Carbon and GFO in media bag inside reactor?

[Cranky_Wonderer]

I recently brought a couple reactors online but having a heck of a hard time with both carbon (Rox 0.8) and GFO inside them. Both reactors have a hard plumbed exit but the input is just silicon so I can easily remove them when needed.

My problem comes when it's time to change media so looking for input on how best to go about things.

Carbon - I found out Rox likes to float and because the sponges that came with my reactor are too big, Rox just floated right past them and into my sump. Talk about a mess! To solve this, I ended up just putting the Rox inside a media bag and placing the bag in my reactor. Is this ok or am I better trying to get new sponges or use filter floss so the carbon is more uniform in the reactor vs just being in a bag and shoved on one side?

GFO - Talk about another mess! I've watched enough YouTube and read tons of articles on flushing it during a water change but I have found this too likes to float and really haven't figured out the right process to make this an easy task. The second time I changed GFO, I filled a bucket I was using to flush full of brand new GFO and literally wasted all of it. Would smaller sponges or filter floss help here too? Right now I just have a bag of Purigen in the reactor and this seems to be working ok and controlling phosphates but I'm not getting any tumble out of it that I can tell so my guess is it'll be short lived.

Any thoughts or suggestions on how best to handle the change out would be great. Right now, I feel like I could've obtained the same results just placing the media bags in my filter media cups vs having the complexity and costs of the reactors

 

[mitch91175]

I used to run GFO and stopped for a number of reasons.

1. Cost too much
2. Too messy
3. Can strip too much if not monitored

Have you considered using Lanthanum Chloride (LC) for controlling PO4? It cost way less to use and works extremely well. I have been using it on my SPS dominant tank for a while now and everything works great.

Also I haven't run carbon on my system in almost a year. I've switched over to using a Oxydator for water clarity and also run a UV when needed. Overall savings doing those are pretty decent and my system is doing well.

Also if you are going to use the carbon/GFO in bags, might as well just put them in your filter sock if you are running one. Would work about the same and everything has more potential to be trapped by the filter sock(s).

 

[Cranky_Wonderer]

Thanks for the reply and honestly, never heard of Lanthanum Chloride. Do you dose it like you would anything else?

Does Oxydator provide the same benefits of carbon outside water clarity (removing of contaminates, etc)? I do already run UV 24x7.

I watched a few BRS videos where they compared the media bag approach (sitting in sump) vs media in a reactor and the differences were definitely noticeable (at least in their carbon tests). They determined that forcing the water through the media vs letting the passively work was a better approach.

 

[jda]

Rox .8 sucks, IMO. I bought a 5 gallon bucket and traded it for larger stuff. The only way to use it is in a bag and then it is not very effective since the water can just go around it. It is pretty clean, but who cares if I cannot keep it in a reactor.

The GFO should be run reverse flow and show have slow enough of a flow to gently tumble and stay at the bottom of the reactor. If it is getting messy, then your technique is not yet perfected. I just get it wet with tap water, put the reactor on the tank and then let the reactor empty into a 5g bucket until it runs clean and then move the outlet back onto the tank. Sometimes I need to tap the reactor to get the GFO to unclump and settle to the bottom.

GAC and GFO need totally different flow rates.

 

[Cranky_Wonderer]

Interesting on the reverse flow of the GFO. Never heard that but can see that working and will have to try that method

Yeah, thinking after I run through this Rox, I'll revert to the larger stuff. Just too big of a pain and I'm good rinsing it a little longer to not deal with the mess.

 

[lapin]

I put the stuff in media bags. Old 4" nylon filter socks with the ring cut off. I fill them about 1/2 to 3/4 and rubberband the end leaving plenty of room for the media to move around. Makes for easy change out and rinsing.
I also have 3rd reactor with both inside. 2 bags. While not the best as far as flow and all that other techie stuff. It works for me and my tank. I change that one more often to fine tune my tank.

 

[mta_morrow]

I hang media bags with carbon (not ROX) and rowaphos for phosphates off the leading edge of the bubble trap baffle. This provides good flow thru the bag IMO. I don’t need another piece of equipment to maintain. Also run UV 24/7. Actuall switched to LC last week! I will use up my rowaphos though.

 

[Mabry]

Rox .8 sucks, IMO. I bought a 5 gallon bucket and traded it for larger stuff. The only way to use it is in a bag and then it is not very effective since the water can just go around it. It is pretty clean, but who cares if I cannot keep it in a reactor.

The GFO should be run reverse flow and show have slow enough of a flow to gently tumble and stay at the bottom of the reactor. If it is getting messy, then your technique is not yet perfected. I just get it wet with tap water, put the reactor on the tank and then let the reactor empty into a 5g bucket until it runs clean and then move the outlet back onto the tank. Sometimes I need to tap the reactor to get the GFO to unclump and settle to the bottom.

GAC and GFO need totally different flow rates.

Agreed. Carbon and GFO media in reactors require different flow rates. Carbon is more tightly packed and uses a higher flow rate. GFO is more loosely installed between two sponge or wool rings within a separate canister. This allows the top of the media to slightly roll over on a continuous basis. Water flow is minimal. Adjust flow like you are reducing the heat when water starts to boil. In this case, reduce it just like adjusting boiling water to just BELOW the boiling point. Combining both medias is not a good idea in my opinion since two different water flow requirements exist. Consider Spectrapure or other side-by-side dual reactors with separate adjustable flow valves for carbon and GFO.