Kent Carbon RECALL!

[daniella3d]

no, I think the carbon did cause it. Not all contaminated carbon is in that recall list, as I posted this warning and many threads, so just don't assume that because a certain batch is not in the recall that it is not contaminated.

I lost for around 700$ in corals and my carbon is not in their list of recall! Yet I have the professional laboratory analysis that prove that the carbon is contaminated with copper and nickel as well as a higher than normal content in arsenic.

So water change 30% each day or every second day (age the water for 24 to 48 hours) and use polyfilter to remove the contaminant. It does not take a lot of copper to kill everything.

Originally Posted by Mandosh

I think in your case the carbon was a false-alarm and there might be other issues you should be looking for.

[Myka]

Thanks for clarifying Daniella, that is not good that there are affected batches that are not on the recall list. That's enough to stop me from buying Kent Reef Carbon! Wow...

[subman]

that's enough for me to stop buying kent all together!

[Nano]

Originally Posted by subman

that's enough for me to stop buying kent all together!

no doubt. I'm taking mine back obviously hopefully picking up some of that polyfilter myka mentioned and hope it fixes the problem. I think the chemi pure elite is enough for a tank my size anyway, especially with a refugium packed with chaeto and macro algae

[Coralgurl]

I picked up carbon last weekend, but due to these threads, haven't used it although it's not Kent. Is this just limited to Kent carbon, do they produce for others as well?

[globaldesigns]

I have had lots of coral loss over the past 2 years or so, and could never figure out why. I have been running carbonless until recently with greater success. Put some kent back in after christmas and again major RTN, removed the only change being the carbon and rtn stopped and coral is doing great again. Never thought of carbon as the issue, but I have always used Kent... never again, and I recommend others dont either.

[Enigma]

This is disappointing. I just purchased a pound of this stuff. I've only had it in my system for just over a day. My expiry date is not included in the recall, but as it is an earlier batch than those listed (15oct13 expiration) it makes sence to me that mine could also be affected. I've now pulled it out.

How quickly are the results of the contaminated carbon becoming apparent?

This annoys me. If it is contaminated I can't use it in any of our carnivorous plant terrariums, either (though I have one tropical plant terrarium I could use it in).

[Nano]

Originally Posted by Enigma

This is disappointing. I just purchased a pound of this stuff. I've only had it in my system for just over a day. My expiry date is not included in the recall, but as it is an earlier batch than those listed (15oct13 expiration) it makes sence to me that mine could also be affected. I've now pulled it out.

How quickly are the results of the contaminated carbon becoming apparent?

This annoys me. If it is contaminated I can't use it in any of our carnivorous plant terrariums, either (though I have one tropical plant terrarium I could use it in).

My batch date was exc14oct I believe. And I noticed over night. Odds are if you didn't it could be fine. But test your water for contaminants like copper.

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by daniella3d

no, I think the carbon did cause it. Not all contaminated carbon is in that recall list, as I posted this warning and many threads, so just don't assume that because a certain batch is not in the recall that it is not contaminated.

I lost for around 700$ in corals and my carbon is not in their list of recall! Yet I have the professional laboratory analysis that prove that the carbon is contaminated with copper and nickel as well as a higher than normal content in arsenic.

So water change 30% each day or every second day (age the water for 24 to 48 hours) and use polyfilter to remove the contaminant. It does not take a lot of copper to kill everything.

I gotta ask. You took your carbon to a lab for testing? This must have been costly. Where do you even find a lab who takes stuff from a person "off the street"?

I would think most labs are closed environments.

[daniella3d]

The chemist that is the leader of the metal testing department is also a marine aquarist and a member of our forum, Reefaction. I already had the contact to the right person. This is a huge laboratory located in MOntreal. I may have made a mistake in the name before but it is called Maxxam laboratory: http://maxxam.ca/ They have millions in equipement When I went to bring the samples, they gave me a tour of the place and it was very impressive!

As for the cost, it was minimal since I only paid for the actual cost of the test, so it was well worth it to find out what was in that carbon before I sent it back to the company. They only tested it for metal.

I wanted to confirm that my case was a case of copper or what ever contamination and not something else like coral war or anything else. I also wanted to have my current aquarium water tested to make sure I did not have any more copper in my tank after all these mesures and I was relived to find out that no more copper was in my tank. I did it for my peace of mind.

Then I sent a sample to Kent Marine so they could test that batch too. They should receive it somewhere this week.

Originally Posted by paddyob

I gotta ask. You took your carbon to a lab for testing? This must have been costly. Where do you even find a lab who takes stuff from a person "off the street"?

I would think most labs are closed environments.