Safe to add the activated carbon/charcoal from a filter to a garden bed?

Brokeoldbloke

Brokeoldbloke

Active Member
I'm getting ready to replace a my filter and wondering if I could reuse the carbon by adding it to my garden beds. Its a Can brand filter with about 16lbs of activated carbon. I don't know if its coal or coir base, steamed or acid washed. Anyone done this? Would it help like biochar or just kill the soil like toxic waste?
 
L

LIBERTYCHICKEN

Well-Known Member
The only possible issue I could see is that activated charcoal sucks up toxins , It could suck up a large portion of your nutrional content of the soil

-- Could im only quessing hear--
 
Brokeoldbloke

Brokeoldbloke

Active Member
LIBERTYCHICKEN said:
The only possible issue I could see is that activated charcoal sucks up toxins , It could suck up a large portion of your nutrional content of the soil

-- Could im only quessing hear--
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Yah, I don't fully understand how or what biochar holds and releases but it is said it helps prevent leaching and increase the up take of nutes. I'm wondering if activated charcoal would work in a similar way. I'd be happy with a null effect. I want a way to reuse or recycle this stuff but don't want to hurt the soil.
 
Singlemalt

Singlemalt

Well-Known Member
Unless the filters were in a paint, auto or machine shop or any place with noxious hydrocarbons or acids its fine to toss in the garden soil. After a couple months it will come to equilibrium in the soil and then not affect nute levels to growing plants. I've done it for years with no problems.

Check this out, quite interesting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_preta
 
Brokeoldbloke

Brokeoldbloke

Active Member
Singlemalt said:
Unless the filters were in a paint, auto or machine shop or any place with noxious hydrocarbons or acids its fine to toss in the garden soil. After a couple months it will come to equilibrium in the soil and then not affect nute levels to growing plants. I've done it for years with no problems.

Check this out, quite interesting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_preta
Click to expand...
Thanks! I won't be adding anywhere near the terra perta levels but good to know it won't kill my soil. Any problems with it raising the ph level?
 
Singlemalt

Singlemalt

Well-Known Member
Don't think so, but I've never checked the garden soil; just potting soil. My veggie garden has always been productive; the native soil is a mix of adobe and limestoney with about a foot of topsoil and all used potting soil is mixed into it. I used to have a wholesale landscape nursery on site....spent almost 30 yrs mixing :mrgreen:
 
Abiqua

Abiqua

Well-Known Member
You can make activated charcoal at home, by dipping or pouring hydrosulfuric acid over char pieces. This causes the surface area expansion. So its rather inert without outside influence. Composting it after use is probably the best thing for it anyway....


I use activated charcoal in DIY filters for drinking water, so I hope its okay for the garden......should be good.
Because of the crazy amounts surface area from little mass, it can hold a lot of water by weight and has been referred to also as "condo's" for microlife.
 
Brokeoldbloke

Brokeoldbloke

Active Member
Abiqua said:
You can make activated charcoal at home, by dipping or pouring hydrosulfuric acid over char pieces. This causes the surface area expansion. So its rather inert without outside influence. Composting it after use is probably the best thing for it anyway....


I use activated charcoal in DIY filters for drinking water, so I hope its okay for the garden......should be good.
Because of the crazy amounts surface area from little mass, it can hold a lot of water by weight and has been referred to also as "condo's" for microlife.
Click to expand...
Thanks! I just wanted a simple way to reuse/recycle the stuff without too much mess. I've decided to dump it into a couple of beds and recycle the metal frame.
 
S

Sticky Lungs

Well-Known Member
I have a friend that does work with biochar. If I remember correctly, activated charcoal and biochar are different things. Let me find out more about this and I will share with you guys.
 
Brokeoldbloke

Brokeoldbloke

Active Member
Sticky Lungs said:
I have a friend that does work with biochar. If I remember correctly, activated charcoal and biochar are different things. Let me find out more about this and I will share with you guys.
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Ya Sticky, I would say their different but have similar properties in providing micro pores. I just wanted a way to re-use it instead of sending it to the dump. My main concern was I didn't want to do harm by adding it to the soil. I would be interested in hearing what your friend thinks though. thx
 
Abiqua

Abiqua

Well-Known Member
activated charcoal = pore space caused by pouring acid on cellulose and causing a reaction.

biochar = essentially charcoal making, burning wood without oxygen

activated charcoal will probably be more acidic, but depending on species, you likely will be all over the place.
 
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