Carbon in a reactor

H

Hookem2006

Premium Member
I'm looking to setup a carbon reactor on my 75gal. I was wondering how much flow you guys run through the reactor. According to BRS, I need roughly .5 a cup of the ROX carbon, changing it bi-weekly. I'm just looking for flow info. Thanks people's.
 
From what I've been able to find you want enough flow to keep them agitated but not bouncing around like crazy in the reactor as carbon is likely to break up. I think the "how much flow" varies on the pump used. I know BRS recommends the MJ1200 pump for their dual chamber reactor and I've read others go with the Mag 3 instead of the MJ1200.

From my research, the optimal flow through the reactors is generally 200 - 300 GPH, roughly, varying on size of sump / tank / turnover of course.
 
I use GFO on the bottom of my 2 little fishes then about half a cup of carbon on the top. I set it so that the GFO tumbles just a little bit, and it is plumbed off of my return line so I have no wasted energy. My return line has a t with a valve on the side going to the reactor. I need to upgrade my return to a mag 18 as I think the mag 12 is just not enough even without the reactor.
 
You might want to take a look at this: http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/content/activated-carbon-hlle-smoking-gun-found
Fine carbon particles may be implicated in Head and Lateral Line Erosion.

You will want to be sure that you are not grinding the carbon up and forcing it out into the display tank.
 
@shse666 wrote:
You might want to take a look at this: http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/content/activated-carbon-hlle-smoking-gun-found Fine carbon particles may be implicated in Head and Lateral Line Erosion. You will want to be sure that you are not grinding the carbon up and forcing it out into the display tank. said:
That was my concern, which is why I didn't want to run my TLF GFO with carbon on top. My understanding is you want more flow through the gfo than carbon to avoid clumping of the gfo.
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I will try and get a pic later or maybe a video. But my carbon is packed good between sponges.


Sent from inside the shark tank!
 
@Hook'em2006 wrote:
[I]@shse666 wrote:[/I][quote="You might want to take a look at this: http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/content/activated-carbon-hlle-smoking-gun-found Fine carbon particles may be implicated in Head and Lateral Line Erosion. You will want to be sure that you are not grinding the carbon up and forcing it out into the display tank. said:
That was my concern, which is why I didn't want to run my TLF GFO with carbon on top. My understanding is you want more flow through the gfo than carbon to avoid clumping of the gfo."]
Yeah my way around that is I'm going to run a "Y" off the pump to two individual reactors with a ball valve on each line so I can control flow individually. I'm actually contemplating doing a valve block with 3 or 4 outlets so I can expabd it later if I get more. That's the game plan for now.

Sent from my Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk.
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