Opinions on phosphate reactors...

rstar · #1 01-29-2009, 06:14 PM

Just as the title reads i am looking for people's opinions on reactors. Thus far ive been running media in bags in my sump. Does it make much of a difference using a reactor? If so which reactor should i go for? TLF vs Pentair vs Kent Phos vs Via-aqua The reactor will be for my 90 gallon. I have had a bit of a cyano problem on my rocks lately so am thinking i have a little bit of a nutrient problem.

mseepman · #2 01-29-2009, 06:23 PM

I'm a big fan of the 2 little fishies reactors. They are low cost and run really well. You can control the flow so that the media is just moving a little which is what they recommend. Good phosphate media makes a big difference too. The HC stuff from BRS seems to work a lot better than the other stuff I've tried.

fkshiu · #3 01-29-2009, 06:25 PM

I run both GFO and carbon in two TLF reactors hooked up in series. Awesome little devices which are relatively cheap in this hobby.

The really do work better than just a media bag since the water is forced upwards through the media rather than flowing around like in a bag.

What really convinced me that it worked was when I remounted my DI canister on my RO system to sit vertically (like a media reactor). Previously when it sat horizontally, I could see channeling through the DI resin because where it would change colour first. This left large amounts of DI resin completely unused. When placed vertically, the DI resin changed colour uniformly upwards. In other words, ALL of the resin was in contact with the water because of how the water was being forced upwards like in a reactor.

mseepman · #4 01-29-2009, 06:29 PM

By in series you mean you only use one pump to feed them? What pump do you use? I've been using a MJ400 but I can't see that having enough gumption to do two.

fkshiu · #5 01-29-2009, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mseepman

By in series you mean you only use one pump to feed them? What pump do you use? I've been using a MJ400 but I can't see that having enough gumption to do two.

Yes. It goes: PUMP --> GFO --> CARBON.

The MJ400 has plenty of oomph for this. I actually have it dialed back to about 75% and I have both reactors almost full. It doesn't take much to hit the desired flowed rate. You actually get better results with a slower flow rate because of increased contact time.

christyf5 · #6 01-29-2009, 06:47 PM

Love the TLF reactors, I used one for carbon and one for phosban. Currently I'm trying out zeo so they aren't in use but they rock for carbon

dkcrx · #7 01-29-2009, 06:57 PM

I also used the TLF and it worked great, but I too am seting up Zeo so it's no longer used. However I did use one chamber with a bag of zeocarbon.

mark · #8 01-29-2009, 07:14 PM

just wondering what your phosphates test at?

rstar · #9 01-29-2009, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark

just wondering what your phosphates test at?

I haven't done a phosphate test in a while, ill do one in an hour or so and post my results, but the only kit i have is a cheapo hagen kit so im not sure how accurate it will be.

dkcrx · #10 01-29-2009, 10:11 PM

I have the Zeo test kit, it's like trying to read Hieroglyphics.
so I have no idea what they are. Going to get a http://www.milwaukeetesters.com/MI412.html
soon.