Running media reactor off the return pump vs separate pumps

[reefaland310]

Hey Toby. Are those threaded tees to a threaded gate valve?

 

[Broadfield]

Hey Toby. Are those threaded tees to a threaded gate valve?

Everything is slip sir.

 

[reefaland310]

Very clean work! Nicely done

 

[Salty1962]

I run my reactor off my manifold to eliminate pumps in my sump.

 

[Forsaken77]

I went with a separate pump. I bought the kit from BRS with the Deluxe Reactor and MJ1200 pump. The pump is so small, the extra heat is negligible. Not to mention the MJ1200 has a foam prefilter to keep debris out (sold separately). My current custom sump doesn't have a foam prefilter before the return pump.

There's no extra noise at all and it came with all the hose, valves and elbows needed. I live right outside NYC, so I have the same climate.

The major difference, which should be considered, is when you change the media. On a manifold you will have to do it during a water change because you're using tank water (don't forget to redirect the reactor output into a separate bucket, lol). Whereas I just stick the small pump in a bucket of RODI whenever it needs changing to flush the fines out and then stick it back in the sump.

Whatever is easier or best for your setup, but being in the same area, heat isn't an issue with that small of a pump. Jacking up your return pump will cause more heat and head pressure as well.

 

[tdunmore2]

That looks excellent Broadfield! Love what you've done with the apex install. I don't think I explained properly. I understand that a manifold is a set of tee's. I've seen many install their manifolds the way Broadfield did, which would be my version of "inline". I've also seen (more recently) many install their entire manifold (set of tee's) tee'd off the main return line (return pump -> pipe->tee to manifold valve set and to tank outlet). Not sure if this has any advantages. It seems that installing the manifold off the Tee may reduce flow, maybe making ball valves more useful, especially if you reduce to a smaller pipe size. It would also be a lot easier to remove the entire manifold if needed.

Good point Foresaken77. Reaching over a dollar to pick up a dime perhaps.

 

[PbMan26]

You want your reactors etc tee'd off of the main return... which is the definition of a manifold. You don't want to run the reactors inline of the main return because that would be far too much flow for GFO, bio pellets, carbon etc. By teeing them off from the main return, you can add a valve before each reactor to control the amount of flow though them. Also, while you can use a ball valve to control the amount of flow, a gate valve is far superior. A ball valve is really designed for full flow or no flow... on or off. While a gate valve is designed to give finite control over the amount of flow going through it.

This is my return/manifold I made to fit in a very tight spot above a sump:

IMG_7661 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_7613 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_7618 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_6030 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

This is a piece of ART!

 

[Fritzhamer]

I run a Tunze silence pump to power my reactors. It pulls 4 watts and can run carbon and gfo in a series. My return would need more than four watts to push water through all that extra pipe, unions, ball valves, etc. manifolds cause some serious head loss. I run a vinyl line for my return to create as little head loss as possible.

More head loss means more work which is more juice and more heat. When I'm not running my reactors I still run the pump to keep the sump water mixed up. At four watts, why not.

 

[tdunmore2]

I run a Tunze silence pump to power my reactors. It pulls 4 watts and can run carbon and gfo in a series. My return would need more than four watts to push water through all that extra pipe, unions, ball valves, etc. manifolds cause some serious head loss. I run a vinyl line for my return to create as little head loss as possible.

More head loss means more work which is more juice and more heat. When I'm not running my reactors I still run the pump to keep the sump water mixed up. At four watts, why not.

When you say vinyl line, are you referring to spa flex pvc?

 

[tdunmore2]

You want your reactors etc tee'd off of the main return... which is the definition of a manifold. You don't want to run the reactors inline of the main return because that would be far too much flow for GFO, bio pellets, carbon etc. By teeing them off from the main return, you can add a valve before each reactor to control the amount of flow though them. Also, while you can use a ball valve to control the amount of flow, a gate valve is far superior. A ball valve is really designed for full flow or no flow... on or off. While a gate valve is designed to give finite control over the amount of flow going through it.

This is my return/manifold I made to fit in a very tight spot above a sump:

IMG_7661 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_7613 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_7618 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_6030 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

@Broadfield - How is the front most reactor secured? Also, what strips did you use for inside your sump? I'm looking to do something pretty much the same except blue to match the sump.

 

[BantyRooster97]

I've been contemplating the same thing... I'm going to run my CaRx off a manifold for now, until I purchase a masterflex pump. I think for the CaRx the flow seems to be so important to keep it from clogging the masterflex (or another pump) is a better option (less tuning). But for other reactors I would think the manifold would work fine.... as long as your display flow doesn't suffer.

 

[Fritzhamer]

When you say vinyl line, are you referring to spa flex pvc?

Nope I'm talking about thick walled clear vinyl tube over hose barb fittings. It is more or less straight with a very slight "S" curve. To do the same in PVC I'd have to have several 90s, a union, etc.

 

[chris@nemos]

Have any of you experienced any variations in flowrates between the reactors over time? Wondering if you guys see some of the minor issues as i have...I've noticed As reactors get dirty the pump takes the path of least resistance and goes to the DT or other reactors. Has anyone done this with a calcium reactor along with other reactors? I had some flow variation issues there too. Have you done this with a herby overflow system and maintained good consistent flow in the DT?

 

[Fritzhamer]

Have any of you experienced any variations in flowrates between the reactors over time? Wondering if you guys see some of the minor issues as i have...I've noticed As reactors get dirty the pump takes the path of least resistance and goes to the DT or other reactors. Has anyone done this with a calcium reactor along with other reactors? I had some flow variation issues there too. Have you done this with a herby overflow system and maintained good consistent flow in the DT?

That's a great point / question! Being run off a single pump its easy to tell when the they start to get clogged up. I'd think if it were off the return I'd have to adjust my Herbie drain all the time. Does that happen?