GFO and Carbon help

[goody]

I've never run either one before, and I recently purchased a BRS single reactor. I'm planning on using a MJ900 and put both media in the reactor. I don't have the room for a dual reactor.

Since this is my very first time using, how much of each media do I put in the reactor? How long do you suggest I keep this amount in before replacing? And any suggestions on how much to increase before I reach the "normal" operating amount?

I have the ROX 0.8 and GFO granules from BRS.

I have a 90g with 30g sump. Tank is mixed reef with mostly zoas/palys and now a lot of sps frags.

 

[lazyreefer]

I wouldn't mix the two myself, but I'm not a big fan of running carbon 24/7

I've never used the ROX but I when I have used the Black Diamond carbon in the TLF reactor I get tons of dust turning my pre-filter or filter sock black. I assume I am running too much pressure through it and the carbon is being dissolved - but I have a gate valve on it and have dialed it down. Its tied into my Mag 18 pump return lines so I'm not sure what < 30gph rate of flow looks like.

Not having mixed them before, my TLF reactor per their instructions has the cannister able to be filled with carbon all the way, but only a maximum of 5 inches of Phosban. I don't know why that is, maybe the phosban requires more flow to be going through it. To add more confusion the instructions say something about being able to mix carbon....well, it states this....

"Don’t over or under fill the column. Max 5 in (13 cm) of GFO media, min 2 in (5 cm). When using only activated carbon, the entire column can be filled. PhosBan may be mixed with phosphate-free activated carbon (HydroCarbon2 from Two Little Fishies). This can provide the necessary media volume when less than 100​

grams (190 ml) of PhosBan is used."

The only thing I can figure is 100 grams of phosban is less than the recommended minimum of 2", maybe that's why they state to add carbon if necessary. I had always assumed that the white and carbon mixed media selling at LFS was for removal of phosphates but I guess its for removal of ammonia. Do they market a mix of carbon and GFO or some sort of phosphate removing medium ??

What does BRS note on their website ?? I'm curious to know how things work for you because I want to go with BRS dual reactor. Its a pain refilling TLF's reactor and it leaks. I haven't seen on their site how to hook up their 1/2" tubing to my 5/8" O.D tubing which comes off my 1" return lines. I'm kicking around filling the other cannister with a calcium media, read something about it on ReefBuilders.

(sorry if I hijacked your thread)

 

[Troylee]

well i know this much... carbon and gfo need different flow amounts..... i always use rawaphos seems to be the best for me as well as most others....when should you replace it?? as soon as test start picking up po4 it's time to change... as for the carbon it should be changed bi-weekly with your water, because it will exhaust pretty fast and start leaching back into the water coloum if not changed regurlary...there really is no way to tell when the carbon has gone bad besides orp reading's i here but have never tried it because i don't own a orp meter...

 

[RBursek]

I have always heard not to mix them because the GFO will last longer then the carbon. The dust Lazyreefer got was just that he is lazy, you have to rinse both before running them in the tank. Itakes about 3gal of water pumped through them to get the dust gone. GFO should have just about 80gph pumped through it just so the top of it looks like it is boiling.

 

[RBursek]

Also I think BRS gives a recommendation on how much to use, and for the GFO it is half the amount the first load to let your system get used to a lower PO4 amount and the same with carbon if your water is yellow because it will clear it up and your light will penitrate deeper.

 

[lazyreefer]

I have always heard not to mix them because the GFO will last longer then the carbon. The dust Lazyreefer got was just that he is lazy, you have to rinse both before running them in the tank. Itakes about 3gal of water pumped through them to get the dust gone. GFO should have just about 80gph pumped through it just so the top of it looks like it is boiling.

Not true, I ran 5 gallons out of my tank and through the carbon filled reactor before putting the output back into my sump. Water ran clear for at least a gallon and a half prior to that. :squigglemouth:

 

[RBursek]

Lazy Reefer, that is about right a gallon and a half to filter out the dust. Maybe you are running too much flow and it is tumbling and grinding itself apart.

 

[lazyreefer]

Yeah, I think that's what happened, I turned down the gate valve on the return line, but I'm still not sure how much "less than 30 gph" is. I think that's what TLF states on their directions. I think BRS says something about media "slightly" rolling around on top or something like that - maybe I'm just dreaming - I figure a little less flow is better than too much so I'll keep an eye on my socks for black dust and go from there.

 

[goody]

Also I think BRS gives a recommendation on how much to use, and for the GFO it is half the amount the first load to let your system get used to a lower PO4 amount and the same with carbon if your water is yellow because it will clear it up and your light will penitrate deeper.

Thank you. I will have to find this on BRS. I know the media exhaust at different times, but I'm not sure if this is the main reason some of the replies are saying run separately. I am following BRS' video on putting both in the same reactor. thanks for all the replies.

 

[HighlandReef]

i read that the gfo can get used up quick, like within a couple of days, does anyone know if thats true?

 

[Paul_N]

i read that the gfo can get used up quick, like within a couple of days, does anyone know if thats true?

The amount of phosphate that the GFO absorbs depends on the level of phosphates in the tank. If your levels are very high it can be exhausted in less than a day.

 

[HighlandReef]

ok thanks... i dont have that issue but makes sense.. thanks again

 

[ruggirello2]

I use rowaphos and I have been switching it out every three days because my phosphates are so high. I just started using rowaphos.

 

[stedfast82]

troylee I have a bran new orp and don't know what it does any info would help me out should i sell it or use it????

 

[110reef]

GFO should be about half full, and it should slowly roll in the cartridge. Adjust yor flow to slowly roll it, but not too much flow so that it goes all to the top or rolls violently.

Carbon, you can fill it up. Then you can run as much flow through it as you want because it can't move if you fill it up. You do not want your carbon to move in the water flow like you do with the GFO.

It is difficult to tell when either is exhausted, and they will seldom exhaust at the same time. I have the dual reactor, and I tend to change both media at the same time. I usually change them when the water begins looking yellow, but I am very lazy. Changing on a fixed schedule is probably better, or changing when phosphates begin to rise is another good way to operate.

 

[kenjung]

Depends on the grain size, if they both tumble together I don't see why not. A problem a rises with effective of it, if carbon grain is much bigger than GFO and requires more flow to be effective. If both similar grain size it can coexist.