Home depot carbon filter experiment

[Bajamike]

So I got to thinking (look out I may hurt myself) what if I used the same carbon I use to filter my RO water to filter my tank. Would it work?
Pros
1) Cheaper
2) wont be such a mess to empty and fill I hate rinsing the carbon and trying to pour it in.
3) Dont have to go to the LFS or order carbon

Cons
1) dont know if it would drop salinity at all I will check it often
2) 40 bucks wasted
3) unsure how much flow to put through it

I dont think that it will hurt the water any due to the fack I use the same filter on my RO water. But I will check ph alk and calcium often and report back any findings

I will stay on my weekly 50 gallon water changes and dosing kawlk ( 1/2 tspn a day)

This is the pre-filter I will use so the carbon does not get cloged. I can go to a finer filter if I need to but I wanted to try this first.

This is the carbon filter 2 micron

I would Like any thoughts on this. Will keep the post updated

 

[Bajamike]

Mag 1500 alk. 10.5 calc. 480

 

[scchase]

Just a note on carbon there are two major types, large pore and small pore, small pore carbon is ussually used in RO filters, pitcher filters and the like and is good at removing different compounds than what we are looking for in aquarium carbons also some carbons depending on what they are made from release phosphates in the water, in your RO filter this isnt a problem as they get removed again in the DI stage of the filter however when used directly in the aquarium there is nothing to pull them out before entering the water column. I may have got the pore sizes reversed on what they do but you get the general idea.

 

[Bajamike]

Just a note on carbon there are two major types, large pore and small pore, small pore carbon is ussually used in RO filters, pitcher filters and the like and is good at removing different compounds than what we are looking for in aquarium carbons also some carbons depending on what they are made from release phosphates in the water, in your RO filter this isnt a problem as they get removed again in the DI stage of the filter however when used directly in the aquarium there is nothing to pull them out before entering the water column. I may have got the pore sizes reversed on what they do but you get the general idea.

Thats why I am going to test just to make sure of no phosphate leakage figure its worth a try and will watch for that thank you for the heads up

 

[Haulin Oates]

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