Aquamaxx reactors how to

[HouseofStark]

Purchased 2 of these reactor, mainly for separate gfo and carbon. I am wondering/struggling with running them wondering if I’m doing something wrong.
I drop the center tube and bottom plate in (one piece)….then black foam, then black frame, then red rubber ring on center tube. Fill with carbon, then perforated disc, foam and frame then red rubber ring.

When I go to change it out I grab the center tube and try to pull everything up and out. But the carbon seems to be settled and pressed against the outside housing. I work it out, but now all the black foam is full of ROX carbon.

is this the proper way to use and run carbon in these reactors?

 

[blaxsun]

Whenever I change out my reactors the black foam is always saturated with carbon and GFO, so I think this is fairly normal with any reactor.

The foam is there to generally prevent anything from being passed into the sump or tank. One thing I did is switch to larger carbon and GFO pellets with Nyos Carbon and Phosi-Ex so it doesn't clog up as bad and is easier to rinse the roam out afterwards.

 

[HouseofStark]

Ok so nothing that I’m doing wrong. Ya the rox from BRS seems to pack tight in there and once I get it removed the foam sponges are packed full with carbon. I think a more corse carbon woukd wolr better for flow and clean up. I’ll look into that

 

[polyppal]

which model do you have? Aquamaxx makes several kinds of reactors

 

[HouseofStark]

2 of these…. Thinking one for gfo and one for carbon. Really just been using one.. for carbon/polishing.

 

[txmk4]

2 of these…. Thinking one for gfo and one for carbon. Really just been using one.. for carbon/polishing.

do you happened to have pictures of your setup I just ordered couple of these and wanting to see how should I set those up in my sump.

 

[txmk4]

2 of these…. Thinking one for gfo and one for carbon. Really just been using one.. for carbon/polishing.

do you have a pictures of your setup I just ordered couple of those and need to see how should I set them up, its my 1st time doing it

 

[GarrettT]

Normal with reactors regardless of size. Back when I ran media in a reactor, I would use larger media (Seachem Matrix) and put it in a mesh bag before adding to reactor. It made it easier to remove.

 

[txmk4]

Normal with reactors regardless of size. Back when when I ran media in a reactor, I would use larger media (Seachem Matrix) and put it in a mesh bag before adding to reactor. It made it easier to remove.

am I going to need 2 separate pump or one pump should be good enough to run water through both media (carbon and gfo)?

 

[Snowxcross]

am I going to need 2 separate pump or one pump should be good enough to run water through both media (carbon and gfo)?

Depends on the pump output, but one should be fine. Maybe just get a flow valve on each reactors output to manage the flow back into your sump. I run my Aquamaxx reactors off a manifold, easy to adjust the flow for GFO.

 

[GarrettT]

One pump will be plenty. Sicce 1.5 for example. I would imagine you could run carbon and gfo in the same reactor if you sandwiched the carbon at the bottom between two filters (to prevent it from tumbling), while leaving the GFO at the top without a filter. Haven’t tried it but don’t see why it wouldn’t work.

 

[txmk4]

Depends on the pump output, but one should be fine. Maybe just get a flow valve on each reactors output to manage the flow back into your sump. I run my Aquamaxx reactors off a manifold, easy to adjust the flow for GF

do you have a picture of a your manifold?

 

[GarrettT]

And to be honest, I think the Sicce 1.0 would be more appropriate. The 1.5 is a lot of pump for a media reactor even though it’s sold as one. You’ll have to dial it down, which causes the pump to produce a lot of noise.

 

[txmk4]

One pump will be plenty. Sicce 1.5 for example. I would imagine you could run carbon and gfo in the same reactor if you sandwiched the carbon at the bottom between two filters (to prevent it from tumbling), while leaving the GFO at the top without a filter. Haven’t tried it but don’t see why it wouldn’t work.

I've ordered 2 aquamax reactors, what's a difference between manifold and control valve?

 

[Snowxcross]

do you have a picture of a your manifold?

Middle valve is for gfo.

 

[GarrettT]

I've ordered 2 aquamax reactors, what's a difference between manifold and control valve?

A control valve is simply a ball valve. All methods will require one including a manifold, which is what you see in the photo above in red pvc.

Edit: Basically the red pipe on the left without the ball valve is feeding water to the ones with a valve. It allows one pump to service multiple reactors.

 

[txmk4]

Middle valve i

Middle valve is for gfo.

what's the job of a manifold? can I see more pics of your aquamax? so 1 sicce 1.5 should be good for both reactors?

 

[txmk4]

Middle valve is for gfo.

fancy looking setup

 

[GarrettT]

what's the job of a manifold? can I see more pics of your aquamax? so 1 sicce 1.5 should be good for both reactors?

It will be plenty

Edit: Assuming you keep the reactors close and at sump height. Just had to clarify that as head pressure and distance matter.

 

[Snowxcross]

what's the job of a manifold? can I see more pics of your aquamax? so 1 sicce 1.5 should be good for both reactors?

The job is simple, one pump to support multiple things. Attached you'll see the entire return piping in red. The aquamaxx has about 6 tablespoons of rowaphos rumbling gently. I replace the gfo once a month. With this and the algae scrubber, my parameters are super stable.