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Old carbon filters

L

lysol

When your carbon runs out and you had a big 50lb filter, what do you do? Put it infront of a neighbors house? Do you worry about narcs & jackers? Hauling a big carbon filter is a lot different then throwing out a non-suspicious bag of trash that contains some clippings
 

K.J

Kief Junkie's inhaling the knowledge!
Veteran
I too would be interested to hear what people are doing with them.
 
G

good drown

i would separate the carbon from the filter and dispose separately. I imagine the carbon could have a slight smell to it now its all used up. once you remove the carbon, you could just smash the hell out of the filter and just toss it in an apartment complex's dumpster.
 

hbstoner

Member
take the carbon out.. get large sledgehammer or metal saw, smash/cut it up until its not totally obvious what it used to be, and then take it to a recycling center/put it in the trash.
 
Nah..... Just put it in a regular plastic trash bag and discretely toss it into a dumpster at an aparment complex or a commercial building.
 

hbstoner

Member
Nah..... Just put it in a regular plastic trash bag and discretely toss it into a dumpster at an aparment complex or a commercial building.

Where im from its kinda a bad idea to be dropping anything off at a dumpster. A couple months ago i was tossing some grow trash into a dumpster and saw a person taking pictures of me. Needless to say I took the only bag i threw in there out right away and left.
 

xOOx

Active member
u can drill out the rivets and replace it w/fresh carbon..reuse..or smash n dump if u dont wanna reuse like others said..bash it down to scrap metal, throw it out at home depot or something lol

throw the carbon out a little at a time in the regular trash? throw a handful or two or five in the garbage bag.. so it doesnt get too heavy..

put it in the lawn spreader and walk around ur backyard with it until its gone, lol. good for the soil..

put it in ur bbq..add lighter fluid...invite friends over for burgers n dogz?

can't u eat carbon for fresh smelling farts n poop? i don't think it's harmful..

oh yeah, old carbon can be reactivated if you can heat it up to 600 degrees for a while or so..there is rumor that putting it the dryer on high for an hr reactivates it also, but i doubt it..lemme know if it works..be green and recycle...

xoox
 

Hammerhead

Disabled Farmer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I had screws on the top of my can filter. Replacing the carbon is easy. I even reused the old carbon while I waited for the new stuff to show up. You can take the old carbon and wash it(very messy take precautions) I used a 5g bucket and rinsed it using RODI water. After a good 30 wash I put it back into the can filter and used it for another 6months. The carbon that's in these is the same stuff used in Aquariums to activate it you need to wash it. It will make a snaping sound when activated.
 
G

good drown

I had screws on the top of my can filter. Replacing the carbon is easy. I even reused the old carbon while I waited for the new stuff to show up. You can take the old carbon and wash it(very messy take precautions) I used a 5g bucket and rinsed it using RODI water. After a good 30 wash I put it back into the can filter and used it for another 6months. The carbon that's in these is the same stuff used in Aquariums to activate it you need to wash it. It will make a snaping sound when activated.
was there any issues compacting the carbon back in? thats the only issue i herd of.
 

hbstoner

Member
From what I understand the carbon has to be packed very tight into the filter for it to be effective as new. Otherwise there are gaps in-between the carbon where smell can leak through. Other then that I dont see any problem with re-filling it up.
 

Hammerhead

Disabled Farmer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
That's the hardest part. Put some in pack it down put more in pack it down. The one I used I had to slam the end down on the concrete to pack it. You can get the carbon in bulk very cost effective.
 
L

lysol

Thank you that answers my question, safest route sounds like to smash down the shell. Putting a 50lb filter in a garbage bag and "tossing it" it in the dumpster is a little crazy, it would be very loud at least* and likely for the trash men to have problems when they empty the dumpster

* mine has a long chute and then a drop off so someone would probably think Im throwing away a nuclear reactor lol

yummm 2.19oz of carbon for breakfast everyday lol for a year straight with no stopping, tempting eh?
 

DIGITALHIPPY

Active member
Veteran
lol.... this is hilarious....

honestly ive has a small-ass can-33 for like 4 or 5 years and it still works great, even better then my new 33 and 100..

you can also run a "less CFM" fan on that filter... and do nothing, giving more exposure time will decrease smell.

had yours a while eh?
 
My last filter was a Can 33. It lasted a bit less than 18 mos. I use it with a 6" Can-Fan, the low output one.

As it wore out, I could detect smell at peak flower; that is scarey.

I got a somthing like a Can 33-special model 50 now. So far, works great.
 
P

Purple_trees

Ive heard 6 months life span from manufacturer, and ive always wondered about that. I thought it had to be longer. I just would want it to die out on me and find out the hard way.. its just no fun hauling/ buying a can 150
 

Pythagllio

Patient Grower
Veteran
When your carbon runs out and you had a big 50lb filter, what do you do? Put it infront of a neighbors house? Do you worry about narcs & jackers? Hauling a big carbon filter is a lot different then throwing out a non-suspicious bag of trash that contains some clippings

Hopefully you are discarding that bag of trash with clippings someplace other than near your grow. Rookie mistake if you're leaving it near your grow, and stop doing that as a trash pull is standard when the cops want a search warrant.

Anyway, if you empty them out the smaller ones make lovely trash cans. Larger ones can be used as laundry hampers. You can use them to rinse media, if you use a media that needs to be rinsed. I have a CAN 75 and I'm thinking about giving it a try as an incinerator when it craps out. Next idea is some people actually get more activated carbon and refill and re-use them.
 
C

Cheeb

Easiest thing to do in my book is to take it back to the hydro shop and give it back. They more likely wouldn't have a problem tossing it for you.. or they could change the pre-filter and hang it for display purposes.

It beats looking hilarious tossing some giant canister. I bought it there - I'll give it back and let them decide what to do with it.

Also a great way of getting rid of nutrient jugs, equipment related trash. Keep it 100% clean and seperate and take it back to your local shop. IF they dont mind ofcourse. I do crush up my jugs as best as possible to avoid filling up their dumpster much.

peace
cheeb
 
L

lysol

Hopefully you are discarding that bag of trash with clippings someplace other than near your grow. Rookie mistake if you're leaving it near your grow, and stop doing that as a trash pull is standard when the cops want a search warrant.

The point was that a bag of trash can be disposed of in lots of ways. If rapists can dispose of dead bodies I think a few blunt guts and stuff now and then in a random dumpster isnt really a big deal.

On the other hand, a cop sees a big ass carbon filter sitting out in the sun and decides the dept. is using your prints for training or something, youre fucked
 
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