Im Looking To Buy A Carbon Filter... Whats the Best For The Money??

ok!! so my good friend was over today. he told me if i have the money to get Co2 (which i kinda do atm, but it would need a few things) that i should hurry up and get a carbon filter fast!! and get one bigger then i think i need. well, i dont mind a little overkill on taking away the stink. overall, i can not smell shit yet, and either could he, but hes is one of my helpers so he suggested. i have seen a few that seem quit appealing. my main concern is, location! i have to have it ported on my exhaust, or do i need to get a 2nd exhaust fan? id rather not as it is quit loud in my room as is, and although it can not be heard anywhere but inside the room, i would not want to add anymore fans if i really do not need to. i hope i have the option of installing it right to the ducting that is connected to my exhaust fan. make sense? any info on this would be highly appreciated, as it seems i need to get on this quick like. im going into my 4th week of flower, and its starting to get rather crystally already, im just waiting for the stink to come.

i build mine. out of carbon filters for house duct work. there a few bucks. just build a box with a intake and hook up you hose

as appealing it sounds to save a little money, i really do not mind buying one. if you look on eBay, items are usually a lot cheaper. plus i think pretty soon, i will start getting products for wholesale prices. which is really good! so, maybe in the future that is what i will be looking to do, but for this set up, im going balls to the wall top of the line equipment. until i understand the principals behind all this. i would just feel a lot more comfortable knowing i have purchased good quality equipment.

also, once you buy a filter, do you get to buy replacement filters, or are these items buy once, and replace every few month or years.

Here is my 2 cents:
Things that make a good filter:
* the weight and shape of carbon
* the thickness that the air has to go through
* the speed of the air through the carbon
* that carbon is well contained and sufficiently packed

You look at something like a CAN33 and it has about 16 or 17 lbs of activated carbon and claims a 2" bed.
My no name filter has about 7.5 lbs and a bed of about 1", and right now it works very well.

A retail carbon filter will cost about $7/lb. Examples
* The CAN33 runs about $120.
* My no-name was about $50.

Factoid: 9lb of activated carbon on ebay is about $30-$50, shipped. From most internet sellers with a website, it runs a little more.

In short, you are buying the carbon and mostly getting the metal filter that holds it for a very small nominal fee.

From postings in this group, a lot of really sparse filters work really well. Other postings make a valid point: why take a chance? Practically speaking, I would buy the most filter you could afford given the above info. If I had $120 or $130 to put into it, I'd get the CAN33. But I didn't, and the one I have works. We will see if it holds up as things get really stinky. I vent to inside my house, and you can sit and sniff the exhaust air in the next room and not smell a thing. So if my filter can do this well, then a CAN33 is probably a sure bet under all circumstances. If I find out that my filter is not sufficient, then I am going to constuct a simple outgoing carbon filter out of a duct airbox ($8 duct + $6 carbon) from my home depot. I got a 9 lb box of activated carbon on ebay for experimenting.


p.s. I was absolutely astounded at how well activated carbon filters work.

You could get an ozone generator:http://www.rainbowaire.net/product/Newaire-Auto-Series-II-NAAUTO-II.cfm or http://http://www.planetnatural.com/site/ozone-jr.html. Most people seem to use carbon filters, is there a reason why? Ozone generators seem to be decently cheap and without the hassle.

i use Phresh carbon filters they are very affordable and also very light so you can hang them on ceiling without too much trouble

We run Phat Filters. They're not cheap, but they're very well built. I like the fact that they come in a 39" length for any diameter except 4". The more length for a given diameter and air flow, the slower the air moves over the carbon. Carbon filters are truly magic. We have 2 - 14"x48" filters exhausting the main warehouse. I checked the output for smell with 20lbs of Bubba Kush in week 7 of bloom. There was ZERO smell. Odor control is part of security. If there's any place to NOT pinch pennies, it's here.

Keep in mind, humidity over 60% greatly reduces the carbon's effectiveness. Start checking the air outflow for odor after one year of use. There are many factors that determine how long the carbon will last, so just changing every X months is silly. I've had them last just over a year, and up to 2 years.

collective gardener said:

We run Phat Filters. They're not cheap, but they're very well built. I like the fact that they come in a 39" length for any diameter except 4". The more length for a given diameter and air flow, the slower the air moves over the carbon. Carbon filters are truly magic. We have 2 - 14"x48" filters exhausting the main warehouse. I checked the output for smell with 20lbs of Bubba Kush in week 7 of bloom. There was ZERO smell. Odor control is part of security. If there's any place to NOT pinch pennies, it's here.

Keep in mind, humidity over 60% greatly reduces the carbon's effectiveness. Start checking the air outflow for odor after one year of use. There are many factors that determine how long the carbon will last, so just changing every X months is silly. I've had them last just over a year, and up to 2 years.

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i agree i use the big ones as well. i have 2 i believe 48"x12" filters for my 20 lighter usually sees around 25lb of misc OG kush and stinks inside, but outside you cant smell anything. they are scrubbers as well since i run CO2

rhino filters end of story not a whiff

OHsiN666: I didn't find the filter to be as much of a problem as the fan. There are a lot of good brands on the market and some of them are pretty reasonably priced. I decided on the Elf filter because it's relatively compact and I have to admit it does the job. You might want to look at the Elf line if you have a small operation. Most hydro stores can advise you on what's on the market versus what you can afford. Pumped out by a CAN Fan my Elf Filter not only takes care of the stink but it doesn't sound like a dryer full of nickles either. HSA

phresh filters for the win by far. i have used a few different kinds and the phresh filter is the lightest, is fairly affordable, but is still a quality product that will stand the test of time. do not buy a no name filter of ebay unless you plan to only use it for one cycle. with growing equipment you get what you pay for. also unless you have your own workspace and are good at metal work, i do not suggest trying to make a filter. thats my .02 cents.

jdmcwestevo said:

i agree i use the big ones as well. i have 2 i believe 48"x12" filters for my 20 lighter usually sees around 25lb of misc OG kush and stinks inside, but outside you cant smell anything. they are scrubbers as well since i run CO2

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please explain a scrubber to me. i plan on running Co2, right after this harvest, or maybe at the very end, depends on funding. i think this filter is a must atm. everything else is kind of going to shit, but everyday...its getting a little bit more frostier, and a little bit more stinkier. so, Co2 can most def wait a few more weeks. plus, i need a high end controller. and i can not afford the tank, regualtor and controller, maybe by months end. filter is in my immediate future.

HSA said:

OHsiN666: I didn't find the filter to be as much of a problem as the fan. There are a lot of good brands on the market and some of them are pretty reasonably priced. I decided on the Elf Fan because it's relatively compact and I have to admit it does the job. You might want to look at the Elf line if you have a small operation. Most hydro stores can advise you on what's on the market versus what you can afford. Pumped out by a CAN Fan my Elf Filter not only takes care of the stink but it doesn't sound like a dryer full of nickles either. HSA

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SOUND DEAFING IS A MAJOR PLUS!!!!!! my room is getting louder and louder. i have the C.A.P. 8" exhaust fan on my hood. i want to attach the filter at the end of my exhaust, since my exhaust is exiting the room. this is why i am concerned. ithis is my first major grow with real lights. i had a flour. grow wayyyy back in 97. it was a small little set up that produced a 1/4lb. of very awesome smoke, for what it was. so this is all new to me. i have been getting help on RIU the whole time. i highly appreciate this website. so, to get back to the subject (a little faded), whats up with them making noise??? is this something else i need to take into consideration?? im leaning towards a Phat Philter. but whats up with the Rhino shit?? Elf filter?? please elaborate on the difference please. thanks in advance!!

irieie said:

phresh filters for the win by far. i have used a few different kinds and the phresh filter is the lightest, is fairly affordable, but is still a quality product that will stand the test of time. do not buy a no name filter of ebay unless you plan to only use it for one cycle. with growing equipment you get what you pay for. also unless you have your own workspace and are good at metal work, i do not suggest trying to make a filter. thats my .02 cents.

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i never buy no-name shit off ebay and i only buy off reputable sellers that sell name brand items. any of the high dollar over priced or even reasonably priced hydro shops can have ebay stores. some distributors offer the shops and buyers the buy in larger bulk the better prices. but after a few weeks of browsing the prices between the brick & mortars and the online shops, the differences of prices are only a few bucks here and there for most items. i have seen ballasts on ebay about $100 cheaper then the shop i go to. and r/o systems too. with free shipping even. the deals on ebay are out there, you just have to look. i have been buying and selling on ebay for over 7 years. only 1 problem and that was with someone from Italy, that i sold. so i fully trust ebay.

oHsiN666 said:

SOUND DEAFING IS A MAJOR PLUS!!!!!! my room is getting louder and louder. i have the C.A.P. 8" exhaust fan on my hood. i want to attach the filter at the end of my exhaust, since my exhaust is exiting the room. this is why i am concerned. ithis is my first major grow with real lights. i had a flour. grow wayyyy back in 97. it was a small little set up that produced a 1/4lb. of very awesome smoke, for what it was. so this is all new to me. i have been getting help on RIU the whole time. i highly appreciate this website. so, to get back to the subject (a little faded), whats up with them making noise??? is this something else i need to take into consideration?? im leaning towards a Phat Philter. but whats up with the Rhino shit?? Elf filter?? please elaborate on the difference please. thanks in advance!!

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The best noise reduction technique for inline fans (and filters) is to oversize the fan, add a speed control, and run the fan about 80% of full speed. By reducing the fan speed 20% you will reduce your noise about 80%. It's truly amazing. Bargain fact: Harbor Freight sells a router speed control that works great for $13.

collective gardener said:

The best noise reduction technique for inline fans (and filters) is to oversize the fan, add a speed control, and run the fan about 80% of full speed. By reducing the fan speed 20% you will reduce your noise about 80%. It's truly amazing. Bargain fact: Harbor Freight sells a router speed control that works great for $13.

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WOW!!! that is some of the best info i have heard on this forum!!! my girlfriend has a hard time sleeping at night due to this massive noise this "quiet" fan makes. i have plans on getting a room controller. one that controls temps, exhaust, Co2 and the humidity. so, im assuming the speed controller will be in with the room controller. but for $13 i may just have to go pick one up sooner just for shits and giggles. is a speed controller and the little $80 controller c.a.p. makes for this fan 2 different things? the controller c.a.p. makes is a temp controller. i do not think that would work good for my situation. but a speed controller does sound like it would be better for my application.

irieie said:

phresh filters for the win by far. i have used a few different kinds and the phresh filter is the lightest, is fairly affordable, but is still a quality product that will stand the test of time. do not buy a no name filter of ebay unless you plan to only use it for one cycle. with growing equipment you get what you pay for. also unless you have your own workspace and are good at metal work, i do not suggest trying to make a filter. thats my .02 cents.

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are these filter quiet? noise is my second biggest concern for security next to smell.

oHsiN666 said:

WOW!!! that is some of the best info i have heard on this forum!!! my girlfriend has a hard time sleeping at night due to this massive noise this "quiet" fan makes. i have plans on getting a room controller. one that controls temps, exhaust, Co2 and the humidity. so, im assuming the speed controller will be in with the room controller. but for $13 i may just have to go pick one up sooner just for shits and giggles. is a speed controller and the little $80 controller c.a.p. makes for this fan 2 different things? the controller c.a.p. makes is a temp controller. i do not think that would work good for my situation. but a speed controller does sound like it would be better for my application.

Click to expand...

A speed controller is just that...a speed controller. I've never seen one in a multi control unit. I think CAP makes one for around $30? Just get the Harbor Frieght one for $13

collective gardener said:

We run Phat Filters. They're not cheap, but they're very well built. I like the fact that they come in a 39" length for any diameter except 4". The more length for a given diameter and air flow, the slower the air moves over the carbon. Carbon filters are truly magic. We have 2 - 14"x48" filters exhausting the main warehouse. I checked the output for smell with 20lbs of Bubba Kush in week 7 of bloom. There was ZERO smell. Odor control is part of security. If there's any place to NOT pinch pennies, it's here.

Keep in mind, humidity over 60% greatly reduces the carbon's effectiveness. Start checking the air outflow for odor after one year of use. There are many factors that determine how long the carbon will last, so just changing every X months is silly. I've had them last just over a year, and up to 2 years.

Click to expand...

Next time you switch out filters you should try out the new Pro Filter made by Atmosphere. They're great, you can reverse the flanges after a year or so of use (due to the way air moves through the filter) and get another year out of them. I'm using the Pro Filter 100 now, I'd say it's about 16"x40", and I love this damn thing. I used to only use Can Filters, then a couple years ago I tried a Phresh Filter (do not like, they don't last so long) and then an Active Air (same). I'm sold on Pro Filter now (lighter weight than Can brand, but last a lot longer than most others). They're not too expensive either, with my discount I paid $235 for the Pro Filter 100. Highly recommend them.