BRS dual reactor. GFO/Carbon Questions

[ff337]

I set my reactor up last night and I am questioning the flow. I have 2 cups of GFO and carbon is 2-2.5 cups. The GFO is tumbling per their recommendation video.

The flow seems to be MIGHTY low. MAYBE one (1) gallon per minute. I know the idea is to supplement the sump/refugium.

I will monitor the phosphates. As long as they go to ZERO, i can care less if it flows a teaspoon an hour.

Anyone else notice this? Or am I wrong?

 

[ralph atl]

the top layer of the gfo should be rumblin' or like it's coffee about to "perk"....Water that's about to boil..

you got it right. low flow.

 

[ff337]

I have very slow stream coming from bottom to top. Top layer is rumblin'.

How quick to notice reduction in phosphates? According to an API test, mine were barely detectable. But due to some browning acros, I know their is too many nutrients in the water. Lights are just a couple of months old. (400 watt metal halides 20k)

 

[ralph atl]

forget that test kit.........lol..........

HACH, DD Merck, Colormeter, or these new hanna meters (maybe on that) are your best bet. The recent Elos kit should work good, too.

Phates are bound and binded into your rock, sand, algae...

You might have to change it out every week at first? get a good test kit, and you'll know.

 

[nholderried65]

mysterybox;698652 wrote: the top layer of the gfo should be rumblin' or like it's coffee about to "perk"....Water that's about to boil..

you got it right. low flow.

+1 everyone trys to kill it with flow

 

[smallblock]

Sounds right to me. What I've noticed with that reactor is that the carbon will get clogged and the gfo tends to stop rumblin. You will need to monitor it on a daily basis about after 5 days. We are talking about the side by side dual reactor right? How big is your tank?

 

[ff337]

Yep. 120 gallon plus sump.

 

[ralph atl]

Smallblock;698703 wrote: Sounds right to me. What I've noticed with that reactor is that the carbon will get clogged and the gfo tends to stop rumblin. You will need to monitor it on a daily basis about after 5 days. We are talking about the side by side dual reactor right? How big is your tank?

I use the rox? carbon from brs, but I only fill the container 1/2 way just for this reason. Since I change it often, it works well.

 

[jef4y]

At first I was going to say 2 cups seems like a lot but on a 120 that should be about right. I run 1 cup of GFO and 1 cup of carbon in my dual BRS reactor on my 60. I change about every 3-4 weeks. I noticed a significant algae improvement within the first month.

I used to be able to grow chaeto the size of a basketball, trimming 50% monthly. Within the first 2 months my chaeto died & I pulled it all out. I'm considering trying it again as it could have just been a shock to the system.