AC Infinity carbon filters fit seamlessly with our inline duct fans and duct tubes and can be set anywhere in your ventilation system. They use the highest quality Australian charcoal that catches odor particles emitting from your grow tent. But what is it exactly and why is it used for air filtration?

Charcoal or Carbon?

You may see articles, product descriptions, and packaging use the phrases activated carbon or activated charcoal, sometimes interchangeably. This leads to some confusion that leaves people asking if they mean the same thing or if they refer to different substances. Rest assured if you see these two phrases when shopping for a carbon filter, they are referring to the same filtration process.

The Activation Process

Raw carbon is full of other substances like organic matter that fills its microscopic holes. To increase its effectiveness, the carbon granules are treated with oxygen so that only the pure carbon remains. The treatment clears its small pockets, increasing the carbon's surface area so that there's more space to attract contaminants. This process also positively charges the charcoal pieces so that it can attract the negatively charged molecules.

Pore Sizes

Our duct carbon filters use activated carbon with RC412 pore sizes (0.02 micron). While this is extremely small under normal circumstances, these pore sizes are relatively big in air filtration and is the industry standard. The bigger the pores, the easier it is for the carbon to adsorb odor particles. Adsorption (not absorption) is the trapping of airborne compounds onto the charcoal’s surface, as opposed to the compounds increasing its mass and weight. This distinction means your carbon filter won't get weighed down as it continues to take in odors and eases the replacement process.