Media Reactor Question

T-J · Mar 24, 2020

Yesterday I installed my BRS media reactor. It’s the mini model for my 40g tank, so I’m running not carbon and GFO. I used a total of 5 tablespoons of GFO (they recommend twice that to start), and my phosphates went from .3 to .05 in 24 hours!
What’s done is done.
My question has to do with putting the reactor on a timer. It seems that the pump (Sicce) has added quite a bit of heat. Any issues with running the reactor at night only? Anyone else run on a timer?

Fishingandreefing · Mar 24, 2020

I am running mine 24/7. Wow, if that didn’t strip your water in a bad way, good for you! I am fighting high phosphate for almost two months now from .90 to now roughly .19 with half dose of phosphate RX and running GFO at 50% in case of stripping my water.

T-J · Mar 24, 2020

Fishingandreefing said:
I am running mine 24/7. Wow, if that didn’t strip your water in a bad way, good for you! I am fighting high phosphate for almost two months now from .90 to now roughly .19 with half dose of phosphate RX and running GFO at 50% in case of stripping my water.

Yeah it stripped the crap out of my phosphates. I’ll check again tomorrow to see if running for 10 hours helps.

Tom Stevens · Mar 24, 2020

Watch your Alk as well. GFO will lower Alk too

45ZoaGarden · Mar 24, 2020

T-J said:
Yesterday I installed my BRS media reactor. It’s the mini model for my 40g tank, so I’m running not carbon and GFO. I used a total of 5 tablespoons of GFO (they recommend twice that to start), and my phosphates went from .3 to .05 in 24 hours!
What’s done is done.
My question has to do with putting the reactor on a timer. It seems that the pump (Sicce) has added quite a bit of heat. Any issues with running the reactor at night only? Anyone else run on a timer?

That’s stripped too far. You should remove some of the gfo from the reactor. That’s danger close to Dino levels. Also the sicce pump shouldn’t make a noticeable difference in heat AT ALL. Sicce pumps are known for their low heat output and quietness. What’s the temperature before and after?
Running a gfo reactor on a timer is not a good idea. Firstly, it will exhaust the media faster. The pump will turn off and the media will settle. The po4 in the tank will rise and rise. Then the gfo reactor turns back on and the media has to absorb a lot more po4 at once. Finally it creates po4 waves throughout the day. When it’s off, it goes up and climbs, when it’s off it drops creating massive fluctuations. If it’s on all the time, it will not fluctuate nearly as much.