Oh my, what power we noobs have of making things harder than they need to be. Infamous last words - I’ll just figure it out as I go, how hard could it be? I coulda tried learning what to do before getting started, but I took the other approach. Saltwater all over the kitchen, welder’s tools, and some of the most creative profanity I’ve ever come up with, lol.
Phosphates are crazy high. Tried rowaphos in a bag for a couple weeks, didn’t make much of a dent. BRS GFO reactor and a Sicce pump oughta do it. I don’t want the pump in the tank, and I don’t have a sump, so I apparently have to prime it. A little spillage here and there but we’re set to go. Plug in the pump and I give the back wall of the kitchen a good “spritzing” with some tank water I’d pulled out to cycle through the reactor to get the fines out of the GFO.
Ok, so apparently the push connects don’t seal unless the tubing is fully seated. No worries, fix a few spots…to discover I’d cut one section too short. No worries I’ll just…dang hold on now…son of a… ok let’s see what I have in the garage to get this out. 15 minutes and a YouTube later, I finally get enough grip on the stub with my MIG pliers to get it out.
Back to the kitchen, cut new tubing, and just for good measure bump and knock over the reactor while trying to connect the pump. Deep breaths , in through the nose out through the mouth. I have now spilled more water than I have managed to run through the pump. And this is just the initial test!
Im going to order some quick connects so that I don’t have this drama every time I need to change the GFO. I keep telling my wife that at some point the tank will be settled to where we (mainly I) can just enjoy it, but we ain’t there yet!
Phosphates are crazy high. Tried rowaphos in a bag for a couple weeks, didn’t make much of a dent. BRS GFO reactor and a Sicce pump oughta do it. I don’t want the pump in the tank, and I don’t have a sump, so I apparently have to prime it. A little spillage here and there but we’re set to go. Plug in the pump and I give the back wall of the kitchen a good “spritzing” with some tank water I’d pulled out to cycle through the reactor to get the fines out of the GFO.
Ok, so apparently the push connects don’t seal unless the tubing is fully seated. No worries, fix a few spots…to discover I’d cut one section too short. No worries I’ll just…dang hold on now…son of a… ok let’s see what I have in the garage to get this out. 15 minutes and a YouTube later, I finally get enough grip on the stub with my MIG pliers to get it out.
Back to the kitchen, cut new tubing, and just for good measure bump and knock over the reactor while trying to connect the pump. Deep breaths , in through the nose out through the mouth. I have now spilled more water than I have managed to run through the pump. And this is just the initial test!
Im going to order some quick connects so that I don’t have this drama every time I need to change the GFO. I keep telling my wife that at some point the tank will be settled to where we (mainly I) can just enjoy it, but we ain’t there yet!