How does everyone rinse their reactor?

75galOCD · Oct 23, 2017

Hello
I'm getting a reactor for carbon and I wonder what do we use to rinse out the carbon/GFO? I know ideally RO but I hate to through al that precious RO down the drain. Am I a cheap skate or would tap be OK just to rinse with? I wonder what affect the tap would have with a short exposure?
Thanks

nautical_nathaniel · Oct 23, 2017

I used to rinse mine in the water I was taking out during a water change. I take 5 gallons out and put it in a 5 gallon bucket so it made it a good place to rinse something in saltwater at least. A good shake with the reactor or media tube in the water will get most detritus and dust buildup to come out. Not the perfect way to do it (is there even a perfect way to do anything in this hobby??) but it worked well for me.

zachxlutz · Oct 23, 2017

75galOCD said:
Hello
I'm getting a reactor for carbon and I wonder what do we use to rinse out the carbon/GFO? I know ideally RO but I hate to through al that precious RO down the drain. Am I a cheap skate or would tap be OK just to rinse with? I wonder what affect the tap would have with a short exposure?
Thanks

I rinse ROX carbon with tank water through the reactor. I replace the carbon and let the effluent flow into a 5 gallon bucket until it's clear. I usually don't have to rinse long as the ROX carbon has almost no fines whatsoever.

saltyfilmfolks · Oct 23, 2017

I rinse in tap water. Clormine will degrade in sunlight. I don't belive anything else will be added in any significant amounts just stuck to the acrylic.

Folks do wash their socks in the washing machine after all.