I’m looking for charcoal to replace in my filter I just feel like everything I see cost almost as much as a new filter. What brand do y’all recommend?
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I recommend getting a whole new filter. Any brand really.
You can refill them but in my experience it’s not worth it. And messy.
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That’s kinda what I figured. Always trying to find a way to be a little more frugal!
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I’m not sure how cheap activated carbon pellets for aquarium use is where you at, but I’d look in to it. In my country, a pound of it costs around $2.5
Activated crushed charcoal used for water purification goes for around 50¢ for a pound.
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So does the aquarium charcoal work 
I’ve been also thinking of this.
Here is an idea for you. Take a 4 inch piece of pvc about 2 feet long fill it with aquarium carbon filter material. Cap the ends with caps that you drill a bunch of holes in. So the carbon doesn’t get blown out as you attach a blower fan and vent it to the outside normally.
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I recently bought the AC infinity refillable filter to give it a try. It comes prefilled and with some extra fills so I don’t yet know how easy it will be to replace. I did unscrew the end and remove the rubber boot to see the charcoal, that was very easy. They also supply a funnel and scoop to fill it. I will report back once I have to refill it. Probably in 6 months tho.
the refills cost $35 for 8lbs, $61 for 16lbs, $109 for 32lbs. How do those prices compare to what you are seeing for charcoal? They claim theirs is some special shape that doesn’t require the charcoal to be packed tightly.
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I was looking at this also, as I have currently 2 4" filters and 1 8" filter… the 4" are like $30 on Amazon and the 8" is like $60… I already have taken apart 1 of the 4" ones and you can refill the ones that are sealed… it is literally drilling out the rivets and replacing with screws.
however I haven’t been able to find an inexpensive charcoal, also didn’t measure how much was in the sealed one so I could see how much I would need. 
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That’s pretty average in pricing. How many pounds does it take to replace one?
I repacked a 4” one before, and it took most of a 6# bag.
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Yea I think new filter is the way to go.
Listen to Foreigner…it’s messy, if you don’t repack it equally they don’t work properly, and in the long run you maybe saved a couple if bucks for an hour of messing around with it. What’s your time worth? I ask question a lot…
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Buy a cheaper ozone generator and run it in your room with the carbon filter running for 6 hours on a timer.
It will clean the carbon in the filter and sanitize everything in the room including fans air cons etc. We do it after each run and have been using the same filters for almost 2 years and they kill smell just like when new.
CAUTION!! DO NOT BREATHE IN THE OZONE AIR!!
You need to pipe it out or air out the room with fresh air before entering the room.
It will smell like a hospital! I love the clean smell!
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