wesreyn Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I got a few buckets of carbon with a package deal a while back. There is no date on them but everything the deal was older so it wouldn't surprise me if they were 2-5 years old. They were tightly closed but some had been used so they were not sealed. I was wondering if carbon expires or goes bad? I would hate for it to leach something in the water but it would save me some money if it were safe to use. Any input would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 If they were tightly closed I would use it, especially if it was in buckets as they are usually watertight when closed. If it was left open it would be pulling pollutants out of the air. I would be hesitant about using GFO if it was years old as I understand it it is chemically reactive but I've never checked with a manufacturer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hydro Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 That carbon is probable fine. You can recharge and reuse used carbon by baking it at 500 degrees, makes using carbon much less expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 That carbon is probable fine. You can recharge and reuse used carbon by baking it at 500 degrees, makes using carbon much less expensive. +1 bake it and use it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mel in Elgin Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I didn't know you could bake and re-use....I throw carbon out monthly!!!!! Thanks for the tip. How long should you bake it at 500 degrees???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pailines Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 But just curious, wouldn't that cause evaporation of coral toxin, if there is any trap in the AC, causing it airborne? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 But just curious, wouldn't that cause evaporation of coral toxin, if there is any trap in the AC, causing it airborne? What is coral toxin? I would think that there will be organic odor coming from the oven. Not sure what exactly it is, so, you may be right about toxin. At the least, odorous. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hydro Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I didn't know you could bake and re-use....I throw carbon out monthly!!!!! Thanks for the tip. How long should you bake it at 500 degrees???? I think that the way it works is that once it reaches 500 degrees, the carbon...not the oven, then it should be cleansed. From what I understand this vaporizes what the carbon has absorbed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Just make sure that you have your oven hood fan on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Typically what i have done in other applications (not reef) I would stick it on a baking sheet that i dont care about (one i bought at the dollar store) and I stick it in the oven and set the oven on clean.... This keeps all the air inside the oven and heats it enough to get the AC to 500 easily everything inside the oven gets vaporized as H.I said. Always worked great for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pailines Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 (edited) But just curious, wouldn't that cause evaporation of coral toxin, if there is any trap in the AC, causing it airborne? What is coral toxin? I would think that there will be organic odor coming from the oven. Not sure what exactly it is, so, you may be right about toxin. At the least, odorous. Patrick I mean like palythoa toxin and such. AC absorbs the toxin and we bake the AC.... kinda put one and one together... Edited February 26, 2012 by Pailines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Capt. Obvious Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Toxins in the air from baking carbon used to filter reef aquariums....hmmm, totally surprised Hollywood hasn't used this as as zombie/outbreak film premise yet...guess I know my next pitch idea Needs a snappy pun for the working title... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 "Carbon Copies" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michae52 Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Recycling activated charcoal in your home oven can be dangerous, as it is a flammable material; activated carbon derived from wood or peat can ignite at about 400 degrees F. Read more: How to Recycle Activated Charcoal | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_7411828_recycle-activated-charcoal.html#ixzz1nV7SXXQC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 I tend to agree with Michael. For the money saved, it seems excessively frugal. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesreyn Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 Yea, thanks for the idea but I would rather buy new than bake it. My wife already thinks I'm crazy enough for some of the things I do for my tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hydro Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Ya I never have done it myself, but I have thought about trying it. We sell carbon air scrubbers from a company called Can-Filters, the instructions I have were given to me by the manufacturer, ehow.com may know more about it though 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckyuv Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 i think the carbon in the buckets should be fine especially if they are sealed! im going to try the baking method, it would save so much money if it dont start a fire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Edits made but I think this is a beneficial thread and that open discussion of the topic is worthwhile. Let's all play nice people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Hydrogeologist here, so i'm pretty comfortable with the subject matter. I have a groundwater treatment system that uses 55 gallon drums filled with activated carbon to remove chlorinated solvents from groundwater. You *can* bake out the contaminants, but only a certain subset of contaminants are able to be removed via thermal destruction. Things that fall into the class of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) will come out very readily in that temperature range. However, heavy metals will *not* come out as a result of increased heat. The kinds of things that I would personally be concerned about in my tank would include both VOCs as well as heavy metals. Given the relatively low cost of carbon, I would personally be inclined to toss the stuff and replace. Although the tropic of the thread was technically "can carbon be resued", the answer is yes, albeit with caveats. Whether or not this is the best management practice for reefing depends entirely on your risk tolerance as well as risk tolerance from your wife beating you to death for spending more money on your tank 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Hydrogeologist here, so i'm pretty comfortable with the subject matter. I have a groundwater treatment system that uses 55 gallon drums filled with activated carbon to remove chlorinated solvents from groundwater. You *can* bake out the contaminants, but only a certain subset of contaminants are able to be removed via thermal destruction. Things that fall into the class of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) will come out very readily in that temperature range. However, heavy metals will *not* come out as a result of increased heat. The kinds of things that I would personally be concerned about in my tank would include both VOCs as well as heavy metals. Given the relatively low cost of carbon, I would personally be inclined to toss the stuff and replace. Although the tropic of the thread was technically "can carbon be resued", the answer is yes, albeit with caveats. Whether or not this is the best management practice for reefing depends entirely on your risk tolerance as well as risk tolerance from your wife beating you to death for spending more money on your tank When you thermally destroy the voc's in the carbon do you really think it is necessary to do the multiple steps outlines in ehow.com or will it be sufficient to just stick it in and bake it? I'm curious if my process could be refined to make it a better outcome or if my oven on clean method is enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michae52 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Victoly, you a fellow geologist. I graduated from the University of Oklahoma B.S. 1974, MBA 76. Where did you go? I was thinking of majoring in Hydrology at one time, but sold myself out to petroluem. That would be a great degree now. Sorry, I ventured off the subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 **** sooner, i refuse to answer you question! Does that answer your question? Meh, the petroleum geologists make about double my salary, but I get to live in austin instead of houston. I consider it a worthy trade. Bio3/Chris - Honestly, I'm not sure. Is the extra step you're referring to letting it dry prior to cranking up the heat? If so, it seems to me that the heating process is going to drive off the water anyway, unless there is some other reaction happening that I'm not aware of. My preference is to toss the stuff anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Hydrogeologist here, so i'm pretty comfortable with the subject matter. I have a groundwater treatment system that uses 55 gallon drums filled with activated carbon to remove chlorinated solvents from groundwater. You *can* bake out the contaminants, but only a certain subset of contaminants are able to be removed via thermal destruction. Things that fall into the class of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) will come out very readily in that temperature range. However, heavy metals will *not* come out as a result of increased heat. The kinds of things that I would personally be concerned about in my tank would include both VOCs as well as heavy metals. Given the relatively low cost of carbon, I would personally be inclined to toss the stuff and replace. Although the tropic of the thread was technically "can carbon be resued", the answer is yes, albeit with caveats. Whether or not this is the best management practice for reefing depends entirely on your risk tolerance as well as risk tolerance from your wife beating you to death for spending more money on your tank What aquifier are you getting chlorinated solvents from? I use Trinity Aquifier water straight out of the ground into my reef tanks.Why does ground water have chlorinated solvents? Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Hydrogeologist here, so i'm pretty comfortable with the subject matter. I have a groundwater treatment system that uses 55 gallon drums filled with activated carbon to remove chlorinated solvents from groundwater. You *can* bake out the contaminants, but only a certain subset of contaminants are able to be removed via thermal destruction. Things that fall into the class of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) will come out very readily in that temperature range. However, heavy metals will *not* come out as a result of increased heat. The kinds of things that I would personally be concerned about in my tank would include both VOCs as well as heavy metals. Given the relatively low cost of carbon, I would personally be inclined to toss the stuff and replace. Although the tropic of the thread was technically "can carbon be resued", the answer is yes, albeit with caveats. Whether or not this is the best management practice for reefing depends entirely on your risk tolerance as well as risk tolerance from your wife beating you to death for spending more money on your tank What aquifier are you getting chlorinated solvents from? I use Trinity Aquifier water straight out of the ground into my reef tanks.Why does ground water have chlorinated solvents? Patrick Surficial aquifers. You would be astounded at the quantity of shallow groundwater contamination that we have statewide as a result of heavy industry and oil and gas production. Luckily it only rarely affects the deep stuff that we use for water supply. And to answer the why, it was standard operating procedure to store wastewater in unlined pits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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