Where to buy Activated Carbon... Anyone know?

Squire5683 · Mar 10, 2010

Hello all... I have built a beautiful filter for my odor in my rooms. Now Im looking for the Carbon to fill it. I didnt realize it was such a pain in the a##. Ive tried Home d, Lowes, pet stores, etc.... I can find small 2oz boxes of it, but im looking for a 50 lb bag of this stuff.... Theres some stuff on Ebay, but in their ads it says to look at their website for premium carbon... WTF I just want something that is going to work. Thanks for any help!!

rrog · Mar 10, 2010

You do not want the coal-based carbon on eBay. You do not want the wrong size water filtration carbon from a pet store.

You want coconut carbon with the correct size for vapor (not water) filtration (adsorption)
http://www.carbonactivatedcorp.com/products.htm

Get the coconut shell 4x8 size. Best product and the best price and I've looked around and called every supplier I came across. These guys are the real deal.

CalBear4Life · Mar 10, 2010

Go to a fish supply store or possibly your local hydro store, they should have it no problem. If there isn't a large one in your area, then you are relegated to ebay, which I don't recommend--just too much hassle.

Cheers!!!

THC_Decapitator · Mar 10, 2010

http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/itemdesc.asp?ic=AOCMACR05&eq=&Tp=

Carbon Refill - 5# 45 $
they also got 25 #

FreezerBoy · Mar 10, 2010

I'm thrilled with my Ebay carbon. $1.99 a lb as opposed to $5.99 in the stores or $7.66 at bghydro. Look for granules rather than pellets.

rrog · Mar 10, 2010

I know I appear argumentative, but you don't want carbon used for water filtration. You don't want carbon from coal.

If you're going through all the effort to carbon filtrate the air, why wouldn't you use the best carbon?

dubbers123 · Mar 10, 2010

Ive actually seen it at my local walmart, in the fish tank area. Not 50 lbs bags, but a like a 5" cube full for about $5. If all else fails id try there.

boroboro · Mar 10, 2010

rrog said:
I know I appear argumentative, but you don't want carbon used for water filtration. You don't want carbon from coal.

If you're going through all the effort to carbon filtrate the air, why wouldn't you use the best carbon?

I agree with you on using the correct, specific carbon composition rrog, but I'll answer anyway.

Why do it the cheap way, using locally available carbon or the cheap ebay stuff? Because it's cheap and available, of course! Actually it might make sense in a homemade carbon filter where it was easy to change out the carbon. I'm thinking here about something like a box with a number of layers inside, maybe layers made of a furnace filter with an inch or so of carbon on top.

If the cheap carbon is less effective, it would be easy in this type of DIY filter to use more of it, or change it out more often.

Me? I spent my last dime of grow money on a good new CAN filter, and I'm very glad I did. The entire grow is DIY components, but I needed to make sure that the filter worked. You may have more room for error here, so Your Mileage May Vary.

What is the design of your carbon filter, Squire5683?

TexasToker · Mar 10, 2010

rrog said:
You do not want the coal-based carbon on eBay. You do not want the wrong size water filtration carbon from a pet store.

You want coconut carbon with the correct size for vapor (not water) filtration (adsorption)
http://www.carbonactivatedcorp.com/products.htm

Get the coconut shell 4x8 size. Best product and the best price and I've looked around and called every supplier I came across. These guys are the real deal.

Have you tried the carbon/coal based? Seems to work just fine for me.

My only thing is to buy U.S. carbon. The U.S.A. has at least 1/4 of the world's coal reserves.

FreezerBoy · Mar 10, 2010

rrog said:
I know I appear argumentative, but you don't want carbon used for water filtration. You don't want carbon from coal.

If you're going through all the effort to carbon filtrate the air, why wouldn't you use the best carbon?

Maybe with larger gardens, it would make sense. With my small single plant grow, my ebay carbon has lasted 4 grows and counting and I still have 18 pounds lying around. That's about 10 years worth of carbon for $40 rather than $120-$200.

I'm all for spending money if there's a return on the investment but, unless I can find proof that the expensive stuff lasts at least 5 times longer, it's not worth it.

If the expensive stuff gives you a greater feeling of security, go for it. This is supposed to be fun and living in fear is no fun at all. Living stress free is certainly worth some cash.

rrog · Mar 10, 2010

I agree with the comments. Will coal work? Sure. And you can get in smaller quantities.

Will smaller particle sizes used for water filtration clean your air? Sure.

Coconut carbon is more efficient than coal. The data is out there and I've read it. NASA uses coconut carbon for this reason. Carbon inserts for shoes use coconut carbon also, for the same reason. More adsorption per gram of carbon.

Please don't think that coal carbon in smaller particle size is ineffective. I didn't mean to imply that.

Dreamscape · Mar 10, 2010

rrog said:
Get the coconut shell 4x8 size. Best product and the best price and I've looked around and called every supplier I came across. These guys are the real deal.

Since we're talking about it ... what are the prices on those 55 lb. bags they offer ??

Universe knows I dont need a 220 lb. drum or an 1100 lb. super sack lol

NiteTiger · Mar 10, 2010

I used carbon from ebay in my first DIY filter, ran it for 4 years, no problems.

In my newest filter, I got my carbon from the hydro store. It wasn't on display, or advertised. But, when I asked, they had a 16lb box for $50. So, make sure to ask in your hydro store, just because you don't see it doesn't mean it's not there! They just make more by selling you a filter, instead of the refill.

I've also used the large jars of carbon from the Aquarium section at WalMart with great success, over a year's worth of operation before I replaced it. Even then, I replaced it because the scrubber got damaged in a move and hemorrhaged carbon, not because the carbon needed replacing.

lysol · Mar 11, 2010

You can buy ready made filters for less then that $1.99 a lb you're paying, it seems buying off the shelf filters is cheaper or same price then doing it DIY, at least from my personal research.

NiteTiger · Mar 11, 2010

lysol said:
You can buy ready made filters for less then that $1.99 a lb you're paying, it seems buying off the shelf filters is cheaper or same price then doing it DIY, at least from my personal research.

Funny, I haven't seen a single manufactured filter suitable for a multi-kw grow for under $50.

Could you provide a link to back up your "research"?

Albireo · Mar 11, 2010

NiteTiger said:
Funny, I haven't seen a single manufactured filter suitable for a multi-kw grow for under $50.

Could you provide a link to back up your "research"?

I bought my Can 100 filter for $180 locally (you can find it online for the same). The Can 100 has 81 lbs of high quality carbon that is pressed into the filter. That is less then the $2 a pound it costs for the lesser carbon.

I was thinking about building my own, but could not touch the price or quality of can filters. I have no fucking clue if the value is there for smaller filters. A Can 100 can handle multi-Kw grows.

NiteTiger · Mar 11, 2010

Albireo said:
I bought my Can 100 filter for $180 locally (you can find it online for the same). The Can 100 has 81 lbs of high quality carbon that is pressed into the filter. That is less then the $2 a pound it costs for the lesser carbon.

I was thinking about building my own, but could not touch the price or quality of can filters. I have no fucking clue if the value is there for smaller filters. A Can 100 can handle multi-Kw grows.

Sooo, you're saying you couldn't find a manufactured one to do that for under $50?

Thanks for agreeing with me! :yes:

Bozo · Mar 11, 2010

Dreamscape said:
Since we're talking about it ... what are the prices on those 55 lb. bags they offer ??

Universe knows I dont need a 220 lb. drum or an 1100 lb. super sack lol

If I remember right it was bout 80 $ that included the ups

rrog · Mar 11, 2010

Carbon Activated Corp sells 55 lbs, 2 cu. Ft. for $95 + UPS. Coconut Shell. 4x6 or 4x8 vapor phase.

Places selling same carbon in smaller quantities costs more per cu. ft., but you don't buy as much.

Albireo · Mar 11, 2010

NiteTiger said:
Sooo, you're saying you couldn't find a manufactured one to do that for under $50?

Thanks for agreeing with me!

sure, whatever.

I am saying that pound for pound you cannot build one for as cheap as buying one.

You may be able to build a filter with 15-20lbs of carbon for around $50, but then you would be buying/building (the carbon is the most expensive) 4-6 filters for the same amount of filtration (over-time) as my one filter with 80+lbs of carbon.

If you cannot figure that out, that is your business.

Where to buy Activated Carbon... Anyone know?

Member

Active member

Member

THC_Decapitator

Was blind but now IC Puckbunny in Training

Active member

Member

Member

Member

Was blind but now IC Puckbunny in Training

Active member

Member

Tiger, Tiger, burning bright...

lysol

Tiger, Tiger, burning bright...

Member

Tiger, Tiger, burning bright...

Active member

Active member

Member