leveling media reactors

ksicard · 11/21/2016, 11:19 AM

Hello all,
When I set my tank up in January I leveled the stand before setting it up. But I didnt take into account that once the glass tank, water, sand, and rock was in it that it would mess up the leveling from the weights not being evenly distributed.

Now I have a small issue with my GFO reactor not being level. The reactor seems to always only be tumbling on one side of the reactor, which I find strange since the reactor isnt really that for off being level. I've tried cleaning the sponges and what not but it still does not change. I wanted to ask and find out if anyone sells a product that is meant specifically for adjusting the levelness of media reactors. I use the medium sized Sea Side Aquatics media reactor.

Vinny Kreyling · 11/21/2016, 01:11 PM

Probably nothing for this purpose specifically, a simple shim would suffice.
The way the media fills the reactor can have the same effect, mine does the same.

ksicard · 11/22/2016, 07:46 AM

That's what I'm using now but something seems fishy because when I use the shim and manage to get somewhat close to even tumbling I'll check back 2-3 days later and the media will only be tumbling on one side once again with zero tumbling on the other side. i was hoping someone made a base plate of some kind that can snap on to the bottom of reactors that would let me adjust the levelness of the reactor.

Can you elaborate a little more on what you mean by the way the media fills the reactor? I typically add my gfo, hook it back up to the manifold and then flush it till it runs clear then return the out take back to the tank. I blast the gfo at first to get it nice and loose and dial the flow back down to a nice sizzle on the surface.

Vinny Kreyling · 11/22/2016, 09:48 AM

GFO is not a one sizes media. The same principal applies to putting different sizes of sand grains on the bottom. The small pieces will find their way between the larger ones & eventually everything gets sorted by the nature of size & shape.
Nothing we can do, the path of least resistance applies.

11/21/2016, 11:19 AM	#1
ksicard Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 538	leveling media reactors Hello all, When I set my tank up in January I leveled the stand before setting it up. But I didnt take into account that once the glass tank, water, sand, and rock was in it that it would mess up the leveling from the weights not being evenly distributed. Now I have a small issue with my GFO reactor not being level. The reactor seems to always only be tumbling on one side of the reactor, which I find strange since the reactor isnt really that for off being level. I've tried cleaning the sponges and what not but it still does not change. I wanted to ask and find out if anyone sells a product that is meant specifically for adjusting the levelness of media reactors. I use the medium sized Sea Side Aquatics media reactor.

11/21/2016, 01:11 PM	#2
Vinny Kreyling Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 7,206	Probably nothing for this purpose specifically, a simple shim would suffice. The way the media fills the reactor can have the same effect, mine does the same. __________________ 250 gallon mixed reef, 2 Reefbreeder's Photon V 2, Deepwater BLDC 12, DAS EX-3 Skimmer, MTC mini cal, 2-3/4" Sea Swirls, Aquacontroller & 6 Tunze pumps.

11/22/2016, 09:48 AM	#4
Vinny Kreyling Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 7,206	GFO is not a one sizes media. The same principal applies to putting different sizes of sand grains on the bottom. The small pieces will find their way between the larger ones & eventually everything gets sorted by the nature of size & shape. Nothing we can do, the path of least resistance applies. __________________ 250 gallon mixed reef, 2 Reefbreeder's Photon V 2, Deepwater BLDC 12, DAS EX-3 Skimmer, MTC mini cal, 2-3/4" Sea Swirls, Aquacontroller & 6 Tunze pumps.

11/22/2016, 07:46 AM	#3
ksicard Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 538	That's what I'm using now but something seems fishy because when I use the shim and manage to get somewhat close to even tumbling I'll check back 2-3 days later and the media will only be tumbling on one side once again with zero tumbling on the other side. i was hoping someone made a base plate of some kind that can snap on to the bottom of reactors that would let me adjust the levelness of the reactor. Can you elaborate a little more on what you mean by the way the media fills the reactor? I typically add my gfo, hook it back up to the manifold and then flush it till it runs clear then return the out take back to the tank. I blast the gfo at first to get it nice and loose and dial the flow back down to a nice sizzle on the surface.