Flow for BRS gfo reactor?

[reefer1970]

I have a BRS single reactor with a mj1200 pump.
I used to pack it with gfo and carbon so it wouldn't tumble but I now want to run gfo only. I heard it should just tumble and I've put different amounts in there and it doesn't really move. I'm getting good flow through the outlet. I have the two sponges in there. Should it be moving around? Remove a sponge? Bigger pump? If I pack it up, is the flow of water not getting enough contact with gfo and wasting gfo? Sorry for all the questions


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[mcgyvr]

states flow rate should be such that the gfo just barely tumbles on the surface..
It shouldn't be packed in there at all..

Sorry you have a phosphate problem too.. How bad?
Have you thought about reducing feedings to correct it?

[reefer1970]

It's holding at .6-.7
Yes, trying everything in the book. Starving my fish, bigger skimmer, changing gfo daily
My sand and one large LR were from another reefers 700 gallon. I washed it to death last year when I put it in. I'm thinking it's in there but seems like it should reduce at some point


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[mcgyvr]

You might want to switch to lanthanum chloride as its cheaper than GFO.. Different process though but that should be a more cost effective way to remove the bound phosphate in that rock..

Or maybe save some time/trouble and switch out the rock..

I never recommend reusing sand and would always test rock if it was going to be reused..

[jda]

What is the source of the phosphate. It will help determine your care/treatment. If it is from dead/dry rock, then repeated treatments of GFO or LC are the only way to get them down - it could take a 5G bucket of GFO. This is also true for an older tank that was neglected.

MJ should be more than enough. Turn the flow up to break up the GFO and let all of the little particles out (into a bucket) and then turn it back down so that the GFO is tumbling in a fluidized motion, but not going up the reactor. Then, it is ready to use in the tank.

You are using reverse-flow, right?

[billdogg]

Originally Posted by jda

What is the source of the phosphate. It will help determine your care/treatment. If it is from dead/dry rock, then repeated treatments of GFO or LC are the only way to get them down - it could take a 5G bucket of GFO. This is also true for an older tank that was neglected.

MJ should be more than enough. Turn the flow up to break up the GFO and let all of the little particles out (into a bucket) and then turn it back down so that the GFO is tumbling in a fluidized motion, but not going up the reactor. Then, it is ready to use in the tank.

You are using reverse-flow, right?

This was my thought too. A mj1200 is more than enough pump for the BRS reactor IME.

[newbie2014]

I'm using an MJ600 with mine, and I have to close the flow adjuster half way to get the GFO barely tumbling. Unless you have a lot of GFO in the canister............

[newbie2014]

Originally Posted by jda

.............You are using reverse-flow, right?

What you mean by that?

[billdogg]

Reverse flow means that the water comes up through the GFO so that it can tumble rather than down through it pressing it to the bottom.

[newbie2014]

Originally Posted by billdogg

Reverse flow means that the water comes up through the GFO so that it can tumble rather than down through it pressing it to the bottom.

I see.

Being a newbie, I thought all GFO reactors function that way (water flows upward through the media). Thanks for the explanation.

[billdogg]

Originally Posted by newbie2014

I see.

Being a newbie, I thought all GFO reactors function that way (water flows upward through the media). Thanks for the explanation.

They are supposed to. It is also pretty easy to plumb them backwards - I have one plumbed with reverse flow for the GFO, the other plumbed just opposite for carbon so that it does not tumble.

[slief]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

You might want to switch to lanthanum chloride as its cheaper than GFO.. Different process though but that should be a more cost effective way to remove the bound phosphate in that rock..

Or maybe save some time/trouble and switch out the rock..

I never recommend reusing sand and would always test rock if it was going to be reused..

+1.. While I use GFO, I don’t maintain it well enough for it to keep up. I’ve been using Lanthanum for many years now and treat my system with it every several months. In fact, I have a dose going right now.

Here is a video I did explaining my process and covering some important things to take into consideration when using LaCl.

[reefer1970]

Could I have it set up wrong and it's pushing the water down? I don't know how that could be possinle


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[outssider]

Originally Posted by reefer1970

Could I have it set up wrong and it's pushing the water down? I don't know how that could be possinle


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could be....

[slief]

Originally Posted by reefer1970

Could I have it set up wrong and it's pushing the water down? I don't know how that could be possinle


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If the reactor is one of the ones that looks like an RO cartridge setup, the water should go in and travel around the outside of the cartridge inside the canister at which point it travels up through the bottom of the cartridge. When you first put the cartridge in and install the cannister into the threaded holder, once you turn it on, it should be obvious that the water is going in through between the cartridge and the cannister since the canister will be empty. You should see the water pouring in. The bottom of the cartridge is the side that the cap screws onto. The top of the cartridge is the side with the hole and ring seal. If you have it plumbed right and the cartridge in correctly and your not seeing the GFO tumble at the surface then you need a bit more flow. You should have a sponge below the media and one above at the top of the cartridge. The one above would be pushed into the cartridge all the way down before you add the media. It should stay at the top when the cartridge in installed in the cannister so there is empty space between the media and the foam so the media is not compressed between the foam in which case it wouldn’t be able to tumble at the surface.

[reefer1970]

I'm a frivolous by idiot. My cartridge has been installed upside down for months now and I'm wondering why my phosphates were so high. I think my rodi unit has a nub in the bottom of the reactor that the bottom of the cartridge fits onto. It's he opposite on the reactor. Ihhhhhdiot


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[slief]

Originally Posted by reefer1970

I'm a frivolous by idiot. My cartridge has been installed upside down for months now and I'm wondering why my phosphates were so high. I think my rodi unit has a nub in the bottom of the reactor that the bottom of the cartridge fits onto. It's he opposite on the reactor. Ihhhhhdiot


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Just to make sure you aren’t confused, here is a picture. Now keep in mind, this is their Jumbo Reactor. Unless they changed things on their smaller reactor, it should be the same. Either way, you just need to make sure the flow is going up through the cartridge. If that means taking things apart and inspecting the reactor, then do so.