Activated carbon which do you use?

[CONSTANTNE]

Rox 0.8 here

 

[Reef UP]

Can you expand on this? Just like, what differences you see and whatnot? I've always been curious between the different brands as I've never noticed much of a difference- if you have, I'd just like to know what actually is being affected.

On the other brand other than ESV I've found it just take a lot more to get the same clarity! For example with the esv I only have to use a cup and a half to get the same effects as two and a half or three cups of say matrix, black diamond, and others but it only last a week to a week and a half, so I go through it rather quickly so I've really been leaning towards the small size lignite carbon from BRS as it looks very similar! But also I dont want to spend the money on the 5 gallon bucket if it's not going to get the water as clear as the esv, I like my water clear as possible because I've tried not running carbon for a couple of weeks at a time and my corals rapidly seem to loose their color because of the fouling of the water so I've found that the better clarity of my water the better and quicker my corals gain and hold their colors!

 

[Reef UP]

Also guys please state the reason you use the brand you use and the water clarity on a scale from 1-10 1 being cloudy like not running carbon and 10 being you can look from one end of your tank and it seem to be completely clear to the eye! Thank you to everyone so far and their input!

 

[drainbamage]

Gotcha- I use vodka dosing to promote my water clarity, so I'm not as worried on the carbon for that purpose- I just use the carbon to pull out any toxins/chemicals/contaminants/heavy metals that may get into the system, or that the corals put off.

 

[Reef UP]

Gotcha- I use vodka dosing to promote my water clarity, so I'm not as worried on the carbon for that purpose- I just use the carbon to pull out any toxins/chemicals/contaminants/heavy metals that may get into the system, or that the corals put off.

Yeah I dose too, but I have many fish as well! And tons of coral!

 

[nixer]

Different brands don't mean different carbon. I bet a lot of it comes from the same source..

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

pretty much! some are better sealed, some less dusty. either way its mostly the same.


i pretty much use what ever is cheap at the time. my next batch im starting this month will be from premium aquatics bulk.

 

[Billgax]

Does anybody phosphate test the carbon they use? I ran out of choices with my old LFS selection before moving back to Seattle... due to the leached PO4 of most carbons on the shelf.
It is for this reason that I am a fan of the 2 Little Fishies brand... I think matrix was pretty low too...

 

[skinz78]

Bill isn't the TLF what Johnathan recommended? I do remember that he did a full trial on a bunch of different brands a few years ago.

 

[Billgax]

Bill isn't the TLF what Johnathan recommended? I do remember that he did a full trial on a bunch of different brands a few years ago.

Think he was talking about their kalk... But I use both because they rock.

 

[aslmx]

I use the brs ro x, My nitrates always ran 20 or above no matter what I did. I added a reactor with the ro x carbon and gfo and now they are always 0. Heavy stocked 75 gallon.

 

[CalmSeasQuest]

Rox 0.8 - Rinses easy, works well in reactor (hard, fewer fines.).

 

[redtop03]

Bulk reef supply has a nice selection and explanation of differences. I use the activated lignite carbon personally, but there is better stuff, it just costs more.

+1.....me too.....I don't know if 1 is better than another but I like it because I can buy in bulk from BRS

 

[mysterybox]

BRS large activated lignite carbon or black diamond

 

[CJO]

BRS Rox 0.8 for me. They have a video on their site about activated carbon that is pretty interesting.

CJ