Regenerating GFO

[Dave & Monica]

Well I gave this a try and must have done something wrong in the process.

I had around a 3/4 gallon of used up GFO from BRS (Not the high capacity or pellets), so I thought I read 1 molar (1M) NaOH solution was to 1 L of water, I mixed up 4M, then seeing the water level in the bucket was low, I added another 4 L of water. So in the end I had 4M to 8L of water. The first stir turned the water a dark rust color. I let it sit in there for 24hrs, siring every few hours. I rinsed and rinsed and ended up with what I thought was a recharged product. After 6 weeks, I'm starting to get red cryo in my sump area and only in a few small parts in my display. Changed out the GFO at 4 weeks, and now on the second batch and only 2 weeks in.

Any idea on what I did wrong? Also, I did a few tests with vinegar and the result did not fiz, so I skipped the muric acid step. I used the Roebic drain cleaner form of

I ended up buying the high capacity BRS GFO and will swap that in tomorrow when I do my change out. Still want to figure out how to recharge and get more bang for the frugal reefer's buck.

 

[Dave & Monica]

I tested PO4 yesterday and on Salifert it was around .25 so I ended up dripping LC to get it down. Lately I haven't been dripping any LC, just using GFO and that was keeping PO4 in check. My summary is that the recharged GFO isn't taking the same amount of PO4 out as I noticed before.

 

[Pickupman66]

OK. I have read and re-read this article. For someone who does not have a digital scale to determine grams, is there a more common measurement to get the ammount of Caustic Lye such as tablespoons or cups or something us non chemists can use?

 

[spc1spc1]

on page 18 its said that 4 grams is 1 teaspoon. thats what I'm gonna go with.

 

[Pickupman66]

Thanks man.. actually it is on the seam between pages 7 and 8. this is page 17..


but I did find it.. thanks so much...

 

[spc1spc1]

let us know how it works for you. I had to order the lye online

 

[Pickupman66]

I know I can get it from Tractor Supply Company in town.

 

[cweder]

How about regenerating the regeneration solution. Just read a study from Germany that says the concentrated phosphate solution left over after the sodium hydroxide bath can easily be regenerated with lime. Precipitating the phoshate out of solution making a good plant fertilizer. The study says 90% of the phosphate can be removed, making it dilute enough for reuse. Does this sound realistic and feasable to the experts here? Randy?

 

[cweder]

ArsenX by Purolite sounds like a good product made here in the USA. Sounds very much like PO4x4, but used by water treatment plants to remove arsenic.
52 lbs for $1000. Group buy anyone?

 

[Dave & Monica]

This is a good summary of a lot here in this thread - http://www.foxvalleyreefclub.com/forums/content.php?147-GFO-REGENERATION

I see what I did wrong, my solution was too strong and I didn't let it soak long enough. After the first attempt, noticed the GFO granulars are much smaller, hopefully I can do it right and get some use out of the 2-3lbs. I purchased HC GFO from BRS and still haven't used it yet. Figured I have one more refill of fresh new GFO before I try again with regenerating my batch, if that fails, I can used the fresh HC. Goal is to wait 5-6 months before needing it. Fingers crossed.

 

[spc1spc1]

thanks for the link, my first attempt the gfo turned to mush. I tried to do 8 cups at once. might try and break it up next time.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Hi,

I followed the instructions in the article on Advanced Aquarist magazine exactly and I just got finished rinsing with about 8 gallons of RODI water. The effluent from the reactor still feels a bit slippery and the pH of it was still well over 8. I took a TOD reading of the effluent and it came out to be 156. Should I keep rinsing until pH decreases a lot more or until the slippery feel goes away? I wonder what NaOH residue do to corals.

 

[bertoni]

The NaOH will act as a high-pH alkalinity supplement, so it's that that big of an issue, as long as the tank's pH doesn't get spiked badly. I wouldn't worry very much.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Thank you, Jonathan! I will put my reactor back in service

 

[bertoni]

You're welcome!

 

[Sohal Tang Tim]

argggghhhhhhhhhhhh

argggghhhhhhhhhhhh

I just glanced a pieces of this thread and it scares the hell out of me.
Is there a very simple 5 -10 step **RECHARGE GFO FOR DUMMIES**
process????

If so...please advise those steps....labelled 1, 2, 3, 4,,,etc....

this may be way to complicated for me and I may scrap the idea but...if
you can simplify the process in a fashion that I can understand it I may
adopt it... I am not chemist and again...very initimidated by this thread....
not fun for me. thanks.

Tim

 

[Tomoko Schum]

The article in Advanced Aquarist Online Magazine was very easy to follow.

Here's the step by step instruction out of the article:


1.Rinsing with a dilute acid (this step is likely optional for many people, see below): For every 500mL of GFO, add 8L of fresh water mixed with 6.4mL of full strength muriatic acid. Rinse for 4-6 hours and then drain.
2.Regeneration of GFO with sodium hydroxide: For every 500mL of GFO, add 8L of fresh water mixed with 320g of sodium hydroxide. Rinse for 72-96 hours and then drain.
3.Fresh water rinse with deionized water (The effectiveness of this step depends on the method you use to rinse the GFO--see the section on rinsing below for more details): For every 500mL of GFO, rinse with at least 20-25L fresh water.

You should read the entire article, though. It's well written and easy to read.

 

[Sohal Tang Tim]

Nope.

Nope.

Well....the recharging of GFO although an option is not the option for me.
But thanks.... I know myself and I am not going to do it....but thanks....

I was hoping there is an easier magic step but the only magic
seems to be more money on GFO! hahah More money on Salt for more
water changes and .....fingers crossed hahahaha

Pull out more cheato from fuge
put mangroves in = ok..I like that idea....

but I aint recharging GFO but I will recharge the reactor and put more $$$
into more GFO....hoping that I can get to the bottom of the large
barrel of Phos that is in the water column....

IFFFFF after a few weeks or months of trying that it does not work
then I have a decision.... Less fish or no sps....

I can do without the sps...but not the fish...period.

But I WANT BOTH ..I WANT IT ALL !!! I AM LIKE TONY MONTANNA...

I WANT DEE WORLD CHEECO...AND EVERYTHING IN IT HAHAHOAHOAHAO

tIM

 

[Dave & Monica]

I have a question about the Muriatic Acid:

First the statement every 500mL of GFO, add 8L of fresh water mixed with 6.4mL of full strength muriatic acid. That would equal .8ml per liter

Later I've read that the suggested ratio of dilution is 10parts RO/DI water to 1 part muriatic acid.

How do these two match up??

 

[Dave & Monica]

Also in the link posted earlier had what I felt were an easier set of instructions, and less controversial (outlined earlier in this thread). http://www.foxvalleyreefclub.com/forums/content.php?147-GFO-REGENERATION

Part 1: Vinegar or muriatic acid wash, If needed (sorry more questions than answers)
-- 1 liter = 1000ml
-- 500ml of GFO to 1.5 liters of solution (3x) (from link above)
-- The article in Advanced Aquarist Online Magazine says 8L, that is 8x?? which??
-- Also from my post above, what is the right mix? .8ml per liter of muriatic acid?
-- If one were to use vinegar, what would be the mix per liter? I've read 100%

Part 2 Sodium Hydroxide (NaHO) solution
-- 1 M = 40gr of NaHO per liter
-- Mix 500ml of GFO to 3 liters of solution
-- 3 liters = 120 grams.
-- Soak 4 days, moving every few hours
-- Rinse 15x = 7.5 liters

Here is what I can add. For the most part we keep using the metric system, I so happen to have a gram scale that an old neighbor gave me and here is what I found.

Using a picnic plastic spoon, this seems to be the most universal disposable, accessible measuring piece I could think off...

First I ensured the scale was zero'ed out. Next I weighed the container which came in at 36.4gr (this isn't important). Then I added 40 grams to this (76.4) and added Crystal Roebic NaHO (from Lowes) until I got a level.

Results, it was exactly 4 heaping tea spoons of NaHO = 40 grams. I did this 5 times and it came out just about exact each time. I've read different measures to get 40gr, hope this helps. Here are some pics.

so 40 grams = 4 teaspoons