LaCl Reactor

[insomniac2k2]

I always shoot for a light tumble. The problem is that you want to pack the floss in tightly as possible. The water will compact it over time.

When you add carbon on the top like I just did, you won't be able to compact the floss near as much.

I don't believe carbon is supposed to be tumbled. It breaks up when tumbled. So you usually put your floss in pretty loosely?

 

[mc-cro]

very interesting. I had been trying to come up with something to dose LC. Currently I just drip a diluted mixture directly into my skimmer intake a few times per week.

 

[insomniac2k2]

If you have the reactors, give it a try. You can get the floss by going to wallmart pillow stuffing. There is a bunch of threads around here that mention which one to get.

Make sure to order a check valve from BRS or somewhere else. You will need it.

 

[mc-cro]

Okay, now that I have refreshed myself on the large thread, I like your set up even more. I have enough stuff laying around to make one as well.


Do you plan on running this 24/7? in place of GFO? There seems to be some concern that below certain levels, LC does not do as well as GFO.

If I understand it correctly, the brief overview is that once the po4 bottoms out, the LC begins to strip out alkalinity (carbonate) and the La is free in the water column.

 

[insomniac2k2]

Yes, I will be running it 24/7 or until PO4 reduction is no longer necessary. I do not think that day will be coming anytime soon. My whole intention of this reactor is to maintain a healthy level of PO4, not eradicate it. My "healthy" level is between .04 and .08.

I've already pretty much figured out my maintenance dose to maintain 0 loss or gain. It needs a tad of adjustment, but I'm now on that maintenance dose, and gaining PO4 at a rate of about .01 every 4 days. This is a good thing, in my eyes. Id rather gain slowly and just tweak the dose schedule now and then, rather than the alternative of striping all PO4 and having extra LaCl in the system, causing havok.

So far, I have noticed next to no ALK drop in my tank. BUT, I do vinegar/KALK dose through a stirrer, fed by my ATO.

I should also add that I've noticed quite a nice polishing effect on the water since I started this little project (filter floss).

Okay, now that I have refreshed myself on the large thread, I like your set up even more. I have enough stuff laying around to make one as well.


Do you plan on running this 24/7? in place of GFO? There seems to be some concern that below certain levels, LC does not do as well as GFO.

If I understand it correctly, the brief overview is that once the po4 bottoms out, the LC begins to strip out alkalinity (carbonate) and the La is free in the water column.

 

[insomniac2k2]

I got to thinking about adding carbon with a little bit better control, and also being able to compact filter floss better. So, I went down to the local TAP plastic store and looked for ideas.

I saw this little container that looked to be a perfect size for the ID of the BRS refillable container. I grabbed it and brought it home. Sure enough, it was a perfect, snug fit. I few hundred drill holes and a dab of silicone to re-use the BRS washer. This is what I came up with:

I now have the ability to compact the floss, and have free flow on the carbon.

 

[Gorgok]

Is the floss there to filter, or just slow stuff down? How often do you think that will need to be cleaned/replaced? Is it really necessary to export the stuff, or it helps but the skimmer could get most of it too?

 

[insomniac2k2]

It is definitely there to filter, and seems to do a pretty good job. You start seeing precip buildup in just a few days.

The last test run that I did before adding carbon, went near a month. I'm sure that the skimmer gets quite a bit of it as it is, but I'd prefer to get as close to all of it as possible. Plus the reactor is a lot easier to clean.

Is the floss there to filter, or just slow stuff down? How often do you think that will need to be cleaned/replaced? Is it really necessary to export the stuff, or it helps but the skimmer could get most of it too?

 

[jerpa]

How do you have the reactor effluent plumbed to your skimmer? I assume your feeding it with another pump as well since the flow through the reactor is only 5 gallons per hour.

 

[insomniac2k2]

I'm just using a T off my return pump and cutting flow down with a standard ball valve. I use the same method that I use to feed my BIO-Pellet effluent through my skimmer. It would be easier to link the thread that I made for it: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2150221

Essentially, I just drilled another hole and fed the reactor line to the same place.

 

[HippieSmell]

I always stayed away from building one of these because I thought lanthanum was dangerous. Apparently, it's pretty safe. They use it for dialysis patients and it's been well tolerated. Just don't breathe it in, because of the chloride.

 

[disc1]

Pssst. The chloride isn't dangerous either. You're thinking of chlorine, a completely different animal.

 

[HippieSmell]

Whatever. The MSDS report says don't breathe it in, and I assumed it wasn't because of the lanthanum.

 

[disc1]

Whatever. The MSDS report says don't breathe it in, and I assumed it wasn't because of the lanthanum.

Never good to breathe in fine particulates of anything.

 

[insomniac2k2]

All the years of huffing paint and now you tell me....

 

[Gorgok]

I know your setup has a separate mixing chamber, but what do you think about just using a single chamber (albeit much larger)? I have a SMR-1 lying around that i think could be put to use for this stuff, same concept as your setup, feed line gets the stuff injected, water goes to the bottom, then filtering stuff packed at the top.

 

[HippieSmell]

All the years of huffing paint and now you tell me....

You're not supposed to spray the paint directly into your nose. You spray the inside of a paper bag, then huff the fumes.

Noob.

 

[insomniac2k2]

I think it would probably work just fine. I'm contemplating cutting down to just 1 reactor, but this setup is working so well that I don't really want to change it.

I know your setup has a separate mixing chamber, but what do you think about just using a single chamber (albeit much larger)? I have a SMR-1 lying around that i think could be put to use for this stuff, same concept as your setup, feed line gets the stuff injected, water goes to the bottom, then filtering stuff packed at the top.

 

[insomniac2k2]

Sometimes, simpler is just better. I made that little carbon cup in the top of the plastic tube that holds my filter floss. Seemed like a good idea, until I tried to install it. Denied.

While it was a good little idea (IMO). I didn't realize that the BRS reactor has a little lip that pokes down. The top of the cup would have to have a hole in it, and then some form of mesh to keep the carbon from leaving the reactor.

After scrapping this idea, I realized that It really wasnt necessary to change something that was working perfectly. So, instead of adding a second stage, I just ran filter floss about 3/4 up, put about 10 TSP of ROX carbon on top of the floss. Then packed the top of the ROX carbon in with more filter floss. Put the original BRS plastic top back on and perfecto. I now have packed filter floss, and carbon. KISS wins again.

On the last run with carbon, I didnt think that I liked it at first. It grew on me. I have a much better polishing effect on the tank now, and that extra back pressure that is being created now, seemed to help with picking up more particulate (or at least helped polish it more). The Floss gets much dirtier, much faster. Pictures in a bit.

 

[insomniac2k2]

For anyone tracking dates on me, I tested this with carbon starting 4/28. If you look at the "old" picture, that is the buildup after 2 weeks. It could have easily gone another 2 weeks, but there is some pretty dense gunk in there. And I wanted to test the floss on top of the carbon to see if it increases overall flow. Man does my water look great! 2 for 1.

old:

Pictures do not do this justice. The filter floss is discolored all the way to the top. The color on the bottom is very dense. The longer it ran in the reactor, the more the floss compacted upwards. Thus making the filtering more efficient (smaller micron capture).

new w/ floss after carbon as well:

On a side note, My rock is still leeching phosphates. I had reduced my dosage to my maintenance dose(1.25ml/hr), but have since doubled it(2.5ml/hr). Which is exactly half of the maximum treatment rate (5ML/hr) that I started with.

I also admittedly have skewed the results by overfeeding the heck out of my tank lately. My fish and coral are very happy with me for this.

I have just now gone through my first gallon of RO water @ 20 ML of Lanthanum chloride per Gallon.

For now, im comfortably maintaining a slightly higher level of phosphates. I do not have any intention to getting as close to zero as possible. Although, it would be very easy to do. Present dosing rate normalizes at .07ish PPM . In 3 years, I have never seen a 0 after the decimal. GFO or not.