sell, but from the chemical end, What’s your opinion?

I've read Randy say that carbon becomes covered with bacterial mulm within 2-3 weeks and it loses its effectiveness because of this.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I changed it once a month when I used it. But that depends on how much you use the less you use the quicker it losses it’s effectiveness the more the effectiveness last longer.

 

[izzyishh]

Hey guys is it necessary to run ROX carbon in a reactor or can you place it in a bag in the sump with flow or maybe a media cup ? I know reactor would be ideal

 

[zachxlutz]

I changed it once a month when I used it. But that depends on how much you use the less you use the quicker it losses it’s effectiveness the more the effectiveness last longer.

If it gets mulmed up with bacteria, and that is the cause for losing effectiveness, I'm not sure how a larger quantity would offset that.

Hey guys is it necessary to run ROX carbon in a reactor or can you place it in a bag in the sump with flow or maybe a media cup ? I know reactor would be ideal

A media bag would be fine. Just may not be as effective.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I’m going by what I’ve seen when using it when I use less the flow rate throughout the reactor slowed within two weeks when I add more it takes longer.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy, how often are you changing out the ROX?
I just started using it, and directions say every 2weeks, but is the products performance used up so quickly? I realize companies need to sell, but from the chemical end, What’s your opinion?

My tank is down now, but I changed my ROX approximately monthly. I sometimes rinsed out detritus/bacteria and returned it.

 

[bif24701]

I use my first chamber as a prefilter. It works very well. Since I have started using it I have noted that it takes much longer for a bacteria film to grow on the carbon. Rather than the carbon being clog with a film of growth in less than 7 days now takes more than 14.

What I use is 100% poly filter material that comes in mats. I cut it to size, roll it up and place it in the first chamber.

I rinse the ROX by letting it run through about a 1/4-1/2 gallon of water before placing the output back to the sump and it runs beautiful for weeks instead of days.