Carbon Reactor

[chrisfont23]

Thinking about making the switch from tossing a bag in the sump to running carbon in my reactor. I have a few questions:

- do you guys and gals run carbon in a reactor
- what's the best brand, in your opinion of course
- flow rate required (like GFO?)
- whats the shelf life in a reactor (The shelf life of the bag in the sump is about 2 weeks)
- do you think it's ** more ** effective than just tossing it in the sump

Since I run GFO in a TLF 150 and hang bags of Chemi Pure between baffles, I don't think it may make a huge difference...however, i have an extra TLF 150 and I want to put it to use or sell it.

Thanks all

[chrisfont23]

Originally Posted by papadon319

I run two TLF150's, one for GFO and the other for GAC. I love them, change both monthly.

Brand? Flow rate?

[chrisfont23]

Seriously... Only person uses carbon in a reactor?

[NastyZ]

Originally Posted by chrisfont23

Seriously... Only person uses carbon in a reactor?

I run carbon in a phosban reactor and use a 1200 maxi jet with aquamaxx carbon

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

I ran carbon reactor for about three weeks until my ph started dropping quite a bit . I was told the carbon was causing it so I pulled the reactor and my ph is back in check. So no carbon for me. I don't want to start dosing buffers for ph.

[NastyZ]

Originally Posted by BROTHERSPIZZERIA

I ran carbon reactor for about three weeks until my ph started dropping quite a bit . I was told the carbon was causing it so I pulled the reactor and my ph is back in check. So no carbon for me. I don't want to start dosing buffers for ph.

Interesting were you running excessive carbon did you measure my ph is stable as iv been running carbon for months

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

I was using a dual brs reactor gfo in one side and 2.5 cups of rox.8 carbon. I thought it was weird also. Kinda sucks considering my water looked alot better with the carbon but I'm not home enough to dose for ph.

[NastyZ]

Originally Posted by BROTHERSPIZZERIA

I was using a dual brs reactor gfo in one side and 2.5 cups of rox.8 carbon. I thought it was weird also. Kinda sucks considering my water looked alot better with the carbon but I'm not home enough to dose for ph.

2.5 cups??? how many gals is your tank by my calculations it should be between 350-400 gals for that amount of carbon the recommended dosage for it is 1/3 of a cup for every 50 gals I think thats why your ph was swinging

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

190 gallons total. And thank you I'm gonna check that.that very well could have been my problem. Like I said my water looked better with the carbon so i would like to keep using it.

[NastyZ]

Originally Posted by BROTHERSPIZZERIA

190 gallons total. And thank you I'm gonna check that.that very well could have been my problem. Like I said my water looked better with the carbon so i would like to keep using it.

Yea you might want to look into that I know people using one cup for 250 gals and if your system isn't used to the carbon it says to use 1/3 of 1/3 of the carbon per 50 gal so roughly 1/2 a cup if your starting over I would guess

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

Wow that's not much at all. I'm fairly new to the hobby. Does it make sense that the carbon was pulling stuff out making my ph drop.

[NastyZ]

Yes makes perfect sense carbon strips and polishes water the more media/ surface area te water goes through te more it polishes google can carbon effect ph an you will get a more in depth anwser but in short yes it will that's why there are recommend dosages So you don't over polish

[BROTHERSPIZZERIA]

Thank you very much for the insight