Aquaforest Carbon 1,000 ml and 5,000 ml — Steam-Activated Phosphate-Free Aquarium Carbon

Aquaforest Carbon — steam-activated phosphate-free carbon, in a 1,000 ml pack or 5,000 ml bucket

Carbon is Aquaforest's high-performance activated carbon, steam-activated — a process that sets it apart from carbons activated with phosphoric acid. Practical outcome: zero residual phosphate released into the tank at startup. Two formats: the 1,000 ml resealable pack for mid-size tanks, and the 5,000 ml bucket for big systems, multi-tank setups and frag farms.

Aquaforest presents its activated carbon in this official video:

What Carbon does for the tank

• Removes dissolved organic compounds — dissolved pollutants, urea, decomposition products.
• Better water clarity — strips tannins and yellow pigments that filter light.
• Absorbs coral toxins — many soft corals release competitive allelochemicals.
• Removes treatment residues — disinfectants, medications, dyes.
• Phosphate-free — no PO4 contamination at startup.

Aquaforest official use

• Dose: 100 ml of Carbon per 100 L (26 US gal) of tank water.
• Recommended flow: about 500 L/h (132 gph) through the media.
• Rinse with RO/DI water before installing to flush carbon fines.
• Renewal: every 4 weeks to keep maximum efficacy.
• Setup: fluidized reactor (AF90, AF110, AF130) or fine-mesh filter bag in the sump.

Which format for which tank?

• 1,000 ml pack: ideal for 100-200 L (26-53 US gal) tanks — about 5 to 10 monthly renewals at the official dose.
• 5,000 ml bucket: at 100 ml/100 L renewed every 4 weeks, it covers about 10 months on a 500 L (132 US gal) tank — and over 2 years on a 200 L. Dry carbon stores well: lid tightly closed, away from humidity.

Our advice

"This is the carbon we run ourselves. I recommend not using too much of it at once, and changing it monthly at most. Carbon that sits in a system too long goes from chemical filtration to biological filtration: bacteria clog the carbon's pores and then empty it out — it releases what it consumed, what it filtered — and it becomes a biological filter. Worse, when you finally change it, it hurts your biological cycle, because the bacteria that settled in the carbon aren't anywhere else: they leave all at once. So: use it, and change it often enough."

— Stéphane, Aquarium ReefSolution, Laval

Why choose ReefSolution

Authorized Aquaforest dealer. In business since 1999 — in-store expertise in Laval and delivery across Canada.

• AF90 Media Reactor — the small fluidized reactor ideal to load the Carbon.
• AF110 Media Reactor — the mid-tier reactor for 200-400 L tanks with a carbon/GFO double load.
• AF130 Media Reactor — the large-volume reactor sized for the 5,000 ml bucket.

Frequently asked questions

Why is steam-activated carbon better?

The steam process activates the carbon without phosphoric acid: no PO4 residue at startup. Some budget acid-activated carbons can cause a measurable phosphate rise during the first hours of use — on a sensitive SPS reef, that difference matters.

How long does Carbon stay active?

Aquaforest recommends renewing every 4 weeks to hold maximum efficacy. Past that, adsorption capacity drops — and carbon left in too long turns into a biological filter (see our advice above).

Can I use Carbon in a simple filter bag?

Yes — place the dose in a fine-mesh filter bag in the sump at a good-flow spot, after an RO/DI rinse. Efficacy is decent, but a fluidized reactor (AF90, AF110 or AF130) optimizes water/media contact.

Continuous or intermittent filtration?

Both work: continuous gives a permanent effect with 4-week renewals; intermittent runs a few days a month to occasionally polish the water. On a mixed tank with competitive soft corals, continuous stays preferable — leather and gorgonian allelopathy calls for fresh carbon.