GFO longevity

[NedFlounders]

I have the standard BRS reactor for tumbling their GFO. The problem is it only seems to tumble for about 2 weeks before clumping at the bottom into a thick brick of the stuff. Even if I adjust the flow daily of the reactor, the GFO still stops tumbling after a couple of weeks. Isn't it supposed to last at least a month?

Any suggestions?

 

[downbeach]

It sounds like a flow problem. Does it sit for periods of time without tumbling, i.e. reactor off, etc.? How full is the reactor? Are you using the plain or HC GFO? I used their reactor's for many years without a problem, and in my case, would change the media in excess of two month's using the HC media.

 

[NedFlounders]

It sounds like a flow problem. Does it sit for periods of time without tumbling, i.e. reactor off, etc.?

Nope! The only time it gets turned off is when I do a weekly water change. And that's maybe for 15min?

How full is the reactor? Are you using the plain or HC GFO?

The reactor is about half full with about a 2" gap under the bottom sponge and the bottom of the filter itself. I have been using the BRS High Capacity GFO

 

[downbeach]

Is there anything upstream of the reactor that might be problematic, i.e. BP reactor possibly causing a bacterial affect, dosers possibley causing a precipitation affect, etc.?

 

[NedFlounders]

Nope. Upstream is a skimmer and another reactor for carbon. Outside of that, I dose Reef Sculpture Parts A and B 2-3x a week.

I found a thread once that instructed me to clean out this little pin hole in the canister lid for better water flow. I did that and it flowed better, but I can't imagine it'd be so problematic that it clogs within 2 weeks every time...

 

[downbeach]

This might be a bit of a WAG, but have you checked the bottom of the refillable canister to see if the slots are fully opened? I bought one a number of years ago for use as a BP canister to use in one of my BRS reactor's, and wasn't getting a good flow through the pellets. I had to take an Xacto knife and cut the slots open, and got a better, more even flow.

 

[Jah2707]

I had the same problem and then moved both sponges to the top and none at the bottom and now it flows much better. So a post about making the adjustment a while back.

 

[NedFlounders]

Both good ideas. I'll look into both of them tonight. Thanks!

 

[DrPheel]

I had the same problem and then moved both sponges to the top and none at the bottom and now it flows much better. So a post about making the adjustment a while back.

+ 1 on this , I use PO4X4 and its a polymer coated GFO pellet letting you up the flow a bit and preventing crumbling/clumping and dusting of the media. I manage to use a cup of this every 2 months and I sometimes swap it a little early when I see PO4 reading from the effluent of the reactor. Clumping to me is not enough flow. Make sure your sponge is at the top and not preventing the media to tumble , You don't want to sandwich it like GAC. Media should look like lightly boiling water on the surface.