What am I doing wrong?

[Jakepen]

Hey guys, thanks for looking. I have the Aqua Gadget reactor, running carbon. Well I've been using it for about three weeks. First time I filled it with carbon and ran it, had problems. It would fill up, the carbon would raise to the top and spill out the sides, dumping a whole mess of it into my tank. After a while, the carbon finally settled and started to tumble. Same thing today, changed the carbon and no matter how little flow I try, it rushes to the top and spills out. Any suggestions?

 

[McMullen]

Not familiar with that reactor but my BRS has a sponge filter top and bottom so carbon cannot pour out. Yours does not?

 

[Jakepen]

It does, but it gets all jacked up in there. Sponges flip, and don't stay in place. I have replacement sponges, maybe I'll try those. Not sure if the sponges I have in are worn down.

 

[McMullen]

Is it possible to take a pic?

 

[Jakepen]

Is it possible to take a pic?

I will in the am. I'm actually going to just email IM, I think they should be able to help me out.

 

[McMullen]

Right on! Keep us updated!

 

[Fin]

The media shouldn't be coming out of the reactor. I have one of the mini reactors in the sump of my nano. Never had that happen. Mine came with three circular sponges. I use two of them on the bottom, add the media and set the third one just inside the reactor chamber. Then I push the sponge down with the top plug. It should go down past the holes in the top of the chamber. It stays flat against the bottom of the plug, even if the media rises up in the tube.

 

[Bpb]

Carbon also should not tumble. It will grind it down and create carbon fines in the water which are pretty hazardous to fish

 

[Jakepen]

Well, it dumped a whole lot of carbon into my tank. It's really tough to get out, I've been working for a while. Still a lot in the tank. What should I do? It just sinks, sits on the sand. Is it harmful? I have only a CUC in there.