carbon reactor

[dv3]

how often do you guys run and change you carbon reactor?

i was thinking of just running mine for a few days after every water change and that way only change it every six months or so this is a sm. two lil fishies reactor and a 34 tank ...what do you think?

 

[chris 67]

i run brs rox 0.8 carbon and i change it every month or so


i guess that would be ok but im thinking that with no water movement junks going to start to build up

 

[dv3]

i think the cost will out weigh the benefit if i changed it monthly on that small of a tank

 

[djkms]

I run a BRS reactor with Rox .8 - 1 cup of carbon changed every 2 weeks. Carbon is cheap.

 

[dv3]

1 cup is alot cheaper than doing the whole thing ...how do you it ...just take a cup of the top and put one back in or do you dump it all out and mix it up?

 

[djkms]

For a 34 gallon tank 1 cup is way overkill IMO, in regards to Rox that is. There is a calculator on BRS. I have a extra chamber for my reactor so I just switch that out every 2 weeks.

I think less carbon switched more often is better than more less often. I say this because carbon is not a discriminating absorption material like GFO (which generally targets more specific ions). With that being said it is taking way more "stuff" out of the water which leads me to believe it gets exhausted pretty quickly. I don't think any study has proved anything on how fast it gets exhausted, I am just taking the common sense approach.

I also run water through the reactor really slow. IMO you dont want carbon tumbling, better contact time with the water and less of a chance of fines getting back into your system.

 

[dv3]

thanks ...ill check that calc out