41 Activated carbon

Due to different application possibilities, activated carbon can be counted among adsorption filters as well as catalytic filters and biofilters.

• Removal of oxidizing agents:
  Activated carbon has catalytic properties and can destroy oxidants such as chlorine and ozone. Therefore, activated carbon filters are connected in front of reverse osmosis systems to protect the membrane from chlorine damage. If ozone is used, e.g. in skimmers or ozone reactors, it is necessary in some cases to destroy the excessive ozone again. Activated carbon is a suitable means for this.

• Removal of trace substances from drinking water:
  Activated carbon can remove trace substances such as pesticides from drinking water. When using activated carbon, care must be taken to ensure that the retention time of the water on the activated carbon is adapted to the temperature and desired final concentration of the pollutant.

• Removal of undesirable substances from seawater aquariums:
  Some undesirable substances such as drug residues, yellows (e.g., tannins, humins) can be removed from seawater with activated carbon. It is important that the use of activated carbon is limited in time. After 3 days at the latest, the activated carbon should be removed again. Activated carbon also absorbs important substances such as iodine.

• Activated carbon as a biofilter substrate:
  Since activated carbon can absorb a number of organic substances, the surface of the activated carbon is a veritable table set for bacteria. These settle on the surface and can help themselves to the adsorbed substances. The activated carbon-bacteria system is thus a good biofilter. In the first time, however, attention must be paid to trace substances such as iodine.