Two Little Fishies 150 reactor problem

Jay1982 · 05/28/2009, 12:34 PM

Yesterday I bought a 150 reactor off a friend with a maxijet 400 for the reactor.

Well 1st off, he told me to hook it up with the intake on the side, and output in the center tube. When I did this a crap load of carbon (I'm waiting for GFO in the mail) was coming out so I stopped and reversed it with the intake down the middle nozzle and the output on the side nozzle. There was slight turbulence within the chamber at first. But today when I checked on it there is nothing, it looks like the reactor isn't even functioning. So I lifted the output tube and noticed that the flow is really really low, I checked the valve, and sure enough its on 100% so that isn't the cause. Is the Maxijet too weak? Or coulld it be something is clogging? I've tried to look and couldn't find anything.....gah!!!

Doolin · 05/28/2009, 12:40 PM

Is the GAC packed in too tight?

Phyxius · 05/28/2009, 12:40 PM

You have it hooked up right now with input in the center and output on the side nipple. The flow is supposed to be slow through the reactor and not really fast. It really needs to be low flow with the Phosban/GFO media in it so it doesnt get tumbled into dust.

If you think the flow is too slow look at the MJ and see if its actually working correctly. A MJ 400 is one of the recommended pumps for it. I ran a MJ 600 when I had 2 daisy chained together and actually cut the flow back some......

Jay1982 · 05/28/2009, 12:54 PM

Thanks for the replies.

Well there seems to be something that has settled on the carbon, it looks like detrius, but after only 12 hours of running??
It seems weird, and I'm totally lost right now with if I'm doing it properly or not...ugh

Henry Bowman · 05/28/2009, 12:57 PM

Do you have the sponge filters that go in each end of the reactor?

Jay1982 · 05/28/2009, 12:58 PM

Yeah, I do.

Skeptic_07 · 05/28/2009, 01:50 PM

the tube that runs down the middle is 2 pieces. Check and make sure they are line up properly. I've made the mistake of not properly aligning them before which would make the water just go in the chamber and then out, without going through your GAC. Also, the gate valve should be nearly closed. You want very low flow through this thing. HTH

Jay1982 · 05/28/2009, 02:09 PM

Thanks, I'll have a look at it. I'll disassemble the whole thing. Yeah, I read that it should be low flow, which is why I found it weird that my valve was open all the way. I'll check it out and if something comes up, I'll let you know

05/28/2009, 12:34 PM	#1
Jay1982 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Doc Brown's Mansion Posts: 704	Two Little Fishies 150 reactor problem Yesterday I bought a 150 reactor off a friend with a maxijet 400 for the reactor. Well 1st off, he told me to hook it up with the intake on the side, and output in the center tube. When I did this a crap load of carbon (I'm waiting for GFO in the mail) was coming out so I stopped and reversed it with the intake down the middle nozzle and the output on the side nozzle. There was slight turbulence within the chamber at first. But today when I checked on it there is nothing, it looks like the reactor isn't even functioning. So I lifted the output tube and noticed that the flow is really really low, I checked the valve, and sure enough its on 100% so that isn't the cause. Is the Maxijet too weak? Or coulld it be something is clogging? I've tried to look and couldn't find anything.....gah!!!

05/28/2009, 12:40 PM	#2
Doolin Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 260	Is the GAC packed in too tight? __________________ Treasurer of WORC, a reef club in Western Ohio. www.worcreef.org

05/28/2009, 12:40 PM	#3
Phyxius Moving About Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: RTP NC Posts: 2,405	You have it hooked up right now with input in the center and output on the side nipple. The flow is supposed to be slow through the reactor and not really fast. It really needs to be low flow with the Phosban/GFO media in it so it doesnt get tumbled into dust. If you think the flow is too slow look at the MJ and see if its actually working correctly. A MJ 400 is one of the recommended pumps for it. I ran a MJ 600 when I had 2 daisy chained together and actually cut the flow back some...... __________________ -Mike I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it. W. C. Fields Current Tank Info: JUST SOLD AND TOOK DOWN ALL 11/10---210g AGA, 80g sump, Tunze Streams. Tunze ATO,RK Elite Controller, RKII,Dart, GEO Calcium& Nielsen Kalk Reactors,GEO media reactor, Kaleini Rock, 3-250 watt 14k EVC , VHO..... 34g Solana and 60g cube

05/28/2009, 12:54 PM	#4
Jay1982 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Doc Brown's Mansion Posts: 704	Thanks for the replies. Well there seems to be something that has settled on the carbon, it looks like detrius, but after only 12 hours of running?? It seems weird, and I'm totally lost right now with if I'm doing it properly or not...ugh __________________ 1.21 Gigawatts?! 1.21 Gigawatts!?! Current Tank Info: 135 reef tank, 50 gallon turtle aquarium, 1.21 Gigawatts?!

05/28/2009, 12:57 PM	#5
Henry Bowman Reefing since '87 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Allegheny Mountains of VA Posts: 2,162	Do you have the sponge filters that go in each end of the reactor? __________________ Have a good'un Current Tank Info: 90 gl SPS dominant / upgrade in the works

05/28/2009, 12:58 PM	#6
Jay1982 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Doc Brown's Mansion Posts: 704	Yeah, I do. __________________ 1.21 Gigawatts?! 1.21 Gigawatts!?! Current Tank Info: 135 reef tank, 50 gallon turtle aquarium, 1.21 Gigawatts?!

05/28/2009, 01:50 PM	#7
Skeptic_07 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: lawn guy land Posts: 1,418	the tube that runs down the middle is 2 pieces. Check and make sure they are line up properly. I've made the mistake of not properly aligning them before which would make the water just go in the chamber and then out, without going through your GAC. Also, the gate valve should be nearly closed. You want very low flow through this thing. HTH

05/28/2009, 02:09 PM	#8
Jay1982 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Doc Brown's Mansion Posts: 704	Thanks, I'll have a look at it. I'll disassemble the whole thing. Yeah, I read that it should be low flow, which is why I found it weird that my valve was open all the way. I'll check it out and if something comes up, I'll let you know __________________ 1.21 Gigawatts?! 1.21 Gigawatts!?! Current Tank Info: 135 reef tank, 50 gallon turtle aquarium, 1.21 Gigawatts?!