GFO/Carbon Media Options - No Sump AND Nothing In Tank

[jboi]

Hello all,

I am very new at saltwater/reef hobby. I had a 10 gallon saltwater tank for a year and a half. This past January I upgraded to a 40 gallon.

Below are what I currently have and been running since mid-January 2020:

Aqueon 40 gallon breeder
Reef Octopus Classic 1000 HOB
2 Koralia 600GPH powerheads
2 Eheim 125W heaters
40lbs live rock
60lbs live Hawaiian sand

I wanted to get something to control the phosphate in the tank and clear up the water even more. I talked to the salesman who recommended a GFO/Carbon media reactor.

I received it and I am deeply disappointed. The supplied Syncra 1.5 pump with tubing has to be placed inside the tank. It looks absolutely horrendous!! It's huge!

I have been researching for a few days for a HOB with pump OUTSIDE the tank. I really like how the Reef Octopus is built with pump outside. But, everything seems to go inside the tank which is what I don't want.

That said I had a thought I want to run by you all. I have a 29 gallon freshwater with the Aqueon Quietflow 30. What are your thoughts about me getting a Aqueon 50 and throw media inside that?

Or anything out there that is small and not so clearly visible?

Until I convince the Old Ball and Chain otherwise a sump is out of the question. ("You spent too much money already!!!")

I really appreciate your suggestions and comments.

Thank you!

- Jeff

 

[HumbleFish]

GFO really needs to be run through a reactor; In a HOB the water will just find a way around the media.

You can use a Phosban Reactor which only requires a small Maxijet pump to push the water through it: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/phosban-reactor-150.html

Or you could convert a HOB into a mini-refugium or even an algae scrubber to help lower the phosphates.

 

[Mcgeezer]

GFO and carbon need to have high water flow, and only a reactor does that. They need a water pump to push the water through the tractor, and a sump is a perfect place.

I personally wouldn’t recommend HOB equipment. The best part about a sump/overflow is that it increases your water volume + it stores all the ugly equipment out of view.