carey
Aquarium Advice Addict
Awesome. Glad you got one, I still have yet to have a clog in mine. 
Good luck
Good luck
BRS Dual Ca/GFO Reactors
- Thread starter PrettyFishies
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
OP
OP
PrettyFishies
Aquarium Advice Addict
How much tumbling is ideal and how much is too much? Any good (clear) videos of the right amount of flow?
I see movement starting about halfway down the mass of GFO and moderate tumbling on top. Is that enough or should it start from the bottom?
I see movement starting about halfway down the mass of GFO and moderate tumbling on top. Is that enough or should it start from the bottom?
Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
GFO should have a 'low boil' like you are making mac and cheese.
OP
OP
PrettyFishies
Aquarium Advice Addict
From the bottom up?
Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
Yep, that's how mine works. A low boil gives you the best out of GFO and also prevents it from caking up, as it usually does in high calcium environments.
OP
OP
PrettyFishies
Aquarium Advice Addict
What I'm trying to get at is should I see movement throughout or just mainly at the top?
Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
That kinda depends on the reactor I'd assume...in my BRS the water comes through the bottom through the GFO...unless I'm not understanding your question.
OP
OP
PrettyFishies
Aquarium Advice Addict
It's a BRS deluxe, the black one. Right now I can see movement halfway down the GFO that's in there. Is that okay? Should it be less like 1/3 from the top or should I see movement down to the bottom?
Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
Should see the stir going through the whole thing.
OP
OP
PrettyFishies
Aquarium Advice Addict
Maybe I have too much GFO in there?
Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
Did you fill it up? You want to add GFO slowly. Adding too much at one time can throw parameters in a whirlwind. I want to say my bottle said something about no more than 1/3 a cup at a time.
OP
OP
PrettyFishies
Aquarium Advice Addict
I didn't fill it but added less than what the instructions said. I think I have too much in there because I can't get it to "stir" from the bottom, only the middle.
What parameters will it impact? I have noticed my Ca and Mg are high (470/1420)
What parameters will it impact? I have noticed my Ca and Mg are high (470/1420)
Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
A drastic drop in phosphate is just as bad as anything else. Stressful.
Gregcoyote
Aquarium Advice Addict
Keeping it from caking up in a high calcium SPS reef is a challenge. I'm trying out the reactor Carey mentioned to see if it will stir GFO well enough not to cake. I like the BSR reactor but I sure didn't have much luck with GFO in it. Phosguard worked fine though.
OP
OP
PrettyFishies
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ok. I'll remove half if what's there. Do I have to discard that or can I save it?
Gregcoyote
Aquarium Advice Addict
You can let it dry out and use it again, might rinse in freshwater first.
OP
OP
PrettyFishies
Aquarium Advice Addict
Heres a short video. I removed half of the GFO and I'm still not getting it to stir from the bottom without going crazy on top. It stirs about 1/3rd of the way down from the top
Gregcoyote
Aquarium Advice Addict
This is the problem I had. I couldn't get the column to tumble, so the bottom part starts to pack up. I tried mixing in GAC but that didn't stop the GFO from gumming up. In a lower calcium system, I am sure it's a no brainer, but I am trying out another reactor design to see if this can be overcome.
