Phosban reactor 150 - two little fishies

[Jah2707]

Just wanting a little input on how you use this.

I have been using it for 8 months or so. I was mixing 1 cup carbon and 1/4 GFO with not problem but it only filled about 1/6 of the reactor up but now I have been mixing 4 cups carbon and 1 cup GFO. The last two times it seems to clog after about 2 weeks.

I know that Carbon runs out quick but GFO should still have some use left. I have a 45 gallon cube with 20 gallon sump and feed on the heavy side. I use a mj1200 and keep it going at about 1/2 flow.

What can I do to keep it from slowing the flow and clogging so quickly? Or should I be changing it this fast? My goal is clear water and remove phosphates.

I mix the GFO and Carbon together.

 

[Jah2707]

I also have a BRS GFO & CARBON REACTOR - DUAL that I could start using but I don't really have the room to make it easy for taking it out of the stand. But if that would fix the problem I could start using it.

 

[Plainswalker]

I've been using the TLF 150s for a couple of years and they've been workhorses with nary a jam. I think you're putting in way too much material in there. In my experience, the TLF 150 really only has a 1.5 cup capacity for GFO. Any more and it will clog fairly quickly.

In any case, for a 45g tank you shouldn't need to run 1 cup of GFO a week. I'm currently cleaning up a bad phosphate level in my 90g and I run 1.25 cups a week. With yours I'd expect 1 cup to run at least 2-3 weeks. Ideally you'd run GFO and carbon separately because GFO needs to tumble gently and carbon should NOT tumble at all. It also sounds like you use too much carbon as well.

My recommendation would be to run the TLF 150 with 1/2 or 3/4 cup of GFO (changed every 2 weeks - monitor your phosphates), and run 1/2 cup carbon in a mesh sock in a good flow area in the sump (changed weekly). That should be plenty of chemical absorption for a 45g.

 

[Watchm@n]

I didn't think u could use them in the same reactor...

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[billdogg]

I've been using the TLF 150s for a couple of years and they've been workhorses with nary a jam. I think you're putting in way too much material in there. In my experience, the TLF 150 really only has a 1.5 cup capacity for GFO. Any more and it will clog fairly quickly.

In any case, for a 45g tank you shouldn't need to run 1 cup of GFO a week. I'm currently cleaning up a bad phosphate level in my 90g and I run 1.25 cups a week. With yours I'd expect 1 cup to run at least 2-3 weeks. Ideally you'd run GFO and carbon separately because GFO needs to tumble gently and carbon should NOT tumble at all. It also sounds like you use too much carbon as well.

My recommendation would be to run the TLF 150 with 1/2 or 3/4 cup of GFO (changed every 2 weeks - monitor your phosphates), and run 1/2 cup carbon in a mesh sock in a good flow area in the sump (changed weekly). That should be plenty of chemical absorption for a 45g.

I agree 100% with the above. I have used a TLF 150 for over 20 years. It makes a great GFO reactor OR a great carbon reactor. It (and all canister style reactors for that matter) does poorly when you combine the two different media. They require different flow rates and become expended at vastly different rates. Either set up your dual BRS reactors - but if you can run them separately - IMO it's much easier to adjust the flow in each that way - together a flow change in one affects the other, or just get a 2nd TLF 150. Although media in a bag someplace with good flow will work, it is horribly inefficient.

If you have a sump, the TLF's make great in-sump reactors. Mine is hanging on the inside of my sum where it takes up almost no room.

 

[ca1ore]

You are running it up flow, right?

 

[Jah2707]

Seems like i found my answer. Quick running them together. Brs has a video on mixing them together but maybe that was only for there reactors.

So gfo in reactor and carbon in bag. Thanks

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