I've just assembled my 'new' vac chamber setup and it has been struggling to pull down well with the foreline trap in place. Hardly surprising, perhaps, as it is old alumina and I've not baked it out yet after its disassembly. But as it is old, I should put some new in anyhow.
That being said, my question here is whether I should put effort into getting alumina or whether cheap 'aquarium' activated carbon pellets will do. The objective, after all, is to avoid backstreaming. Alumina, as I understand it, should be used for acids and water vapour (etc..) whereas carbon for organics and water vapour. Clearly in the type of stuff we're doing, activated carbon will do (perhaps better, even?).
There again, maybe if it is just for back streaming, wire wool in the filter would do and will not cause the problem I'm just having at the moment (requiring a bake-out).
Thoughts, please. Cost- and availability-wise, activated carbon looks the best. But is regular aquarium carbon 'clean' enough (after a bakeout)? Should I just used some wire wool to maximise pumping speed?