Boiling carbon?

[mr.wilson]

Originally Posted by lastlight

Regardless of this whole microwave debate I think boiling the carbon in water can please everyone.

I'm not pleased with microwaving carbon, unless it heats the carbon up to 900 degrees and you are adding an activation gas. A microwave or oven will open a few of the larger pores that are clogged, but 90% of the pores will remain spent. You could put the carbon back in the tank for a couple of days to remove some larger pigmented organics, but it will expel everything it has absorbed over the next couple of weeks.

[Canadian]

Why does science always have to get in the way of a good argument? Life is way more fun when you believe in conspiracy theories, internet legends, etc.

Here, watch this. It's fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIaV8swc-fo

[lastlight]

Yeah I'm not going to boil my carbon thinking it's recharged. I'm tossing mine. Like Oceanic stated it seems to clean it before it's used at all a little.

[mr.wilson]

A good compromise would be to clean your carbon just before you throw it out. You'll have the nicest smelling garbage on the block

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by lastlight

Yeah I'm not going to boil my carbon thinking it's recharged. I'm tossing mine. Like Oceanic stated it seems to clean it before it's used at all a little.

Yeah what he said...

[shrimpchips]

Originally Posted by lastlight

Yeah I'm not going to boil my carbon thinking it's recharged. I'm tossing mine. Like Oceanic stated it seems to clean it before it's used at all a little.

+2. I'll boil just as a pre-rinse if in fact it does do a better job of cleaning the powdered carbon out than a simple pre-soak.

[mr.wilson]

Originally Posted by shrimpchips

+2. I'll boil just as a pre-rinse if in fact it does do a better job of cleaning the powdered carbon out than a simple pre-soak.

Yeah, by all means I agree it's the right way to wash new carbon. You are supposed to use RO/DI water but I don't think there are enough impurities in the small amount of water it takes to initially wash it to worry about it. The impurities taken up in tap water are much smaller in size than what we pull out of our tanks.

[shrimpchips]

yeah, I that's true. I always use RO to soak/wash since I have it on hand anyways. Force of habit from the lab too.

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by shrimpchips

Force of habit from the lab too.

I hear those 'labs' are always blowing up dude. Please be careful.

[Oceanic]

Originally Posted by lastlight

Yeah I'm not going to boil my carbon thinking it's recharged. I'm tossing mine. Like Oceanic stated it seems to clean it before it's used at all a little.

You are correct my friend, I have no interest in recharging carbon at all. I just simply urge everyone to try this once and then comment back to this thread with your observations.

All I do is put my 2 cups of KZ carbon in a tuperware container into the microwave. I nuke it on high for 2-3 minutes then remove the carbon and pour off all the dust and crap that floats to the surface. I let it stand for a few minutes then spoon it into my passive filter bag!

Just do it!!