Media reactor or nah???

[boogiesnap]

Anybody experiment with the effectiveness of say a BRS GFO/carbon reactor vs. mesh bag in flow?
Building a system, wondering if it’s worth the extra effort and expense.
Thanks y’all!

 

[Kfactor]

it would be better in a reactor it will flow threw it not around it

 

[Nate Chalk]

Do the reactor. Run carbon and gfo only if your phosphate is high.

I started gfo all the time and crashed my tank into the ground with dinos.

 

[00W]

Reactor.

 

[boogiesnap]

Do the reactor. Run carbon and gfo only if your phosphate is high.

I started gfo all the time and crashed my tank into the ground with dinos.

Thank you! It’s actually rowaphos I use, seems gentler? But also I test nearly ever day after I put it in to be sure I don’t do that.

 

[Nate Chalk]

Thank you! It’s actually rowaphos I use, seems gentler? But also I test nearly ever day after I put it in to be sure I don’t do that.

I just started using bio pellets for nutrients after a year.

Phos at .1-.2

Nitrate 15-30

Seems best

 

[00W]

I never use anything.
But after a year on an 8 year old tank with phos so high it wouldn't register, I used a BRS reactor with ME coral 4x GFO and in 2 months I was down to 03.
Ditched the reactor and got an Icecap algae scrubber and never looked back.
Should have started that way years ago.
Phos at .06,nitrate at 23. Both steady.
Really made a big difference.
I used Rowa in a canister filter before the reactor and it worked OK but not like the reactor. Those BRS ones are easy and cheap.
My 2 cents.

 

[exnisstech]

GFO doesn't do much for me in a bag. It will strip PO4 in a reactor. When I do need to run it I just add a couple of spoon full in with my carbon. It doesn't tumble but it works well enough for me and much better than in a bag.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

To answer OPs original question, reactor. Water flows around media bags in a sump. Media bags can also cause flow restrictions if forced in say a bubble trap, forget about a tank crash because you zero’s out. Your wife will call you a zero for flooding the house…

 

[boogiesnap]

I just started using bio pellets for nutrients after a year.

Phos at .1-.2

Nitrate 15-30

Seems best

Nice. I got bacto balance on dose. And supplement with reef actif. Works very well.

 

[boogiesnap]

I never use anything.
But after a year on an 8 year old tank with phos so high it wouldn't register, I used a BRS reactor with ME coral 4x GFO and in 2 months I was down to 03.
Ditched the reactor and got an Icecap algae scrubber and never looked back.
Should have started that way years ago.
Phos at .06,nitrate at 23. Both steady.
Really made a big difference.
I used Rowa in a canister filter before the reactor and it worked OK but not like the reactor. Those BRS ones are easy and cheap.
My 2 cents.

Interesting you say, I’m using a Sicce whale to power a pax bellum algae reactor and from time to time I use the baskets for media. It does seem to be more effective than just a bag in water, and it would appear a dedicated reactor works even better. Dig it.
I’d certainly go the BRS route, they so easy to use.

For a pump,
would y’all think or know a jebao DC return rated for 400 gph turned down to @ 100 would be suitable to push water through a small UV(rated for a little over 100 for parasitic effect, a small pax bellum algae scrubber rated for 200 max, and then a combo brs reactor with rows and their ROX hard carbon pellets?

 

[boogiesnap]

To answer OPs original question, reactor. Water flows around media bags in a sump. Media bags can also cause flow restrictions if forced in say a bubble trap, forget about a tank crash because you zero’s out. Your wife will call you a zero for flooding the house…

Agreed, have had flow concerns with the carbon and rowa bags in the flow.

 

[00W]

Interesting you say, I’m using a Sicce whale to power a pax bellum algae reactor and from time to time I use the baskets for media. It does seem to be more effective than just a bag in water, and it would appear a dedicated reactor works even better. Dig it.
I’d certainly go the BRS route, they so easy to use.

For a pump,
would y’all think or know a jebao DC return rated for 400 gph turned down to @ 100 would be suitable to push water through a small UV(rated for a little over 100 for parasitic effect, a small pax bellum algae scrubber rated for 200 max, and then a combo brs reactor with rows and their ROX hard carbon pellets?

Yes would be bueno I used the same pump on my reactor as well.

 

[Doctorgori]

I opted for a self powered canister filter vs a return pump powered “ reactor”