My Carbon Filter doesnt seem to be working very well & its relativly new HELP!

Do the carbon filters wear out fast or maybe its something else? I bought a 4' inline centrifuge fan and it was a kit that came with the fan and the mounts and a carbon filter. It is a nice hydrofarm 4" inline centrifuge fan but the Carbon Filter has no markings for brand or unit number, nothing for any information on who made the carbon filter... I have had no smell problems yet in the last 2 months. I have 2 larger super smelly, Purple Frost females in there with 18 Lemon Haze seedlings(unsexed as of yet). The seedlings have been stinking as well but just yesterday I started to have a problem. I never smell anything at all, ever, even when the light runs and the exaust goes to the filter and life was good but yesterday I all the sudden started to smell that smell. The smell of fresh MJ. mmmmm, but I cant have it smelling at all.

I guess my question is actually several questions:

How long do the filters last before you need to replace them?
What is the best brand to get for a filter?
Are there any other preventative things I can do that wont be like an inscence(no smoke)?


I have great ventelation and there are no light or air leaks at all. I am a carpenter and I know that this is built to the highest standards, I'm a perfectionist also so if that tells you anything. God bless all, thanks for your help.. 1 Love-1 World

Well you need to tell what your room size is? It's a 4" filter but what is the length? What is the RH of your room?

Lots of variables effect filters. A filter too small for the room may work well during veg but when the stink REALLY starts they will stop working. Same with not enough negative pressure. You might be pulling too much air through the fan, it's better to run your fan around 65%-75% so the air gets thoroughly scrubbed on its way though.

If your humidity has been running at or over 60% that's bad for them and will plug them up quick.

Good filters, Can and Phatt, maybe others but those 2 are good. They should last a year under ideal conditions, I think Phatt claims 2 years on theirs. I think about a year is normal.

Need to know how powerful your fan is....my filter didn't do crap when I had a weak in line fan connected to it (didn't move enough air through the filter), I bought a valueline fan and it works perfectly.

how big is your room? did u buy the fan from a reliable source? where did u mount the filter/fan?

You started a lot of threads asking the same question

Orlandocb said:

You started a lot of threads asking the same question

Click to expand...

Thats just funny lmao

biggest issue i have seen with filters is that people buy the small or well short ones for cheap and figure its enough.

I have a filter that is like going into its 6th or 7th cycle and works awesome until drying time comes then i need to run a second as a scrubber only.

But I prefer PHAT or CAN although proline I believe just came out with a 2 sided flippable which is sweet.

Generally my filters run 1-2 years depending how dusty an enviroment they are in. Rule of thumb when it weighs 1/3rd more then when you got it or the room smells like cat piss or just weed its not good anymore.

I generally go by weight. Mine are about 75 pounds when I first get em.... when they get to 100 pounds or so I toss em.

You said your ventilation is great. What is your intake cfm? You could be creating positive pressure. That would blow unfiltered air out of the cracks in your door. I'm sure the seal has worn down over time.