Would a sideways install of a carbon reactor work?

[MusicTeach]

I have an aquatop media reactor for carbon. I'm redoing my plumbing underneath and trying to clean up some space. And by me, I mean I am paying my LFS to help, because I trust then significantly more than I trust myself or my abilities. That being said, when I asked to mount my carbon reactor onto the wall of the sump, I was expecting a vertical mount and not a horizontal mount.

Would a horizontal mount of the reactor inhibit its ability to work, or diminish its returns? I thought gravity played J to. These set-ups somehow but I can't remember how.

Thank you for your input!

 

[Shep]

I feel like it would work but maybe not as well as your typical vertical set up. Might be able to find a brand that would/could be optimized for it

 

[mitch91175]

Maybe is you put the carbon in a bag in the reactor then you can get the results you want.

 

[miPapareef]

For the carbon, that hopefully is not moving (tumbling), just the flow matters and it can be in any direction. You still get flow through the media. The only concern I have is can you disassemble it to replace the media without either the water or media falling out. I think no spill is really why these are mounted vertically.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Horizontal mounted could catch air pockets, be difficult to detach and refill. Media would want to settle down if not packed with a plastic plate or sponge and could channel water around the media.

It would of course keep it from being used with media such as GFO that requires tumbling.

 

[MusicTeach]

Flipper - You are correct! It does indeed catch airpockets. Fortunately, only a 'mount' for the reactor was mounted on the back wall, so the reactor can be vertical when necessary. It's packed with the sponges, but what are the dangers of air pockets?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Flipper - You are correct! It does indeed catch airpockets. Fortunately, only a 'mount' for the reactor was mounted on the back wall, so the reactor can be vertical when necessary. It's packed with the sponges, but what are the dangers of air pockets?

Reduced efficiency. Once again though, it would kept you from using GFO that needs to tumble.