Reactor and gfo question

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Scotty Fraiser

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Mar 18, 2013
Messages
175
I have been running phosguard in a nextreef smr1 reactor. Thought I would try Gfo as it seems to be the preferred. This stuff is so fine and dusty i am afraid my reactor pump is gonna just blow it all out everywhere. I guess I can put a shut off valve on to reduce flow? The reactor has a screen at the bottom and the top with pretty big holes. I'm afraid I'm gonna make a mess. There are sponges bw the screen but this stuff is tiny. Also if I put a shut off valve on wont this strain the pump?
 
May get in trouble for putting this on the wrong thread again but no help from the equipment thread. I'm running a nextreef smr1 reactor and trying Gfo from bulk reef supply. When I out it in reactor and turned it on it shod rust colored water out. This stuff appears too fine and will go through sponges and screen in my reactor. I put it in a media bag and rinsed it before I put it in reactor but it didn't seem to help. I'm sure I need to install a shutoff valve to slow the flow but won't this strain the pump?
 
First you need to rinse your gfo. I do so in old tank water. And secondly, you are correct that you need to restrict the flow from your pump. Gfo needs to have a gentle tumble through it. Installing a ball valve after between the pump and reactor will solve this. Restricting after the pump can actually be beneficial for it, where installing one before the intake will shorten the life span drastically.
 
First you need to rinse your gfo. I do so in old tank water. And secondly, you are correct that you need to restrict the flow from your pump. Gfo needs to have a gentle tumble through it. Installing a ball valve after between the pump and reactor will solve this. Restricting after the pump can actually be beneficial for it, where installing one before the intake will shorten the life span drastically.

+1........
 
How exactly do you rinse it? I put it in media bag and tried to rinse under tap and I think half of it came through media bag!
 
I have it in a reactor. I put it all in the tube and run old water through it. When I rinse things in a bag, I dunk it several times through old water until it stops running dirty.
 
Put a cutoff valve on it to slow it down. Seems to be working good now. Thanks for the help!!
 
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