Can the BRS Dual Reactor be used for chaeto?

[killakam]

Hey guys!

I have the red sea max nano and there isnt much i could do to run media or grow chaeto due to the all in one restrictions. 

Currently im running CPE but i wanted to add a reactor to grow chaeto. 

I just cant decide which reactor i want to buy and while i was looking at some options i glanced at the dual reactor from BRS. 

I was wondering if anyone has tried using one of the reactors for chaeto and the other for gfo/carbon? is that an overkill? 

Would one decent pump be adequate for the dual reactors? would both the medias/algae require different flow or something? 

Anything im missing here?

 

Sorry for the long post but just thoughts i had in mind before executing it. 

 

[jservedio]

First of all I wouldn't do both Chaeto and GFO - I'd pick one or the other depending on your needs. If you have both high nitrates and phosphates (or they are at least in balance), go with the Chaeto since it drops both Nitrates and Phoshates (and carbon). If your nitrates are on point, but you have high phosphates - than go with GFO since it only removes phosphate. Also, for a nano tank, there is no need to run carbon through a reactor - simply tossing some in a bag (if any at all) is fine.

 

If you did go with both, I wouldn't want to use a dual reactor for that. You are going to want more flow to tumble and move the chaeto than you'd want running through GFO (which is very minimal flow). GFO tends to clog the reactor and you have to adjust the reactor flow every few days to keep it correct. I'd go with a single reactor for chaeto and run it without any insert or filter to maximize space inside. I'd also want to isolate the lit chaeto reactor and keep the GFO reactor in the dark to prevent crap from growing inside it and clogging even faster.

[killakam]

awesome advice my friend, thank you! i think chaeto alone makes sense to simplify things. 

[burtbollinger]

no need for any of it....just a PITA.

 

KISS

[killakam]

2 minutes ago, burtbollinger said:

 

KISS

wise words a smart man once said 

[Sushi Farmer]

I actually just did this conversion this weekend. I've been battling hair algae for a month. Tried water changes, more clean up crew, less feeding, even TWO Sea hares but both were killed overnight by my crabs and serpent starts. I've tried blacking out the tank too. Nothing worked so I decided to make a budget friendly DIY Chaeto reactor out of my BRS dual chamber. I mixed my gfo/carbon in chamber 1 and placed the Chaeto in chamber 2 and wrapped an LED strip light around it from Lowe's. Only been up since last weekend but the rocks are becoming less green each day. Once I get my levels in check I'll only run carbon in the first chamber. I have a Red Sea Reefer 170 (170L/54g) @myhorseofadifferentcolor is my Instagram if you want to see the pictures of my setup and how I setup the cheato reactor.

 

Cheers