calliandra
Well-Known Member
hm, what does activating involve then? I'd thought the nice quench at the end of the burn is activation?
The Ultimate Odour Control Thread
- Thread starter Arrid
- Start date
haze010
Well-Known Member
They have multiple ways of activating carbon but just plain biochar isnt the same thing. What makes activated carbon great at absorbing is it has a gigantic surface area, the activation process is what gives it that giant surface area. Its usually done through a chemical process but the best way to think of it is comparing regular cream to whipped cream, the whipped cream has a much bigger surface area because it was airiated. Properly activated carbon can have 30,000 square feet of surface area in just one gram, biochar doesnt.
If you were thinking you could just use your biochar, or turn it into activated carbon, its not the same thing and its not something you can just do at home.
If you were thinking you could just use your biochar, or turn it into activated carbon, its not the same thing and its not something you can just do at home.
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calliandra
Well-Known Member
Aw shucks, but that is exactly what happens when you quench from the bottom in a Kon-tiki - after a pyrolysis of roundabouts 700°C, that really takes out everything but the pure carbon.....
Not sure about the extent (I'll have to check back with a friend who makes it and has all that data*), but that's what makes real biochar so incredibly porous and able to hold all sorts of stuff - and what makes the charcoal and stuff in between, commonly called biochar too, not-really-biochar....
* LOL ok so I found a study on biochar online, and they measured average surface areas from different kinds of kilns..."Average surface areas (SA) of biochar samples were 97 m2/g, ranging from 35.4 to 215 m2/g" (http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0176378#pone.0176378.s001) - whereby the higher values were achieved in the kontiki-like kilns..
Still definitely less than what you're saying the chemically prepped up carbon has!
So, after crying a bit in the corner that I can't use what I have... adapting the question
Do you know how can I tell, when sourcing activated carbon, that I'm getting good quality?
Cheers!
edit: or could I just use one of those textile filters you can get for extractor hoods? like this:
https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00AM1S2R0?psc=1&language=en_GB
After all, it's just for filtering odours in that setup requiring a fan with 25m³h.. so really small scale....
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haze010
Well-Known Member
Bulk aquarium activated carbon. Everywhere that sells the stuff for pet fish has it, even walmart, its what they use to filter the water in aquariums.Aw shucks, but that is exactly what happens when you quench from the bottom in a Kon-tiki - after a pyrolysis of roundabouts 700°C, that really takes out everything but the pure carbon.....
Not sure about the extent (I'll have to check back with a friend who makes it and has all that data*), but that's what makes real biochar so incredibly porous and able to hold all sorts of stuff - and what makes the charcoal and stuff in between, commonly called biochar too, not-really-biochar....
* LOL ok so I found a study on biochar online, and they measured average surface areas from different kinds of kilns..."Average surface areas (SA) of biochar samples were 97 m2/g, ranging from 35.4 to 215 m2/g" (http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0176378#pone.0176378.s001) - whereby the higher values were achieved in the kontiki-like kilns..
Still definitely less than what you're saying the chemically prepped up carbon has!
So, after crying a bit in the corner that I can't use what I have... adapting the question
Do you know how can I tell, when sourcing activated carbon, that I'm getting good quality?
Cheers!
edit: or could I just use one of those textile filters you can get for extractor hoods? like this:
https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00AM1S2R0?psc=1&language=en_GB
After all, it's just for filtering odours in that setup requiring a fan with 25m³h.. so really small scale....
cookie master
Well-Known Member
buy your carbon from the hydro store. Ive had bad luck on ebay/amazon
haze010
Well-Known Member
High quality carbon is available anywhere that sells pet fish aquarium supplies as its used to filter aquarium water. Will be the very quality product for much cheaper than the hydro store.
cookie master
Well-Known Member
I dunno, the carbon sources themselves sell different product for water or air phase. The carbon in Ipower filters looks fine but doesnt work well. The other stuff I bought in bulk put out lots of fine dust even after rinsing and didnt work well. And another bunch claiming to be rc48 carbon was no good. I refill filters and they work excellent- when i use the sunlight supply carbon.
cookie master
Well-Known Member
i ran into a secret- put your carbon filter that began with quality carbon on the grill for 20 hours, its all good again. the carbon seemed to start on fire since it was glowing but it stopped and was still not ash, the smell that comes out is horrid but its not like weed, it smelled like kitchen grease and dog poop!
sonson176
Well-Known Member
Be aware, before grilling, that most cylindrical carbon scrubbers have either screening or foam/fiber mesh between the expanded metal and the actual carbon itself to keep it in place.
RC48 is just marketing crap for 4x8 mesh granular carbon. If you're looking for a good supplier of activated carbon check out Calgon Carbon. Pet shop stuff is usually designed for water filtration, having larger mesh sizes usually in extruded forms.
RC48 is just marketing crap for 4x8 mesh granular carbon. If you're looking for a good supplier of activated carbon check out Calgon Carbon. Pet shop stuff is usually designed for water filtration, having larger mesh sizes usually in extruded forms.
cookie master
Well-Known Member
Yeah ive been refilling for years and I had installed some mesh to prevent some of that dusty carbon leaking, and there was a gasket at the top that woulve melted too.
calliandra
Well-Known Member
Do I see that correctly, that you aren't actually filling the whole bucket with carbon?I posted this in another thread. I might as well add my DIY air scrubber here.
What it looks like
Activated Carbon Filter as Lining
Additionally, Activated Charcoal inside for more scrubbing
Works on my 2x6 closet, no smell. Hope thats helpful.
Also, what size fan is that?
Cheers!
cookie master
Well-Known Member
the filter is the last place to save money, you can go to jail if you stink it up.
Xs121
Well-Known Member
Yes, I only use 1 bag of charcoal but you can use more if you wantDo I see that correctly, that you aren't actually filling the whole bucket with carbon?
Also, what size fan is that?
Cheers!
There are 2 activated carbon components. Filter and charcoal. Just to be clear, the fan, pulls out the scrubbed air inside of the bucket and does not pull in the outside air. Air passes through the holes of the bucket as the fan sucked it out. The outside air passes through the filter first and airborne particles are absorb thus removing the odor. Once the air is inside the bucket, any particles is further absorbed by the charcoal.
It's a 2 step absorption process. First the filter then the charcoal before the air goes out.
As to the size of the fan, if I recall it correctly, I think its a 4 inch fan. But, you can use any size fan as long as it fits in the lid. If fan noise is not a problem, bigger fan is better, air is recycled faster.
cookie master
Well-Known Member
I would never compromise peoples grow. The long grill thing seemed to work for me and I had been refilling at 140per 35 lbs and the price went up to 165+tax so I tried something else. I have can filter and now its packed with granular so it holds alot more carbon by weight than phresh etc and does the job.
cookie master
Well-Known Member
that filter is a joke, no offense. a regular mj use carbon filter is like 2 inches of pure granular carbon. the foam carbon filter is just basically dust, its whats sold to homeowners to freshen the air.
Enigma
Well-Known Member
I've made a few filters in the past, each worked just fine.
Granular activated carbon is the best for our application.
Most stores will carry it for aquarium filters, buy this in bulk where you can.
The trick is finding a fan that is designed for creating negative pressure to pull through the obstruction (filter) without a lot of noise.
Look at the Panasonic Whisper series, there are adjustable options as well along with sensors for programmability.
Granular activated carbon is the best for our application.
Most stores will carry it for aquarium filters, buy this in bulk where you can.
The trick is finding a fan that is designed for creating negative pressure to pull through the obstruction (filter) without a lot of noise.
Look at the Panasonic Whisper series, there are adjustable options as well along with sensors for programmability.
Xs121
Well-Known Member
Are you referring to the foam carbon filter I'm using? If so, no offense taken.
However, I would disagree with you as it being as a joke. Even if we take your argument that its basically a dust...it is still an activated carbon which act and function the same as the charcoal or what you refer to as granulated carbon. Its just in a different form.
Obviously the granulated type have more absorption area. But really, in a 6x2 closet, the foam filter have more than enough capacity to absorb the air particles (odor) floating around. This is the cut to fit type foam filter that you use to replace the filter of air purifiers. I believe it comes in 16x48, more than enough plus some to use as lining inside the bucket.
Even if the foam filter is "inefficient" in trapping air particles. The air inside the bucket is bounced around the charcoal+foam resulting in more filtration of air.
I've used this DIY odor control for over 2 years now. My wife who has a very sensitive nose cant detect the smell of flowering mj. The only time I can smell mj is when I actually touch the buds, other than that, no smell.
Lastly, it doesnt cost me much to make one. Point is as long as it does what its intended to do, works for me. So, if your odor control works for you then that's great. We're here to share our experiences and knowledge that we know that works for us. What works for me might not work for you, it's all about spreading the information.