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RE: charcoal filters
"...via a swamp-cooler valve ($5 at
ACE) near the top for autofill with never any overflows."
Hi Wright,
I practically spend half my life at ACE, but have never run across this
animal.
Can you describe it and how it works. I could use a device like that.
Thanks,
mike
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wright Huntley [SMTP:huntley1 at home_com]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2000 1:18 PM
> To: killietalk at aka_org
> Subject: Re: charcoal filters
>
>
>
> "Morris, George" wrote:
> >
> > The main reason I don't use charcoal is because of the amazing range of
> > stories I hear from knowlegeable people about what it will or won't do.
> I'm
> > guessing that the different observations come form different kinds of
> carbon
> > which probably act differently.
>
> That's exactly right, George. The finely-ground kind of activated carbon
> in
> my high-pressure cartridges used to strip chlorine and its bound ammonia
> (for my tap-water storage) is very different from the chunky stuff at the
> LFS. That stuff can reduce medicinal dyes and peat stains a bit, but
> serves
> only a minimal useful purpose, IMHO. Water change works better for me.
>
> A web search can find you lots of sites with information on the different
> kinds of activated carbon -- how it's done and what kinds of materials are
> "burned" to get it.
>
> My only use of activated carbon, in recent years has been for the above
> water conditioning before it ever reaches my tanks. It lets me avoid using
> "Amquel" to bind up the chloramine. "Amquel," I feel, can kill
> micro-inverts
> (infusoria) that I need in the tanks as either baby food or bacteria
> eaters.
> It's wonderful for shipping and other purposes, though.
>
> I also do a few planted tanks for display. The carbon will not remove most
> trace elements directly, but, when they are chelated (bound to an organic
> molecule), it can remove vital nutrients like zinc and iron. That's *not*
> a
> good idea, IMO.
>
> As Charles H. recently pointed out, carbon works best at really, really
> slow
> flow rates. I throttle my whole-house-size filters down to a bare trickle,
> and run two in series so I can sample with a valve between and test for
> chlorine. When some punches through, I discard the first filter in line,
> and
> replace with the (essentially unused) second. The new filter goes into the
> second holder just as a safety, if I don't catch the punch-through soon
> enough.
>
> The output goes into a 40G food-grade barrel via a swamp-cooler valve ($5
> at
> ACE) near the top for autofill with never any overflows. It has been a
> wonderful system that I recommend for anyone with a fair number of tanks.
>
> Wright
>
> --
> Wright Huntley, Fremont CA, USA, 510 494-8679 huntleyone at home dot com
>
> The politicians favor low cost drugs for seniors.
> They oppose low cost drugs for college kids.
> Sounds wrong to me, somehow
> (and I'm a senior)!
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