Is my BRS reactor bypassing the gfo?

reefer1970 · 09/30/2017, 09:55 PM

Is it possible for a BRS Single stage reactor to possibly clog or something causing it to bypass all of the media and come out the outlet? I haven't been getting very good results from the GFO and I noticed that it is not tumbling at all in the reactor and my phosphates are at 0.68 one hour after adding new high-capacity GFO. I took off the inlet from the MJ 1000 pump and blue into it with my mouth and expected to see bubbles enter the reactor but Air came directly out of the output tube and I didn't see any motion inside of the reactor. There is a red button on the top of the reactor I'm wondering if it's some sort of relief valve that could be open?

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JWClark · 10/01/2017, 04:28 AM

Are you sure your pump is on the correct side and filter cartridge is not upside down? this is the only what I could see what you describe happening. Top of the cartridge should have a silver/grey "gasket" that forms a seal w/the lid allowing water to only flow down the sides and up the middle through the media. If clogged flow just stops.

Red button is to allow excess air to escape after changing the cartridge. Press down to let trapped air out after you re-connect--has nothing to do with flow through the reactor.

09/30/2017, 09:55 PM	#1
reefer1970 Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Grosse Pointe, MI Posts: 422	Is my BRS reactor bypassing the gfo? Is it possible for a BRS Single stage reactor to possibly clog or something causing it to bypass all of the media and come out the outlet? I haven't been getting very good results from the GFO and I noticed that it is not tumbling at all in the reactor and my phosphates are at 0.68 one hour after adding new high-capacity GFO. I took off the inlet from the MJ 1000 pump and blue into it with my mouth and expected to see bubbles enter the reactor but Air came directly out of the output tube and I didn't see any motion inside of the reactor. There is a red button on the top of the reactor I'm wondering if it's some sort of relief valve that could be open? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

10/01/2017, 04:28 AM	#2
JWClark Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: MD Posts: 576	Are you sure your pump is on the correct side and filter cartridge is not upside down? this is the only what I could see what you describe happening. Top of the cartridge should have a silver/grey "gasket" that forms a seal w/the lid allowing water to only flow down the sides and up the middle through the media. If clogged flow just stops. Red button is to allow excess air to escape after changing the cartridge. Press down to let trapped air out after you re-connect--has nothing to do with flow through the reactor. __________________ Back after a 13yr hiatus--much to my wife's dismay. Though she sure loves looking at the tank and feeding the fish! Current Tank Info: Reefer 450 seed tank for the retirement 315gal Reef Savvy build.