Carbon filter getting clogged

[xX_BHMC_Xx]

Yo RIU,

My Vivosun carbon filter keeps getting clogged with this fine white particulate powder. It almost feels like chalk dust, and it's clogging my filter after only a couple days... anyone experience anything like this before? I have noticed some of this dust collecting on electrically charged stuff like wires and switches... it's definitely not PM, but no idea what else it could be. Should my filter be clogging this easily? I have it pulling air through the filter (pre filter on) through a 190cfm fan, then out the cab. Space is only 11 cu. Ft.

 

[Observe & Report]

Do you use perlite or diatomaceous earth?

 

[xX_BHMC_Xx]

Currently using Happy Frog, which has a pretty healthy amount of perlite mixed in already. No amendments.

 

[Observe & Report]

Perlite dust might be a good guess but seems unlikely if it's always been mixed into moist soil. It could also just be smoke particles collected by your fan if it's not dialed down really low, do you smoke nearby?

 

[MichiganMedGrower]

Are you using a sonic humidifier with tap water?

 

[xX_BHMC_Xx]

Perlite dust might be a good guess but seems unlikely if it's always been mixed into moist soil. It could also just be smoke particles collected by your fan if it's not dialed down really low, do you smoke nearby?

Yeah I thought so too... I vape sometimes when working with the girls. Smoke in the living room where the cab is too... people use these things for months on end though, I have to scrub this thing out every couple days just to get any airflow through it...

 

[xX_BHMC_Xx]

Are you using a sonic humidifier with tap water?

Honestly, no idea if it's sonic or not. Probably not... tap water yes.

 

[xX_BHMC_Xx]

This was so restrictive that I was hardly getting any airflow at all at full power on the fan. WTF?!

Plus side...

 

[ttystikk]

Do you spray your plants a lot?

Is it hard water?

 

[Lightgreen2k]

Are you using a sonic humidifier with tap water?

I had that problem in the past.

 

[MichiganMedGrower]

Honestly, no idea if it's sonic or not. Probably not... tap water yes.

Those little misting humidifiers spray a white calcium dust all over if tap is used.

Before I realized it and started using ro water the white dust was just like you say. I had to vacuum out my filter.

 

[Lightgreen2k]

Those little misting humidifiers spray a white calcium dust all over if tap is used.

Before I realized it and started using ro water the white dust was just like you say. I had to vacuum out my filter.

There is a plus side; if you add Co2 (bottle) and get the r/h up with temps, to match I have found my plants to thrive. I went about 2 weeks with temps about 85 -90 F. R/H 75 / No air vented out..

 

[xX_BHMC_Xx]

Do you spray your plants a lot?

Is it hard water?

No sprays. City classifies the water as "moderately hard"

 

[xX_BHMC_Xx]

There is a plus side; if you add Co2 (bottle) and get the r/h up with temps, to match I have found my plants to thrive. I went about 2 weeks with temps about 85 -90 F. R/H 75 / No air vented out..

Yeah, I come back to check on the box, only to find max humidity of 92% and max temp of 86.4... and she looks happy as hell. WTF?!

 

[ttystikk]

No sprays. City classifies the water as "moderately hard"

Do you run a humidifier?

 

[MichiganMedGrower]

There is a plus side; if you add Co2 (bottle) and get the r/h up with temps, to match I have found my plants to thrive. I went about 2 weeks with temps about 85 -90 F. R/H 75 / No air vented out..

with no dehumidifier how did the humidity not keep rising?

 

[ANC]

You need to put a prefilter on that. your carbon will last much longer.

 

[MichiganMedGrower]

You need to put a prefilter on that. your carbon will last much longer.

The white dust from my humidifier went right through my pre filter. It is a very fine dust.

 

[ANC]

Could it be ash?

 

[Lightgreen2k]

with no dehumidifier how did the humidity not keep rising?

I had a humidifier to raise up rh. and set it to 70 r/h for example. shuts off when desired humidity is reached.

You asked about a sonic humidfier..