Picking a carbon filter for your Hydroponic grow may seem like an easy task but there are a few tell-tale signs that can help you get the best for your money.
You may be wondering why the quality of the Carbon Filter matters, as long as it does the job but like anything; The better quality, The better the usage and output of your by-product.
First let’s talk about what purpose the Carbon Filter gives.
The Carbon Filter is designed for grows to be used alongside Pro Air Fans or water filtration systems. They filter impurities from both the gases and liquids in your grow to ensure the plants and the environment work as cleanly, smoothly and at premium quality.
The type of filter you choose depends on what sort of growing you’re doing and what exactly needs filtering from your system. The carbon comes in many different grades to suit specific needs so it’s very important that you know what type of carbon filter you need for your grow before you buy one as if you happen to buy the wrong one, you will not reach optimum results from your grow. This is one of the main parts that ensures your grow works, so take great care and time choosing!
Now, let’s not fall for advertisement gimmicks!
Many producers these days will advertise their filters to be more versatile. Meaning they state to be more ‘light weight’ and contain ‘smaller’ carbon particles but the truth is… none of this is actually an accurate description of how the quality of the filter is.
As said above, the filter you need is entirely related to the needs of your grow. So having smaller carbon particles may benefit one grow but will hinder another grow.
What you’re looking for in a filtration system is either pelletized, or granular. Pelletized carbon is better for air filtration rather than water as if the ait filtration carbon isn’t pelletized, it contains a smaller percentage of airflow.
You are also looking for what’s called a ‘Virgin Carbon Filter’. Virgin means pure and the purer the carbon for the both filters, which results in maximum purity and minimal pollutants.
Also, if you wish to achieve maximum removal of smells/odours, it is highly suggested that you go for a depth which allows the contact time to be between 0.1 – 0.2 seconds.
Lastly, when choosing a filter, they generally are heavier if they are pelletized and a good sign that the filter is better for air filtering. Despite this, the weight of a filter is quite unimportant towards the setup of your grow.
