Activated Charocoal

[Alex Veidel]

I've been looking for a quick way to filter rainwater so I can add it too my system, so I've been mulling over the idea of building a bio-filter out of activated charcoal....does anybody know any good sources for activated charcoal?

[Steve R]

Why would you want to filter rain water? You can use a carbon filter but what is it your trying to achieve rain water is already very clean. Also you have no minerals or PH stability with rain water so you need to ad at least a little buffer to stabalize the lack of carbonates. 

[Alex Veidel]

Well, I'm collecting off of a tar based roof...I've been informed that in that situation, its best to clean a few things up via filtration.

Steve R said:

Why would you want to filter rain water? You can use a carbon filter but what is it your trying to achieve rain water is already very clean. Also you have no minerals or PH stability with rain water so you need to ad at least a little buffer to stabalize the lack of carbonates. 

[Steve R]

I'm sure its best to filter but if its not brand new i wouldnt stress over it. When i lived on the east coast i regularly plumbed gutters into rain collection cisterns that were connected to garden and pond irrigation and it was not an issue. 

[Alex Veidel]

Yeah, but in an aquaponic system where stuff gets trapped and recirculated? I rely mostly on rainwater for top off and I wouldn't want to accidently let something nasty build up in my system....Normally I'm not that way about things, but I'm a little cautious when it cones to my ap system :)

[Steve R]

Well if your trying to get out any thing from teh roof chemically your going to need to go to a r/o di like the other poster said. A carbon filter wouldn't pull that kind of chemicals out.

[Alex Veidel]

Yeah.....I've been going off of somebody else's advice, but I think you're right on that one. Carbon filter mostly removes carbon based impurities :/

That's what I get for not doing my own research. Oh well. Thanks Steve :)