Reactor for charcoal

[Hilltopreef90]

Is it better to use a reactor for charcoal? If a reactor is better can I get some recommendations?
If I were to use a reactor for charcoal would I use purit in the reactor as well?
As far as GFO is one brand/type really any better than another?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Is it better to use a reactor for charcoal? If a reactor is better can I get some recommendations?
If I were to use a reactor for charcoal would I use purit in the reactor as well?
As far as GFO is one brand/type really any better than another?

If by charcoal, you mean lignite carbon, then NO, don't use regular carbon in a reactor. This has been proven to cause head and lateral line erosion in susceptible fish. The reactor tends to grind up soft carbon and the dust gets out into the tank and causes long lasting fish issues. If you want to use carbon in a reactor, used a premium pelleted carbon that you rinse well with RODI first.

Jay

 

[Hilltopreef90]

If by charcoal, you mean lignite carbon, then NO, don't use regular carbon in a reactor. This has been proven to cause head and lateral line erosion in susceptible fish. The reactor tends to grind up soft carbon and the dust gets out into the tank and causes long lasting fish issues. If you want to use carbon in a reactor, used a premium pelleted carbon that you rinse well with RODI first.

Jay

So is it just as affective to place it (purit type) in a bag in the sump ?
I worry that it may not get enough flow that way

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

So is it just as affective to place it (purit type) in a bag in the sump ?
I worry that it may not get enough flow that way

I don't know what type of carbon is used in Purit. If it is extruded pellets, then that is good. Soft lignite must be avoided. ROX 0.8 Carbon seems to work pretty well. I've also not had issues with Chemipure.

Bagging carbon is a sump certainly reduces the chance of dust being produced by tumbling/grinding, but it also means that absorption will be slowed because less water is flowing through the bag. I prefer to place bagged carbon is the water flow at some point, just not in a powerful reactor that is prone to grinding it up.

Jay

 

[Hilltopreef90]

I don't know what type of carbon is used in Purit. If it is extruded pellets, then that is good. Soft lignite must be avoided. ROX 0.8 Carbon seems to work pretty well. I've also not had issues with Chemipure.

Bagging carbon is a sump certainly reduces the chance of dust being produced by tumbling/grinding, but it also means that absorption will be slowed because less water is flowing through the bag. I prefer to place bagged carbon is the water flow at some point, just not in a powerful reactor that is prone to grinding it up.

Jay

Could you put it in the filter sock ? A bag of carbon inside the filter sock ?

 

[Koh23]

Reactor, just set flow low enough not to tumble carbon, or, if u want to use higher flow, just pack it tigtly in reactor with sponges/plastic plates.....

Never had any issue with this system, only downside is that u have to clean sponges regulary, but thats not a big problem....

Oce upon a time there was believe that carbon needs to slightly tummble in reactor, also no issues here if u use high quality and hardness carbon....

 

[Uncle99]

I run carbon in a mesh bag, in a reactor, 24-7, over 5 years.
I fully rinse for 10 minutes outside the DT before deploying.
I have 4 tangs, one of which is as blue.
None have shown any negative effects of this process.

Low stress environment and diet keep fish happy and healthy.