Carbon filters: what in the hell do you do with them?

Something you probably didn't think about when you bought it. I know I didn't, and as a matter of fact it just occurred to me... what do you do with the thing after it has past it's useful, odor absorbing, air-cleansing life?

Did a quick search and haven't really found anything useful. Is it easy or economical enough to refill the apparatus with new activated carbon, or do you just buy another one?

If you just buy another one, or for whatever reason need to get rid of a carbon filter; how exactly does one safely dispose of the large, conspicuous hunk of metal which possibly harbors incriminating evidence?

There are plenty of dumpsters scattered around my city.....i am always on the lookout while driving for dumpsters that are in remote locations off the main streets. For example you see someone getting their roof redone. You wait til night and go dump your hoard of garbage in it and drive off....

^^^^hahaha that's exactly what I was going to say.

Just use gloves, do it at night, and wash all fingerprints on it

If u have a air intake u can use it for a dust filter .... U can chop the top empty the carbon into the trash and and throw the rest away next week chop it up that's what a friend does ...I usually change mine out every other grow or three grows and still has some use so I give them away to friends

It is still scrap, at the very least. Even though it might sound strenuous, how difficult would it be to empty the carbon out of it and clean it out?

Taking it to a dumpster to unload... IDK you'll probably get away with it, depending where you live. That would just be a pain in the ass though, considering everything else can be flushed down the toilet, thrown outside, in a recycle bin even or tossed into a small shopping bag for disposal elsewhere. These filters can be bulky.

That's good thinking too. Just hand me down, then it's their problem. Assuming you have friends you trust.

Circular saw?

For cutting it he uses a cutting wheel grinder thing and then the outer and inner layer can be smashed flat and folded or u can cut the ends and middle and turn it to a pile of scrap metal

Send it back to the company with a note didn't work well sent back with no return adress that would be.funny

Anybody outside of growing wouldnt even recognize what it is. I already had someone ask me why do i have that big muffler in the basement.....people are clueless outside of growing as to what it is when they see it.

a u can put the carbon in the pots it still helps the stink and charcoal soil no one talks about except the dreads

I say you go for yur first idea. Sounds innovative. Open it up and try to refill it with some new bought carbon. If you are successful youi will be a pioneer because no one else that I know of has tried. Please Inspire us to save some money, lol

It's.more.of.a pain in the ass than its worth that's why we just buy them new

ounevinsmoke said:

I say you go for yur first idea. Sounds innovative. Open it up and try to refill it with some new bought carbon. If you are successful youi will be a pioneer because no one else that I know of has tried. Please Inspire us to save some money, lol

Click to expand...

It's well documented how to re-charge them, but as method mentions.. it's a major pain in the ass.

Yeah, the activated carbon itself isn't exactly cheap. And the one I currently use is a 6 inch 'Tall Boy', slightly larger than 2 feet tall. It'll be good for another several months but I can't yet imagine myself cutting the thing up into pieces...looks to be what is going to have to happen, tho.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I have a related question: between grows, do you store the filter in a bag to keep it more fresh?

Good question, i myself just realised i need a new CF and i was hoping i could Refill mine... BAH!!

those things are heavy as crap i would take them to the salvage yard in a load of metal, no one ever looks at all the crap you dump anyway.