First reactor for new tank recomendations

Leggmantn2015 · Feb 1, 2016

We I have a newly set up tank. Its going to be a reef tank. And I was wondering if experienced reefers could give me so insight to what might be the best reactor to purchase first.
" where to dump my money first"

I have a qualty protein skimmer and marine pure bio blocks and some filter pading but that is the extent of my filtering at the moment. Total sytem water I estimate to be around 70 gallons plus or minus.

I was looking into the br-70 reef octopus bio pellet reactor I seem to be leaning towards that first as brs bio pellets reduce nitrates and also some phosphates. And the reactor has to be set up for 6-8 weeks to start really working.

My second option is two brs single reactors with carbon gfo!

Oppinions recomendations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CodyRVA · Feb 1, 2016

I run both pellets and a BRS Carbon/GFO reactor. I added the Carbon/GFO first. Pellets came later as my tank matured more and could handle the pellets. Early on I feel like you'd get more mileage from a Carbon/GFO reactor, and as the tank matures you can invest in a pellet reactor. The pellets are really only worth while if you plan on keeping SPS, a super clean system, but of course... to each their own!

McMullen · Feb 1, 2016

BRS singles, carbon and gfo as needed.
I've been close to using pellets a couple times because when reading about them, they seem so cool! The reality though is I don't need them. I'm a refugium guy, like to use nature to suck up my nutrients.....nature and a skimmer that is......

Reeflogic · Feb 1, 2016

I have the Reef Octopus BP reactor you are probably looking at, sitting in my garage in the original box (purchased from BRS). I used it for roughly 6 months back in 2012, I took it offline, cleaned it and boxed it for later use. I'm not opposed to selling it, though, lol. But what others have said, I use the BRS reactor as well, they work great and are easy to remove / clean / refill, highly recommended! I miss that skimmer you have lol!

Leggmantn2015 · Feb 1, 2016

What was the reason you stopped using the BP reactor?
And yea I like the skimmer too. The pump failed on me but I replaced it with a dc skimming pump it works great.

gtbarsi · Feb 1, 2016

Defiantly go for carbon and GFO first. Carbon dosing of which there are many methods (bio pellets being one) can be done several ways and really only needs to come in to play once the tank has matured a bit and your bio load gets up there.

Reeflogic · Feb 1, 2016

Wow really? That sucks, I guess it is going on 4 years old, though. Well, when I jumped on the BP bandwagon, it was 2012 and there was less available information on them or, at least, I felt that way. Anyway, I had an issue with cyano and eventually shut off the reactor and the cyano went away. BUT, I'm fairly certain I overdosed the BP's or bacteria dosing or it could have been a combination of things. It could have been the bio-pellets I was using, who knows, all I know is, I put it on the shelf and didn't feel I needed to bring it back online in my next build, so it has just been sitting. I've considered trying it again, after reading many success stories over the last 4 years, but just haven't seen a need. I was also running bare-bottomed, have those MarinePure bacteria spheres in my sump and a good skimmer, so when I was actually on top of my water changes, my nitrates were where they needed to be and I ran ROX / GFO in the reactor, so phosphates were also in check. Sorry about the pump failure though!

Leggmantn2015 · Feb 1, 2016

No worries about the pump. You buy used you get used. Nothing last forever.

Love the comments keep them coming.

Reeflogic · Feb 1, 2016

gtbarsi said:
and really only needs to come in to play once the tank has matured a bit

I've read this and I've also read to start the system out with BP's, if you plan on using them. I only have minimum experience with them and I added them around the 6 to 8-month mark, had a medium bioload at the time, so my opinion should be taken lightly. Maybe more folks will chime in that have incorporated them at start-up, as well as after the tank matures. I'm tagging along to learn more too!