Wanting to buy GFO and Carbon reactors. Questions...

[Fieryfrog]

I am wanting to finally start running GFO and Carbon. So I am going to have to get some reactors. they can get pricey from what I see.

To those that are running them, do you prefer to run separate reactors or the dual reactor?

Is there a huge difference in quality? What do I need to know?

 

[hawkinsrgk]

Hi Aaron

I had dual BRS reactors when I was in Huntsville. I liked them ok, The issue is that the carbon needs more flow than GFO

I switched over to a dedicated GFO reactor due to the amount of water volume that I have, but even now I run them in series

With all that being said. If I had to do it over I would set it up to have a different flow rate in each

 

[hawkinsrgk]

Sorry. Didn't answer you last question. The reason that I got a large dedicated GFO reactor was due to the cost of GFO

I have only used BRS GFO except for the time that you gave me that GFO from the club meeting

GFO is really expensive and the high output GFO from BRS can really add up to a lot of money. You can definitely tell a difference in quality but for the cost I can deal with the extra dust that it produces

If I had a smaller water volume I would prefer to get the high output as opposed to the way that I am doing it

Thanks
Randy

 

[Fieryfrog]

GFO is really expensive and the high output GFO from BRS can really add up to a lot of money. You can definitely tell a difference in quality but for the cost I can deal with the extra dust that it produces

Holy Cow, I looked at the High Capacity. $100 compared to $40 for the regular. Yeah, that is pricey.

 

[hawkinsrgk]

Yea and with me using 6 cups of GFO per month.... It really adds up to a lot

It really helps my tank though. I was able to tell a huge difference in the tank when I started running carbon and GFO

 

[RUGDOG]

I find gfo on eBay cheaper than brs and have great success with it. You asked about reactors. All I have ever run are the cheap TLF brand. They always work just not as pretty as a next reef or whatever the fancy acrylic ones are.

 

[RUGDOG]

Also I have always run separate. I have been debating converting a brs dual di setup (basically just like their dual reactor) and running a dual but after reading about what hawkinsrgk had to say about flow I may not. Makes sense. Gfo is finer and You want just the little surface tumble but different for carbon.

 

[usctrack]

I have a couple Reactors I'm not using. I think they are TLF 550s of you are interested.

 

[Fieryfrog]

I have a couple Reactors I'm not using. I think they are TLF 550s of you are interested.

That would be great. Let me shoot you a PM.

 

[Fieryfrog]

Hi Aaron

I had dual BRS reactors when I was in Huntsville. I liked them ok, The issue is that the carbon needs more flow than GFO

I switched over to a dedicated GFO reactor due to the amount of water volume that I have, but even now I run them in series

With all that being said. If I had to do it over I would set it up to have a different flow rate in each

Thanks for the info Randy.

You have convinced me to do a reactor for each. After I read what you had said, I went and started watching some videos. And they all say the same thing.
I have been fighting my Phosphates for a while now. And I am thinking this is what I need to finally kick them in the proverbial butt.

 

[hawkinsrgk]

Your welcome. You are making the right decision