Running gfo and carbon in a phosban 150

[doppelganger]

I was wondering if it's possible to run both of these media in a phosban. I know gfo will clump and I know carbon shouldn't tumble but what about these 3 options below? Which would be more efficient? And I'm just wondering about these 3... Not adding a 2nd reactor or a new AC with a media basket.... Everything is based off of space constraints.

 

1. Mix both together in a filter sock and shove it in the phosban (I already sort of do this just because I have a HOB filter but no media basket. Obviously not as efficient and I have to change both media together)

 

2. Shove the carbon at the top in a filter sock and let the gfo tumble (might start to clog)

 

3. Put the carbon in a filter sock in my filter and just run the phosban with gfo (not getting efficient use out of my carbon)

 

At the same time it is a 20G nano tank and I don't even know if tumbling gfo is even going to work since i'd probably have only 3-5 tbsps in there max. I really wish there were better nano reactor options. So which would pick?

[nano_tank]

Get a BRS Reactor, it's better built and is made to handle both GFO and carbon better. My TLF 150 feel very weak driving Biopellets using a MJ1200 so I have very little faith that it can tackle both GFO and carbon without using a more powerful pump which will drive up heat in a little nano. They have videos showing how the BRS reactor works with both reactors. Personally I would recommend running them separately as your Carbon is exhausted only after a few days while the Phosban will last up to weeks / months depending on your existing Phosphate level. It's too much of a hassle / waste to just empty out every few days.

[kevantheman35]

I just dump both into my reactor and let them both tumble. Sure the carbon might break down a little but its not gonna hurt anything and can only help.

[doppelganger]

I have a BRS reactor. It's too big and annoying. Like I said already, space constraints.

[jlbzixxer]

I run a 150 with carbon on the bottom and gfo on top

Have had no problems in months

[doppelganger]

Thanks for the feedback so far. Anyone else have any experiences running both?

[AZDesertRat]

Ideally you don't want to mix them as they have both different useful lives so require replacement on a different schedule, and different flow requirements. But, with a nano system you will only be running a couple spoons full of each so its not a huge investment loss if you change the GFO more frequently due to the carbon being exhausted. If it were on a big system with 100+ grams of each I would never consider it but with a maximum of 20 grams or two tablespoons of GFO full dosage its not a big deal breaker. I have done both together but on my 16G nano prefer placing it in a bag in a medium flow area as a recator, even the Phosban 150 is a waste due to its size. On my 100G I run two reactors teed off of one MJ400 with seperate ball valves for flow regulation.

[doppelganger]

thx az!

[metrokat]

Two Little Fishies/Julian Sprung (the maker of the Phosban reactor) actually suggests using carbon to fill the reactor if the amount of GFO needed by your system is less than at least 130 gms.

 

Here is an electronic conversation about it between a hobbyist and Julian Sprung:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=879435