GFO and Carbon reactor ?

uf_gators

uf_gators

New member
I am going to get a reactor this weekend. My question is should I get just the single and either mix the GFO and Carbon together, or separate in the same unit. Or buy the dual and run GFO and Carbon separate from each other?

Also how much should I put in there of each one?
I have a 40 breeder with a 20L sump if that helps.
 
I prefer to run them seperate. I use the same pump but split the supply line and add a valve to each input.

BRS has a calculator.
 
I just use a bag for carbon, I wouldn't bother running a reactor for carbon, but GFO yes. Just don't add too much gfo at one time as it stress the corals out.
 
oseymour said:
How does it stress corals?

I was told this by a reputable store owner in another forum in a discussion about reactors and GFO. He suggested adding a little each week rather than all at once. I noticed my one group of zoas seemed stressed when I added too much. Now in your case with hair algae maybe he wouldn't have said this. Do you know why your getting hair algae? Running lights too much too high? Over fed? Bad water source?
Click to expand...
 
Separate reactors is the way to go, as mentioned above. Removing too much phosphate too fast can shock your corals that have adjusted to a higher level. Remember that the goal is not a reading of 0! All living creatures need phosphate to some extent or another.
 
CoralNerd said:
oseymour said:
Do you know why your getting hair algae? Running lights too much too high? Over fed? Bad water source?
Click to expand...

I think it's from a couple of things

I was carbon dosing with vodka which allows you to feed heavy, when I stopped dosing I don't think I cut back the feedings enough.

Skimmer - I had a HOB skimmer that was hanging on my sump, It was in a tight space so I never bothered to clean it, so it went from me emptying the cup once a week to once a month. I upgraded to an in-sump skimmer that's better and easier to clean.

It's not my water source, I live in NYC which has good source water and I use a 4 stage RODI filter.

I just upgraded to 2 Kessils A360s on a 37 gallon. It might be too much light but I'm slowing decreasing the intensity. (I'm building a 40 breeder and wanted to test the lights before moving to the new tank)
Click to expand...
 
I just went through this. I ended up buying 2 single stage reactors from BRS. This way I can run them individually off a manifold and control the flow to each one the way I want.

The best advice I can give you is man up and buy the deluxe single stage reactors (black top). The cheaper ones that go for about $50 have a cheap plastic top housing. When you go to loosen the canister the housing flexes like crazy. My concern is over time the plastic will become brittle and crack, especially if you over tighten the canister by mistake. The deluxe units have a steel housing that is bullet proof.
 
The main reason for the purchase is, I have been fighting GHA for a year. This problem, never existed till I bought a ReefBreeders Proton 32. Even changed the stock white meds to 10k and 20k. No fix. just a few months back I sold it and got 2 Kessil 350w. I lost the control part, but I plan on getting a APEX in a couple weeks so no biggie.

Since then I have removed the sand bed I had for the past 2years,and now is BareBottom. My sump is just filter sock, which I change every 3 days. My Seaside Aquatics cs1 skimmer, and Foam pad then return pump back to Tank.

I have turned back lighting to 5-6 hours, and I just have 2 clowns ( which I feed now 1 cube of mysis a week ,rinsed with RO) (use to be 2 cubes). also mixed LPS and 2 months, and some softies. I lost all my coraline algae in the tank.

maybe my live rock is leaching it back or something. This Monday when I am off, I am going to take a stiff brush to the rocks and rinse, and soak my mp10s and scrub as well. I have even tried blackout for 4 days, but it still comes back.

I do and have been running a bag of chem pure elite, that is in the first chamber of the sump that has a small powerhead for water movement, but not directly on the bag.

I use RODI water from my LFS, and have even gone to 2 other stores to get RO. They use reef crystal salt. which I plan to change to red sea pro this coming week to buy from BRS.

Level wise : ph 7.8 always since day 1
alk 7.9
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
phos .04 on hannah checker ( api and red sea test kit says 0 ) go figure...lol
cal 420


Just a little info on what I am going through !
 
Last edited:
degibson84 said:
I went with brs and modded it so that I can control the flow through both chambers.
Click to expand...

is this what your talking about on how you modded yours ? SpectraPureMediaReactor1.jpg
 
That is the Spectra Pure Dual Reactor. I'm sure you can mod the BRS one as well.. I have the Spectra Pure and it's been great and easy to adjust. I have it being fed from the manifold off of my sump and then adjust the flow to each chamber that is best suited for the media.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

beckya
for a 40 gallon breeder
Replies
2
Views
212
griss
griss
D
Which sump would you choose?
Replies
5
Views
341
Devilphish
D
J
My dream of a fleece roller
Replies
2
Views
496
SantaMonica
S
oceangopher
Tankpocalypse Now
Replies
2
Views
176
Reefing102
Reefing102
O
Confused on Algae Reactor
Replies
7
Views
1K
oceanfrank
O
Back
Top