Gfo reactor plumbing for all in one tank

[mrpontiac80]

Hi everyone. I have a Waterbox 65.4 all in one. I have been dealing with high phosphate so I purchased a BRS reactor and I am ready to set it up.

the AIO tank has obviously a display and the rear are 5 different chambers consisting of filter cups on each rear corner, then another chamber on each side for heaters, skimmer or etc and the main center chamber housing my ato and return pump.
I plan to place the reactor pump a 2nd chamber with my heater but wonder where my return water flow should go. I feel like if I use the same chamber it will not be as effective as most of the turnover in that chamber may have already been treated. But I don’t know if it will affect water levels if I pull from 2nd chamber and dump in the other 2nd chamber that houses my skimmer.
im sure I’m over thinking it, but wondering what everyone else with an AIO tank and reactor do. Thanks

 

[Saltyreef]

Put the pump in chamber 2 or 4 and then put the effluent into the opposite of 2 or 4 so it wont mess with the return level.

 

[Saltyreef]

You can also try other combos to see if they work better. Just dont put the pump in the return section with the effluent upstream of it since that would seem counter productive and recycle some of the same water.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

You're slightly overthinking it. Water flow through a reactor for GFO is pretty darn slow at the correct speed. It shouldn't really affect your water levels in any orientation.

 

[mrpontiac80]

Ideally I’m guessing that the treated water would be best pumped back into display but I really don’t want to see it

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Did you purchase a full-sized, or mini reactor?

 

[Saltyreef]

Ideally I’m guessing that the treated water would be best pumped back into display but I really don’t want to see it

Its all going to the same place. My first suggestion would be best as the effluent would drop into the return without messing with the level.

 

[mrpontiac80]

Did you purchase a full-sized, or mini reactor?

I bought the full size. I’ve been trying Chemipure and recently the Rowaphos but the media bags just are not cutting it.

 

[Saltyreef]

I bought the full size. I’ve been trying Chemipure and recently the Rowaphos but the media bags just are not cutting it.

What are your nutrient levels usually at?

 

[mrpontiac80]

Its all going to the same place. My first suggestion would be best as the effluent would drop into the return without messing with the level.

This is what I’m going to try first. My biggest hurdle now is the rigid tubing they send that is 3’ long. I want access to the reactor and need either more quick connects or slightly longer silicone tubing

 

[mrpontiac80]

What are your nutrient levels usually at?

For a year my nitrates average 17 and phosphate was averaging about .09 ppm

over the last month or two, my phosphate has jumped to an average of .5 ppm with no changes in anything. The tank is about 1.5 years old

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

This is what I’m going to try first. My biggest hurdle now is the rigid tubing they send that is 3’ long. I want access to the reactor and need either more quick connects or slightly longer silicone tubing

Are you planning for it to hang off the back?

Up from the pump, 90°elbow into the reactor, 90° elbow out of the reactor and down to your valve is how I would likely run it.

 

[mrpontiac80]

Are you planning for it to hang off the back?

Up from the pump, 90°elbow into the reactor, 90° elbow out of the reactor and down to your valve is how I would likely run it.

I did get the deluxe version mostly because it is black, but it also included a couple of extra 90’s. My tank sits kind of in a recessed area between a fireplace and a wall so even though I can squeeze in for maintenance if needed, I don’t want to have to struggle to change media. I built my own cabinet so I know I could hang it inside but not sure if the included pump would work well for that especially if I used a few 90s. I think I’m going to hang it on the left exterior of the cabinet and just will require longer tubing

 

[Saltyreef]

For a year my nitrates average 17 and phosphate was averaging about .09 ppm

over the last month or two, my phosphate has jumped to an average of .5 ppm with no changes in anything. The tank is about 1.5 years old

Have you changed any foods, additives? Source water? Filters?

 

[mrpontiac80]

Have you changed any foods, additives? Source water? Filters?

I have not. One theory I have and it may be backed up by Jake and mark on reef therapy along with others in the hobby, is that possibly my substrate consisting of caribsea life rock and sand have been absorbing phosphate as I introduce it and they have essentially maxed out and can not not absorb anymore?
I am only 1.5 yrs into the hobby and I have a lot to learn, but if anything, I have decreased foods and not changed anything else other than light, and upgraded my skimmer.

 

[Saltyreef]

I have not. One theory I have and it may be backed up by Jake and mark on reef therapy along with others in the hobby, is that possibly my substrate consisting of caribsea life rock and sand have been absorbing phosphate as I introduce it and they have essentially maxed out and can not not absorb anymore?
I am only 1.5 yrs into the hobby and I have a lot to learn, but if anything, I have decreased foods and not changed anything else other than light, and upgraded my skimmer.

Gotcha.
And yes this is a real phemonemon.
At 1.5 years you may have reached an equalibrium.
But the rocks and sand should not be releasing the phosphate, rather than just stop absorbing causing the water column to have an abnormal amount.
What food are you feeding your corald and fish and whats your fish bioload?
Are you using the included filter socks?
And have you thought about running chaeto in one of the overflows?
The chaeto would probably reduce your nutrients to a desireable level and even might require you to start dosing nutrients.
I would recommend ulva but you dont want that slipping through your filters to the display lol.

 

[mrpontiac80]

Gotcha.
And yes this is a real phemonemon.
At 1.5 years you may have reached an equalibrium.
But the rocks and sand should not be releasing the phosphate, rather than just stop absorbing causing the water column to have an abnormal amount.
What food are you feeding your corald and fish and whats your fish bioload?
Are you using the included filter socks?
And have you thought about running chaeto in one of the overflows?
The chaeto would probably reduce your nutrients to a desireable level and even might require you to start dosing nutrients.
I would recommend ulva but you dont want that slipping through your filters to the display lol.

This is what I think is happening. I am using filter floss in filter cups, a k1-50 icecap skimmer. And fish bioload is probably heavy as I am looking to upgrade within the year.
foxface lo
Purple tang
Two spot Bristletooth tang
Midas blenny
3 zebra darts
2 clowns
Melanurus wrass
2 bangi cardinals
2 pj cardinals
I feed ab+ about every 3 days
Once in a couple weeks I may feed BRS reef chili and daily feeding consists of a sheet of nori, and 1 cube of frozen mysis or brine and just a smaller piece of rods original frozen food. I do pour some of the frozen mix in a 30 gallon though

 

[Saltyreef]

Unfortunately AIOs are limited for nutrient export. I try to keep them under a certain size before a sump is needed IME.

The macro algae will help reduce both phos and nitrate together vs an imbalanced removal with GFO.

What other issues are you noticing vs just the elevated value?

 

[mrpontiac80]

Unfortunately AIOs are limited for nutrient export. I try to keep them under a certain size before a sump is needed IME.

The macro algae will help reduce both phos and nitrate together vs an imbalanced removal with GFO.

What other issues are you noticing vs just the elevated value?

Honestly I’m not noticing much of anything negative…. I just don’t want it to keep rising. But I am learning everyday, and some of that makes it hard to know what fixes something. For example, I got a par meter a while back and upgraded my lights…. I went up slowly to numbers everyone recommends trying to get some sps to grow. Eventually I decided that since I have a mixed reef, my other corals were suffering such as my alveapora and etc, I have been lowering my lights down a few % every couple of weeks and my lps and others are doing better. Along with my sps.

 

[Saltyreef]

Honestly I’m not noticing much of anything negative…. I just don’t want it to keep rising. But I am learning everyday, and some of that makes it hard to know what fixes something. For example, I got a par meter a while back and upgraded my lights…. I went up slowly to numbers everyone recommends trying to get some sps to grow. Eventually I decided that since I have a mixed reef, my other corals were suffering such as my alveapora and etc, I have been lowering my lights down a few % every couple of weeks and my lps and others are doing better. Along with my sps.

Yea light intensity, nutrients, elements and stability all come into play.

Check out focustronic.net

Their solar tronic adjusts lights positioning and intensity based on alk or nutrient level its wild.