GFO without reactor?

jerrodm · 08/20/2013, 07:11 AM

Hey everybody I have a phosphate problem but the area under my stand is really tight and I don't think I can fit a GFO reactor with my other equipment. Is there any way to run GFO without a reactor?

thegrun · 08/20/2013, 07:22 AM

You could put it in a mesh bag in a high flow area, but it works much better if it tumbles in a reactor. In a bag you would likely get clumping as calcium tends to precipitae when exposed to GFO so you would need to frequently remove the bag and break up the clump so water would continue to flow through the bag.

spieszak · 08/20/2013, 07:31 AM

I'm not advising it since it can cause other problems, but if you only intend to run it short term and have a canister filter around (assuming most of us had "freshwater days") it works OK. With the gfo in a tray, it tends to work better than the bag (IMO) and clumps less. I ran it for a little while this way, sandwiched in filter floss.
But for the usually less than $100 price tag on a reactor and pump (even HOB) its pretty much not worth it (to me) to try fight to get it working well with other methods. Especially with the labor day sales on right on the horizon.

downbeach · 08/20/2013, 07:35 AM

Are you running a GAC reactor? If so, and there is room in the reactor, you could mix the GFO with the GAC, at a ratio of 2 pts GAC to 1 pt GFO.

thegrun · 08/20/2013, 07:36 AM

+1, in the long run a hang on the back reactor is going to be a much better solution.

jerrodm · 08/20/2013, 08:03 AM

Hm sounds like I will have to figure out a way to make a reactor work.. thanks!

thegrun · 08/20/2013, 09:15 AM

I just had a thought, you may be able to get by with one of the phosphate removing resins in a mesh bag rather than GFO. I just started using Blue Life Phos Fx about a month ago in place of GFO and the results so far have been good. I'm running it in a reactor, but with resin you may be able to get by if you place the bag in a high flow area as it does not need to tumble like GFO. In the long run resin looks like it will be less expensive than GFO since you can recharge it several times by simply soaking it in a hot high salinity solution.

jerrodm · 08/20/2013, 09:38 AM

thegrun, any idea where I can find said resin? I wouldn't mind looking into it!

thegrun · 08/20/2013, 09:44 AM

Just run a Google search for Blue Life Phos Fx if you don't have a local store that stocks it. There are several on-line sources, but I purchased mine locally.

jerrodm · 08/20/2013, 11:03 AM

Awesome, thanks!

08/20/2013, 07:11 AM	#1
jerrodm Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 85	GFO without reactor? Hey everybody I have a phosphate problem but the area under my stand is really tight and I don't think I can fit a GFO reactor with my other equipment. Is there any way to run GFO without a reactor?

08/20/2013, 07:31 AM	#3
spieszak Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,877	I'm not advising it since it can cause other problems, but if you only intend to run it short term and have a canister filter around (assuming most of us had "freshwater days") it works OK. With the gfo in a tray, it tends to work better than the bag (IMO) and clumps less. I ran it for a little while this way, sandwiched in filter floss. But for the usually less than $100 price tag on a reactor and pump (even HOB) its pretty much not worth it (to me) to try fight to get it working well with other methods. Especially with the labor day sales on right on the horizon. __________________ I'm new to this saltwater thing, all comments should be taken with a BUCKET of salt! :-) -Stacey

08/20/2013, 07:22 AM	#2
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	You could put it in a mesh bag in a high flow area, but it works much better if it tumbles in a reactor. In a bag you would likely get clumping as calcium tends to precipitae when exposed to GFO so you would need to frequently remove the bag and break up the clump so water would continue to flow through the bag.

08/20/2013, 07:35 AM	#4
downbeach Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Smyrna, Delaware Posts: 3,767	Are you running a GAC reactor? If so, and there is room in the reactor, you could mix the GFO with the GAC, at a ratio of 2 pts GAC to 1 pt GFO.

08/20/2013, 07:36 AM	#5
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	+1, in the long run a hang on the back reactor is going to be a much better solution.

08/20/2013, 08:03 AM	#6
jerrodm Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 85	Hm sounds like I will have to figure out a way to make a reactor work.. thanks!

08/20/2013, 09:15 AM	#7
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	I just had a thought, you may be able to get by with one of the phosphate removing resins in a mesh bag rather than GFO. I just started using Blue Life Phos Fx about a month ago in place of GFO and the results so far have been good. I'm running it in a reactor, but with resin you may be able to get by if you place the bag in a high flow area as it does not need to tumble like GFO. In the long run resin looks like it will be less expensive than GFO since you can recharge it several times by simply soaking it in a hot high salinity solution.

08/20/2013, 09:38 AM	#8
jerrodm Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 85	thegrun, any idea where I can find said resin? I wouldn't mind looking into it!

08/20/2013, 09:44 AM	#9
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Just run a Google search for Blue Life Phos Fx if you don't have a local store that stocks it. There are several on-line sources, but I purchased mine locally.

08/20/2013, 11:03 AM	#10
jerrodm Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 85	Awesome, thanks!