BRS .8 carbon ?

tinnghe · 08/30/2009, 11:18 AM

In need of getting more carbon and have a question. Does the brs 0.8 carbon better than the regular one? Worth the money to get the better?

ricde · 08/30/2009, 11:29 AM

I use it and really like it. Be aware, the particles are very tiny, won't work in most filer media bags.
I run mine through the BRS reactor. Works good, but sometimes the carbon squeezes into the filter pads in the reactor.

tinnghe · 08/30/2009, 11:53 AM

I run 2 tls phosban reactor with one for carbon and the other for phos. I've been using marineland black diamond are they lots smaller?

ricde · 08/30/2009, 01:04 PM

Yes, a lot smaller but more efficient. The marineland is comparable to the BRS large particle lignite.

I wouldn't worry much with the smaller size in your reactor as long as it's an upflow style.

The ROX .08 works good because it's a lot harder than the lignite. It requires minimal rinsing (I don't even bother rinsing) and doesn't get ground down as bad from tumbling.

I also recently ordered some of there HC GFO. So far it's been doing great. I was using their regular GFO but it always got ground down to mush by the time it needed replacement.

I haven't run the HC long enough to determine if it's worth the extra $$. Hopefully someone else will chime in on it.

rbnice1 · 08/30/2009, 01:38 PM

I use it. I like it however dont fill your reactor all the way up or oyu can plug it. I use a BRS reator and leave about 2 - 3 inches free so it can tumble.

tinnghe · 08/30/2009, 01:40 PM

read it from the other post, everyone seem to sworn by it. i will give it a try, i was going to buy a gallon of the carbon, so i want to make sure that they work better before sinking that much money into it. does anyone know a thread that compare different carbon and how much better each one is?

luther1200 · 08/30/2009, 03:18 PM

Try asking in the Chemistry forum. They have a lot of good info on that kind of thing.

tufacody · 08/30/2009, 03:50 PM

I ordered the large particle lignite fron BRS once and I could NEVER get the stuff to run clean. My skimmer was coated in black powder for 2 weeks.

luther1200 · 08/30/2009, 03:55 PM

Did you rinse it prior to use? If you did you should have rinsed it a bit more then. And if it wouldn't rinse clean I wouldn't have even ran it on my tank. But I have never had that problem with any GAC.

tufacody · 08/30/2009, 04:11 PM

oh i rinsed and rinsed and rinsed and rinsed...

I shouldn't have used it, but hate to just throw away good money.

luther1200 · 08/30/2009, 05:00 PM

That's odd. Maybe it got crushed during shipping somehow and had a lot of dust.

tinnghe · 08/30/2009, 08:48 PM

i've heard that the 0.8 are harder than the regular one. i dont know how that workout

BeanAnimal · 08/30/2009, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ricde
The ROX .08 works good because it's a lot harder than the lignite. It requires minimal rinsing (I don't even bother rinsing) and doesn't get ground down as bad from tumbling.

You should never let carbon tumble, it should be tightly packed so that it does not grind itself away. There have been several studies that link carbon dust to Lateral Line and/or hole in the head disease. (Don't have the links handy.. but you can find them using google).

ricde · 08/30/2009, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BeanAnimal
You should never let carbon tumble, it should be tightly packed so that it does not grind itself away. There have been several studies that link carbon dust to Lateral Line and/or hole in the head disease. (Don't have the links handy.. but you can find them using google).

This is true of most softer carbon. The .08 is a lot harder though and can withstand the grinding action a lot better. Filling the reactor all the way up would get real expensive, real quick. (assuming you change carbon regularly- 2-3 weeks)

Slowing the flow can also reduce the grinding. It just takes time and trial and error to find the right balance. The rox really helps here.

BeanAnimal · 08/30/2009, 09:55 PM

I would still not let it tumble. You don't need to fill the reactor, just push a sponge, needle point mesh, or a similar keeper over the carbon. If you change it often enough, even filter floss would not be a bad idea

ryshark · 08/30/2009, 09:56 PM

With the BRS reactor you do not need to fill the cannister all the way up. They give you a circular foam pad which hold the GAC up towards the top of the cannister and it does not tumble at all. I have a 180-gallon tank and going by BRS instruction the cannister is only about 1/3 full of GAC.

tinnghe · 08/30/2009, 10:20 PM

I use the tls reactor and I have a 150 so maybe more than half full.

tinnghe · 08/31/2009, 12:50 PM

..

08/30/2009, 11:18 AM	#1
tinnghe Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 800	BRS .8 carbon ? In need of getting more carbon and have a question. Does the brs 0.8 carbon better than the regular one? Worth the money to get the better?

08/30/2009, 03:18 PM	#7
luther1200 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NJ, shore Posts: 4,376	Try asking in the Chemistry forum. They have a lot of good info on that kind of thing. __________________ Matt, 65G reef tank Current Tank Info: 65g reef, mix of sps, lps, few softies. Hoping to upgrade within the year.

08/30/2009, 03:55 PM	#9
luther1200 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NJ, shore Posts: 4,376	Did you rinse it prior to use? If you did you should have rinsed it a bit more then. And if it wouldn't rinse clean I wouldn't have even ran it on my tank. But I have never had that problem with any GAC. __________________ Matt, 65G reef tank Current Tank Info: 65g reef, mix of sps, lps, few softies. Hoping to upgrade within the year.

08/30/2009, 05:00 PM	#11
luther1200 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NJ, shore Posts: 4,376	That's odd. Maybe it got crushed during shipping somehow and had a lot of dust. __________________ Matt, 65G reef tank Current Tank Info: 65g reef, mix of sps, lps, few softies. Hoping to upgrade within the year.

08/30/2009, 11:29 AM	#2
ricde Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Fayetteville, NC Posts: 452	I use it and really like it. Be aware, the particles are very tiny, won't work in most filer media bags. I run mine through the BRS reactor. Works good, but sometimes the carbon squeezes into the filter pads in the reactor.

08/30/2009, 11:53 AM	#3
tinnghe Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 800	I run 2 tls phosban reactor with one for carbon and the other for phos. I've been using marineland black diamond are they lots smaller?

08/30/2009, 01:04 PM	#4
ricde Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Fayetteville, NC Posts: 452	Yes, a lot smaller but more efficient. The marineland is comparable to the BRS large particle lignite. I wouldn't worry much with the smaller size in your reactor as long as it's an upflow style. The ROX .08 works good because it's a lot harder than the lignite. It requires minimal rinsing (I don't even bother rinsing) and doesn't get ground down as bad from tumbling. I also recently ordered some of there HC GFO. So far it's been doing great. I was using their regular GFO but it always got ground down to mush by the time it needed replacement. I haven't run the HC long enough to determine if it's worth the extra $$. Hopefully someone else will chime in on it.

08/30/2009, 01:38 PM	#5
rbnice1 Moved On Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cedar Hill Posts: 3,905	I use it. I like it however dont fill your reactor all the way up or oyu can plug it. I use a BRS reator and leave about 2 - 3 inches free so it can tumble.

08/30/2009, 01:40 PM	#6
tinnghe Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 800	read it from the other post, everyone seem to sworn by it. i will give it a try, i was going to buy a gallon of the carbon, so i want to make sure that they work better before sinking that much money into it. does anyone know a thread that compare different carbon and how much better each one is?

08/30/2009, 03:50 PM	#8
tufacody Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,890	I ordered the large particle lignite fron BRS once and I could NEVER get the stuff to run clean. My skimmer was coated in black powder for 2 weeks.

08/30/2009, 04:11 PM	#10
tufacody Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,890	oh i rinsed and rinsed and rinsed and rinsed... I shouldn't have used it, but hate to just throw away good money.

08/30/2009, 08:48 PM	#12
tinnghe Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 800	i've heard that the 0.8 are harder than the regular one. i dont know how that workout

08/30/2009, 09:55 PM	#15
BeanAnimal Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 20,772	I would still not let it tumble. You don't need to fill the reactor, just push a sponge, needle point mesh, or a similar keeper over the carbon. If you change it often enough, even filter floss would not be a bad idea

08/30/2009, 09:56 PM	#16
ryshark Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: So. Cal. Posts: 2,169	With the BRS reactor you do not need to fill the cannister all the way up. They give you a circular foam pad which hold the GAC up towards the top of the cannister and it does not tumble at all. I have a 180-gallon tank and going by BRS instruction the cannister is only about 1/3 full of GAC.

08/30/2009, 10:20 PM	#17
tinnghe Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 800	I use the tls reactor and I have a 150 so maybe more than half full.

08/31/2009, 12:50 PM	#18
tinnghe Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 800	..