Phosphate Reactor should i diy or buy one

[flathead31coupe]

what the title says... if diy or buy, where and what kind...

 

[TopNotchCorals]

Really doesnt matter as they all do the same job.I guess "price" would be the only difference and maybe size.

 

[gilmour01]

if you buy, the next reef and BRS reactors are both nice IMO.

 

[flathead31coupe]

how do i get the right size, my m/t is 48 or so gal, and my sump is 15 gal

 

[gilmour01]

are you looking to keep it in the sump or next to it?

 

[condor]

i like the 12in PM reactor. a little pricey but sturdy. all parts are unlikely to ever break and easy to clean

 

[flathead31coupe]

i have plenty of room in the sump, witch is pefered

 

[flathead31coupe]

wich is better insump or outside?

 

[coral diver]

I just use my old eheim canister filter, i put a bag of carbon and a bag of phosguard well rinse it first Duh!, fresto carbon & phosban reactor.

 

[lvsuckerfish]

BRS makes a good one also I just bought a avast marine should work for what you need you will have to add the correct amount of any media you add in it anyways.

 

[doughboy]

to answer your question, you need to answer another question first.
is your objective to learn how to build one or to save money?
diy does not always mean saving money.

 

[flathead31coupe]

to answer your question, you need to answer another question first.
is your objective to learn how to build one or to save money?
diy does not always mean saving money.

witch ever works best, what about the in sump on not, and how do i tell how big of one i need

 

[agent462]

I like the two little fishies ones and they are not expensive

 

[Hdhuntr01]

I would purchase a Dual BRS GFO and Carbon Reactor from Bulk Reef Supply. Down the road you will want to be able to run GFO and carbon at the same time...

 

[CookieJar]

I would purchase a Dual BRS GFO and Carbon Reactor from Bulk Reef Supply. Down the road you will want to be able to run GFO and carbon at the same time...

+1
if you think there's even a small possibility of upgrading, the dual is the way to go if you have the space. The 2nd one can be empty if you don't want to run carbon.

 

[coralshunter]

It's cheaper to buy one than DIY.

 

[lvsuckerfish]

the Brs one can put up with some serious flow. I have mine tee'd off my return 70rlt Iwakia and it has not leaked once.

 

[doughboy]

It's cheaper to buy one than DIY.

that's usually the case, and unless one is skilled, the end result will look ugly as heck. which is how my diy always end up looking, but it is a good way to learn for sure. get the TLF, it is the easiest to maintain and has a better resale market that most other reactors.

 

[swannyson7]

I would purchase a Dual BRS GFO and Carbon Reactor from Bulk Reef Supply. Down the road you will want to be able to run GFO and carbon at the same time...

The downside to doing this is that GFO and Carbon require different flow rates. Carbon should be tumbling within the reactor, while GFO should have lower flow, allowing water to pass through the GFO while remaining settled at the bottom of the reactor. With the dual setup from BRS, I don't know if you can regulate the flow in each chamber, so it may difficult to find a pump that suits your needs. Anyone who owns this reactor, please chime in and correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[RBursek]

It makes no difference if it is in the sump or hangs on the back. Marine Depot sells on that is totally complete, pump and all.