Regenerating GFo

[mr.maroonsalty]

Do most use a dedicated rx, or decant and stir? How long for each of the three steps? Do you use a PO4 test? When? After a second rinse?

 

[tmz]

Here is a tread on it:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1838961&highlight=gfo+on+the+cheap

I just use a plastic coffee can stirred a few times per day by hand

Vinegar and water solution 50:50 at 5x the gfo volume soaked for about 12 to 16 hours .
Then a good rinse with ro or tap water .
Then a 5 to 6 day soak in lye solution (40 grams soidum hydroxide per liter about 3 tblspoons ) @ 5xs the volume of the gfo.
Then a rinse in ro water ;close the can and store wet.
I use BRs HC gfo. it's sturdy and tolerates the process well.

 

[mr.maroonsalty]

Thanks Tom! I remembered it was you doing it like that, but wasn't sure of the details.

 

[tmz]

It may not be fancy or the best way but it's simple and works well enugh for me.

 

[EvMiBo]

Then a 5 to 6 day soak in lye solution (40 grams soidum hydroxide per liter about 3 tblspoons ) @ 5xs the volume of the gfo.

Hey there,
Quick question about this soaking step:
I'm using 0.5 cups (~118ml) of hc gfo at a time... So I would only use about 4ml sodium hydroxide in 2.5 cups of rodi? Sorry, can't quite grasp this one right now :hmm4:.

 

[mr.maroonsalty]

I'm a rounding person so I look at at this way: 118ml(5)=~.6l =~2/3 NaOH per l =~ 2tbs

 

[EvMiBo]

Okay so 2tbs of NaOH in a total of 600ml of rodi. Thanks!

 

[mr.maroonsalty]

The 5:1 I believe would be about 2tbs per .666...ml RO, so I'd go a little light; idk, but I don't think we need to use lab engineering procedures. Funny because I started my first lye wash right before I opened URS this am. I'm keeping it simple and seeing how it goes.

 

[EvMiBo]

The 5:1 I believe would be about 2tbs per .666...ml RO, so I'd go a little light; idk, but I don't think we need to use lab engineering procedures. Funny because I started my first lye wash right before I opened URS this am. I'm keeping it simple and seeing how it goes.

Again, I'm using 0.5 US cups of hc gfo at a time.

1 US Tablespoon = 14.7867648mL
2 US tablespoon = 29.5735296mL
0.5cup US = 118.29mL

591.45mL rodi water (118.29 x 5)
divided by 666mL = ~0.888

29.5735296mL x 0.888 = 26.2612942848mL of NaOH needed for me, according to the 2tbs per 666mL of rodi soaking (in 5:1).

26.2612942848mL = 0.11100cup US (ewww, measuring out 26mL is much easier than .11 cups!!)

This might be getting repetitive but I thought others might want to plugin their amounts.

 

[mr.maroonsalty]

Here is a tread on it:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1838961&highlight=gfo+on+the+cheap

I just use a plastic coffee can stirred a few times per day by hand

Vinegar and water solution 50:50 at 5x the gfo volume soaked for about 12 to 16 hours .
Then a good rinse with ro or tap water .
Then a 5 to 6 day soak in lye solution (40 grams soidum hydroxide per liter about 3 tblspoons ) @ 5xs the volume of the gfo.
Then a rinse in ro water ;close the can and store wet.
I use BRs HC gfo. it's sturdy and tolerates the process well.

If Tom says about 3tbs per liter, it's good enough for me. If you need the exact reccommended amount of lye .118l(5)(40g)=23.6g lye in .59 Liter RO