Fluval Activated Carbon

[Skim]

I had some Fluval Carbon lying around so I grabbed it, looked at it looks OK size range from .5 to max 4 mm most being in the 1 to 3 mm. So after reading a great article on Carbon
Feature Article: Granular Activated Carbon, Part 1: Modeling of Operational Parameters for Dissolved Organic Carbon Removal from Marine Aquaria
Feature Article: Granular Activated Carbon, Part 2: Modeling of Operational Parameters for Dissolved Organic Carbon Removal from Marine Aquaria
I measured 200 g of Carbon put it my media reactor and proceeded to rinse. Well was I surprised, this has to be one of the cleanest Carbons I have used, no black water just a tiny tinge to the water. Wow this reminded me of the Vertex ROX 0.8 Carbon, I hook up plumbing and set flow to 500 ml in 10 sec which gives me about 50 gal/h and watch the Carbon for a while to make sure it was not tumbling, perfect just a little rumble like water boiling, what amazed me was all the bubbles or fizz that would rise from the Carbon for like a hour, give a little shack fizz and again fizz I just gave up. I came back about a hour later and could see results already, impressed. Now the reason I posting this is because I have used many different Carbons, SeaChem, Marineland Black Diamond, Vertex ROX 0.8, Hydrocarbon 2, PolypLab Pro Carbon, all these being the most recent and out of these 4 are let's say not cheap. So far I would compare it to the Vertex and Hydrocarbon 2 for a. How quickly it started make a difference and b. How clean this Carbon is.
Best part, you can buy a 1650 g container for 24.99 and if you want bulk get 4 of them for 87.99, that is 14.5 lbs or 6.6 Kg and works out to just over 6 bucks a lb. I think I may have found a new Carbon. So far very impressed with it but it is still early.
Anyhow you may want to check it out for yourself.

Skim

 

[Pistol]

I used that carbon exclusively in the past, it's great carbon, a while back I ordered some stuff from BRS and needed carbon so I tried there ROX .08 because I didn't want to make a separate order and hate it, it's too fine and dusty. I will be going back to Fluval when it's gone.

 

[Skim]

Ya that ROX 0.8 is a real PITA to use. When I used it I put it in a PhosBan 150 with a with a SeaChem " The Bag " at the end of the return and half ended up in the bag which is no good because then it tumbles and creates dust.