Saltwater & Reef

DanS180 · 08-11-2013, 04:31 PM

Hey everyone, just looking to get some answers hopefully. I've had the BRS single reactor for awhile now and find myself changing out my GFO fairly often due to it breaking down and making my tank cloudy. I have the GFO barely tumbling tho so I'm a bit confused as to why it does this. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks

edwardclaxton · 08-12-2013, 11:16 PM

Im not for sure the reason. But it needs to tumble so that the small gfo particles dont clump. Carbon needs to be more packed bc it grinds away to dust. Make sure you rinse the gfo dust before you have it cycle your system. I use a milk jug and let the pump suck water out of the tank into the jug. Then dump the water out in the sink. This makes sure you dont get dust in your tank. The life of gfo is suppose to be 4 to 6 weeks some people even use it up to 8 which should be you max if you do that. Ive recently bought something else to put in my reactor its called rowaphos I think does the same thing. But it wont leach the phosphates back into the water. Which the gfo media can possibly do. Its all about what you prefer. Im trying it to make a decision in whats best for me. Hope this helps.

DanS180 · 08-12-2013, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwardclaxton

Im not for sure the reason. But it needs to tumble so that the small gfo particles dont clump. Carbon needs to be more packed bc it grinds away to dust. Make sure you rinse the gfo dust before you have it cycle your system. I use a milk jug and let the pump suck water out of the tank into the jug. Then dump the water out in the sink. This makes sure you dont get dust in your tank. The life of gfo is suppose to be 4 to 6 weeks some people even use it up to 8 which should be you max if you do that. Ive recently bought something else to put in my reactor its called rowaphos I think does the same thing. But it wont leach the phosphates back into the water. Which the gfo media can possibly do. Its all about what you prefer. Im trying it to make a decision in whats best for me. Hope this helps.

Well before I run in thru the system I let it run off into a 5 gal bucket to get all the dust out of the canister. Then after the water is done being brown I put it thru my system, not sure why its doing what its doing tho

edwardclaxton · 08-12-2013, 11:24 PM

Is it just barely tumbling. Gfo shouldnt be scattered all over the reactor. It needs to be settled on the bottom and the very top should hardly tumble. You may need to restrict your water. Also the reactor should have a pad put it at the top or the reactor so it could catch any media trying to escape.

DanS180 · 08-12-2013, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwardclaxton

Is it just barely tumbling. Gfo shouldnt be scattered all over the reactor. It needs to be settled on the bottom and the very top should hardly tumble. You may need to restrict your water. Also the reactor should have a pad put it at the top or the reactor so it could catch any media trying to escape.

I took the pad out but maybe I'll put it back in. The media is only tumbling a very lil bit. Nothing crazy. Guess I'll just have to do a trial and error

edwardclaxton · 08-12-2013, 11:41 PM

Yea. Good luck and hope you get it working

bskerrichard27 · 08-13-2013, 11:08 AM

I had this same issue I used a finer sponge to replace the one that came with it I have had no issues since...

DanS180 · 08-13-2013, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bskerrichard27

I had this same issue I used a finer sponge to replace the one that came with it I have had no issues since...

Hmmm I guess I'll have to stop at my LFS and see if they have anything. If not I guess I'll order one from BRS assuming they have them.

bskerrichard27 · 08-13-2013, 11:32 AM

I used the square sponge used in sumps and just made my own ..it was about two inches thick I cut a circle out of it with scissors was not a perfect circle but it works good...

**Sniperhank** · 08-13-2013, 12:03 PM

My gfo stayed in place with barely a tumble and was never out of the chamber with the 2 sponges it came with. Either put the sponges back or restrict the flow from the pump feeding it more.

DanS180 · 08-13-2013, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

My gfo stayed in place with barely a tumble and was never out of the chamber with the 2 sponges it came with. Either put the sponges back or restrict the flow from the pump feeding it more.

How much of a trickle do u have coming out of the output line?

**Sniperhank** · 08-13-2013, 12:25 PM

Light stream. Think of the light tumble as a low boil on the stove.

DanS180 · 08-13-2013, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

Light stream. Think of the light tumble as a low boil on the stove.

Gotcha, then yeah I've been allowing too much flow to go thru.

Gregcoyote · 08-13-2013, 02:00 PM

If you are keeping a reef, high calcium levels causes GFO to clump up. In my reactor, I could only get it to tumble gently for about two weeks, then it became a gooey clump. I have given up on GFO entirely. I went to two reactors, one with Purigen (which I regenerate), the other with bio pellets. My DOC's are lower than they were with the GFO.

DanS180 · 08-13-2013, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gregcoyote

If you are keeping a reef, high calcium levels causes GFO to clump up. In my reactor, I could only get it to tumble gently for about two weeks, then it became a gooey clump. I have given up on GFO entirely. I went to two reactors, one with Purigen (which I regenerate), the other with bio pellets. My DOC's are lower than they were with the GFO.

Interesting. My calcium isn't high as of now. Around 440 usually. See my problem isn't that it clumps up but after awhile it seems like it breaks down into an even finer material and gets sucked thru and back into the tank causing my DT to become cloudy. But as soon as I turn the reactor off, my DT becomes clear so I know its the GFO.

Also, I wouldn't have enough room for another reactor Lol barely have room for what I have in there now lol

**Sniperhank** · 08-13-2013, 02:22 PM

I'm trying out the cobalt anti nitrate and phosphate resins. My tank looks nice, just can't slow down the algae growth that overwhelms my sump. An ats is in my future to make it easier to clean, it is beneficial after all.