Activated Carbon questions....

[Hawk]

I want to build my own carbon scrubber. What kind of activated carbon should I be looking for? For example, does it matter if it's pelletized or granular? Should I pay extra for carbon with a CTC rating or is an iodine or undetermined rating practically as good? Is carbon advertised for aquarium applications acceptable for air scrubbing?

Where are good sources to get activated carbon? I figure 10 or 15 pounds of carbon from the pet store won't be a good value. I've checked Ebay and found some choices but I'm not sure what to buy.

thanks

 

[soulflyx2k]

Hmm, Im not sure, I got some premium activated carbon at the fish store 900ml for 15 bucks. seems to be perfect size carbon for a scotch bright dish scrubber(very porous). I have pics in some othe rpost

 

[Old Yeller]

I built this one using a 4" Papst 120v 105cfm axial fan - a Royko spin-off using Honeywell carbon impreg filters from HD - so far it's been handling 8 girls 6 weeks into 12/12.

If I had to do it over again, I'd probably just get one of those 4" Dutch Breeze scrubbers for around $80, but I had the tools & extra parts & DIY is the shit to me when it actually works.

 

[bumba]

http://stores.ebay.com/Carbon-Eze


thank me later

 

[petemoss]

Hawk,
Those pet shop activated charcoal boxes will work. You can also find bulk carbon in pelletized form on eBay, if you're willing to buy at least 50 lbs at a time. But why bother? You can buy a new 4" Can filter for about $40 from Md Hydro already filled and packed. By packed, it means that the filter is filled with carbon and then placed on a vibrating pad for a few hours. The vibrations settle the pellets of carbon so that they are more tightly packed in.
More carbon is added and the shaking continues until everything is nice and tight. Quite a bit of carbon is used in the Can filters. I believe my Can33 has over 15 lbs of carbon.

 

[wafflehouselove]

get pellets if you can they restrict less air.

 

[soulflyx2k]

I sew up a bag, and im just going to sew 1 inch dividers to section off the carbon, that way it wont lump in the bottom, if you do that it should be fine

 

[hoosierdaddy]

I have been using Fresh Step cat litter that has both the smelly crystals and activated carbon in my scrubber (8"dia x 12"). It does the trick real nice, and for a fraction of the cost of carbon. I think it may need to be changed every 2-3 months as opposed to carbon that may last 6-10.

 

[FullMetalJacket]

Hawk man, I agree with with Petemoss on this one. Just purchase a quality carbon filter dont make it. They are the best thing you can buy other than a muzzel to keep yourself out of jail.

Don't use carbon from the fish store. There are different qualities of carbon and they differ greatly. If you do do your own...less air restriction is not always what you are looking for as someone mentioned... make sure you pack it tight by vibrating the filter.

I have built 2 in the past and they worked OK. But nothing like my can 33 rated at 200 max cfm has been working. I also use a 4" can filer 2900 that works good but is only rated at 50 max cfm. They also make a larger(longer) 4" filter that is rated at 100 max cfm..

 

[Villain]

I bought the goblin filter made for the HydroHut. It was 50.00 and under the cotton cover the ends are attached with rivets. When the time comes I plan to buy some really good carbon, drill out the rivets, fill it tight packed, and machine screw it back together. I bet you could do this with any filter after it is dpleted. Some first time arround buy a pre-made filter then refill it yourself the right way.

 

[bounty29]

get pellets if you can they restrict less air.

Which means more odor gets through. I had the same reasoning but I notice an improvement after switching from pelletized to granular. Sure the air has to move through more, but that's the point.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

No matter the size of the carbon, the key is the thickness of the medium vs the volume of airflow. The air must be in contact with the medium for a specific amount of time to be effective.

And FMJ, I will put my DIY scrubber up against any bought unit there is of equal size.

 

[FullMetalJacket]

And FMJ, I will put my DIY scrubber up against any bought unit there is of equal size.

Then you share something in common wiith the Hoosiers as your name suggests; you don't mind loosing. lol

Doesn't kitty litter smell like kitty litter?

 

[Guest]

Which means more odor gets through. I had the same reasoning but I notice an improvement after switching from pelletized to granular. Sure the air has to move through more, but that's the point.

Gotta thank you again b29!
It wasn't too long ago I asked the same question and you gave me the same good advice!

http://stores.ebay.com/Carbon-Eze


thank me later

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Beware the Crean and Crimson, FMJ!

But there is no way a bought scrubber has more integrity than my DIY. The medium chamber is 2 in thick x 12 inches long, built the same way a bought one would be, for far less coin. 8" x 12" w/6" duct flange cost me under $50 to make.
I didn't figure a guy like you would be buying anything like that.

And the cat litter smells like carpet fresh.

 

[bounty29]

I have cats, and I use Fresh Step with the carbon in it. It smells gross, I wouldn't want to be blowing that smell all over my apartment.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

lol...I have mine in the garage, and the smell is an improvement from the oil and grease.
I will soon be sucking through the unit to the attic. Handles more volume in that position as well.

 

[Old Yeller]

hoosierdaddy - maybe you could elaborate a little on your DIY scrubber for Hawk (& me)? My lemon/pine/citris bagseed girls weren't a big odor problem on my first grow, but I just got some AK47 clones & I hear they get really skunky. I'm convinced that next to Loose Lips, odor control is high on the MJ security list.

 

[Hawk]

FWIW, I bought 18lbs of carbon from ebay seller thirdmillenium. Shipping was super fast. I built my own scrubber and it's working like a charm.

thanks bumba!

edit: I should note that this carbon seemed to have enough fine particulates to notice. I have very little experience with carbon so maybe all granulated carbon is like that [shrug]. With my particular DIY scrubber (my own square "box" design) I get a bit of carbon dust that accumulates inside my air cooled hood (scrubber > hood > fan). It's not a major problem--more of an annoyance. We're talking a few spots on the glass where the airflow builds it up into a light dusting. After a day or two of running the dust stops accumulating until I jostle my scrubber around. But it seems to be lessening with time so maybe the dust just needs to work it's way out. I am thankful by SuperSun 2 hood is easy to open and clean. It could be my particular scrubber bears most of the responsibility--not the carbon itself. I will buy this carbon again. No other option I could find offered an equal value.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

My filter is fashioned using techniques from several different scrubber tutorials.
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=29402
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=509470
Mine is similar to the one in the first link, but I used 8"x6" and 12" long.
I ended up spending about $50 after all said and done.
It works like a charm, and is plenty big for the largest of cabs.
The cat litter does put off an aroma, but I don't have cats, so I can imagine my stuff smelling better than bounty's...lol. But like I said, it is really no more of a smell than carpet deodorizer if you are pushing through it. If exhausting to outside, who cares?