What do you use to hold carbon?

freshy&salty · Sep 19, 2019

Hey everyone,
Im just finishing with some emergency hospital stays and some surgeries and Im finally able to start getting back into my routines after 2 months of recovery.

After 3 months of hospitals visits and surgery that took me outta work for a bit, Im left with a $20k bill even after insurance so obviously Im looking to save some coins.

I have 4 tanks to maintain. Only 1 is salt but they all use carbon. I buy carbon in bulk on the interwebs but I only use it in my 72gal because the mesh bags fit the filters perfectly. Theyre like 8.5" x 10" I think.
The reusable mesh bags are way to big for my other tanks being a 16gal biocube, a 10gal, and a 3.6 AIO with 3 chambers. All three have an area roughly 3.5" x 4" to use for filter media. Fluval/Aquaclear make the little premade disposable carbon packs that work perfectly for that size but cost like $4 ea and weigh around an oz. I get the bulk for around $10 for 5lbs. You do the math.

Ive thought about maybe turning pantyhose into small bags for this but theyd be more 1 time use bags. I really want it to be reusable. Ive even thought about 3d printing some custom fitting cartridges, which will eventually happen but thats not really cheaper right now as i dont have the printer.

I know Im not the only one who does this, so what do you use for a fine mesh reusable bag that small a size?

Old Fritz · Sep 19, 2019

I think my friend made his reusable bags out of utility mesh fabric. It's like 4 bucks at a hobby lobby. I'm pretty sure though if you have any fabric that is thin enough to allow water flow it would work well, but the problem is most fabrics meant for clothing will probably get gunked up real fast

Maybe you can use socks and the carbon will take out the smell lol.

also your tank reminds me of when I worked at petco years ago. Rock, white lobster, rocks, the blue background, everything lol

freshy&salty · Sep 19, 2019

Old Fritz said:
also your tank reminds me of when I worked at petco years ago. Rock, white lobster, rocks, the blue background, everything lol

Thats where he came from funny enough. They were closing down a store by me and a buddy who worked there got to clear aquatics. Thats the pic he sent me asking if I wanted him. He wouldnt come outta the hole so I got him and the rock. Its way nicer looking on my black sand now and why the hell they ran blue backgrounds is beyond me. Hides algae better maybe?

Old Fritz · Sep 19, 2019

freshy&salty said:
Thats where he came from funny enough. They were closing down a store by me and a buddy who worked there got to clear aquatics. Thats the pic he sent me asking if I wanted him. He wouldnt come outta the hole so I got him and the rock. Its way nicer looking on my black sand now and why the hell they ran blue backgrounds is beyond me. Hides algae better maybe?

Before I worked at petco I worked at a pond store and we would put koi in a blue bowl. Apparently blue makes the colors come out on fish more. However I feel petco does that more because blue is the same color as water.

Kenny D · Sep 19, 2019

I just ordered these from Marine and Reef. My RSM 250 has a 4x6 media chamber and these are 5x7. Close enough!.

burnetb1 · Sep 19, 2019

If you are interested I would be willing to 3D print you something out of PETG. I have printed a couple things for people on this forum before.

George Lopez · Sep 20, 2019

I use $0.69 stockings from walgreens. I just fill knot cut and throw in a high flow area of my sump then i tire above knot after y the cut and i get another use out of the leftover. Depends on how much carbon you run you can get 2 to 3 uses or of one long one so 4 to 6 pouches for 69 cents and i just throw it away when i go to change it.