Canister filter plus media reactor?

[Shiftkey]

I want to cut the outlet tube to my fluval 307 add a Y splitter valve so i can change the flow to go through carbon when needed that would be in a media reactor using Y splitter selector valves.

 

                                                  Just outlet hose

  Canister outlet -------    <                                                          >   to tank

                                                 Media Reactor (with Carbon}  

 

with that set up i could just turn the valves to divert water either through Carbon or just out to the tank whould that work and would the new Fluval 307 push it through

i can't do a sump so i am just theory crafting a option

[jservedio]

I'd just run a small amount of less aggressive carbon full time in the canister or passively in a bag of if you have any place to stick it. What you are suggesting will work, but you are going to have to be using it very often otherwise you are going to run into oxygen/pH issues. If you have water sitting in a reactor with no air in it that has zero flow, it'll slowly become hypoxic as bacteria and other critters use up the oxygen. When you turn it on, you'll be dumping all of that oxygen depleted water back into your tank. Depending on the volume of the reactor and your tank, it can cause issues.

 

If you are running it regularly to prevent this from happening, it kind of negates the purpose and is just easier to run it in the canister itself.

 

Edit: If you've got access to a pH probe and want to do a little experiment, run an empty, purged reactor on your tank for a couple of weeks to build up a nice biofilm and then shut it off and set it aside for a couple weeks. Break it open and compare the pH of the reactor to the pH of your tank. No bueno.

[Shiftkey]

jservedio Thank you what you says makes sense thanks for getting back to me so fast

[mcarroll]

Running activated carbon is not a necessity and does not require any special consideration like this.  

 

Running it passively in a media bag, when needed, is enough.