Carbon in TLF Reactor Question

[terryagi]

I'm setting up a TLF reactor with carbon in it. How do I prevent the carbon from tumbling? Am I supposed to throttle the pump back, or am I supposed to put something (like batting) in there?

Also, do I want absolutely no tumbling or is some ok?

Thanks!

 

[fish2009]

Whenever I use carbon I always put in it a filter bag. It keeps in from moving around and makes replacement easy.

 

[terryagi]

You put it in a filter bag in the reactor, or are you talking about passive filtration?

 

[tmz]

I'd put in an extra sponge pad and adjust the flow. The carbon will likely float to the top anyway. The filter bag can be neat in a canister filter but carbon bunched up in a bag tends to get surface exposure than some that is fluidized in a reactor, in my opinion..

 

[BuddhaKiss]

I do a reverse flow. Basically, water is pumped into the outlet of the reactor, and water flows out of the inlet of the reactor. This pushes the carbon downward so you get very little tumbling.

 

[tmz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15374091#post15374091 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BuddhaKiss
I do a reverse flow. Basically, water is pumped into the outlet of the reactor, and water flows out of the inlet of the reactor. This pushes the carbon downward so you get very little tumbling.

Nice tip. I'll have to try it. Thanks.

 

[njdevilsfan]

buddhakiss is right been doing it for years

 

[terryagi]

That's a good suggestion. With reverse flow, does the pump still need to be throttled back?

What is the purpose of doing it the designed way (flow from bottom to top)?

 

[terryagi]

bump

 

[mille239]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15375043#post15375043 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by terryagi
That's a good suggestion. With reverse flow, does the pump still need to be throttled back?

What is the purpose of doing it the designed way (flow from bottom to top)?

I also use the TLF reactor with carbon (reverse flow) but I think the purpose of doing it the correct way is to prevent channeling within the media, so you have more media in contact with the moving water, and thus better surface contact. I do this with GFO, but not carbon.

 

[map95003]

I've also been running carbon in a TLF reactor for a while now...I run it as recommended by the manufacturer and trottle back my pump so the carbon just tumble slightly on the surface...seems to work OK.

 

[landlord]

I've found that running the TLF reactor with ROX 0.8 carbon the correct way to be problematic. The sponge tends to get eaten away if the flow is even slightly too much. I have since switched mine to a reverse flow and am quite pleased with it.

--landlord

 

[terryagi]

Thanks for the input. Time to test it out