Vertex universal media reactor

[TD2K]

Last year at MACNA I reluctantly stuck my hand into a bucket with a longhorn on it and managed to pull out the golden ticket. I won a universal media reactor and a bag of bio pellets. I've yet to open the box and get this thing running, but figure I need to do so. Do I need to purchase a small pump? Or do I use my existing tank's main pump? I have an extra outlet on my pump that isn't being used, I could plumb it from there and then put the water back into my fuge/sump area. The Vertex website says "Rx-U Plus units are designed for INLINE hard-plumbed and/ or REMOTE soft-hose applications."

Vertex Aquaristik > Products > Media Filters > Universal Media Reactors > RX-U > RX-U 2.5Liter +

I have no experience with media reactors, so any help/advice is appreciated.

Total volume of our tank is about 300 gals.

 

[revhtree]

Hey you just need like a maxi-jet or something on some soft hose placed inside your sump and then draining back into your sump.

Take some photos and do a short tutorial for new people and post it in a new thread!

 

[Zero Nitrates]

I would love to see how you set it up!
Have fun reefing!

 

[TD2K]

Take some photos and do a short tutorial for new people and post it in a new thread!

I wanted someone to do that for ME! lol

 

[TD2K]

Ordered a little mag-drive 3 pump yesterday, my LFS only had a 5 in stock and we decided that was overkill. He'll have it in next week and I'll get this thing going. Stay tuned.

 

[shred5]

Those are very nice reactors.

 

[TD2K]

Finally got it installed and running last night. I'll post pics and everything soon, we're on the road to the North Tx Reef Fanatics Frag Swap this morning.

 

[TD2K]

Since the bio pellets would fit thru the holes in the reactor, and it said NOT to use the sponges with these particular pellets, I went to the craft store and bought some of that plastic grid material that people use with yarn. I cut 2 disks out and zip tied them to the existing plates (on the inside that will come into contact with the media).

 

[TD2K]

From what I read, it is best to have the exit line close to your skimmer intake so the water gets re-oxygenated before going back into the display tank. I have plenty of room in my sump/fuge, and I figured it would be a precaution in case of leaks down the road, so I just put the reactor in the compartment with my skimmer. I put the exit line down right in front of the skimmer's intake pump, and I dropped my pump (reactor intake) into the last compartment of the sump.

The vinyl tubing I had on hand was rather stiff, I've found this trick works very well:

Tubing placed on the mag-drive 3 pump

 

[TD2K]

I turned the pump on and opened the reactor's valve, slowly filling it with water, made sure it didn't have any leaks. Then I turned it off, added my small amount of pellets that had soaked in RO/DI water overnight (about 1/8 of the recommended dose for my tank volume), and turned it on enough to give them a slow boiling movement.

So far the only difference I've noticed is that the junk my skimmer is pulling out is darker and there's more of it. I've increased my feeding so I don't starve out my coral. I upgraded to Red Sea tests, I tested right after installed this reactor (for a benchmark) my nitrates were 0 and phosphates were .04. We'll see if they stay low with the increased feeding. I've always fed very little because my nitrates spike very quickly, so this will be a good test.

 

[Xrod]

Any updates?

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk 2

 

[TD2K]

color on my purple haze monti is better than ever. Still having algae on the surface of the water, glass, and sand, but it seems to be getting a little better. I added a few more pellets after the first week, getting ready to add a few more.

My kH got a little low at first, my pink plate monti started losing color on one edge and had algae forming, I clipped the dead part back and brought the kH up, it seems to be all better now. I feed a LOT more often now. I used to lightly feed 3x per WEEK and constantly battled nitrates. Now I feed heavier at least twice a day, sometimes three times, plus a 1/2 sheet of nori for the foxface every day. Fish are SO much happier too (who wouldn't be?!?!?!) Nitrates are consistently 0.0 on the Red Sea test.

So far so good, just have to really watch my kH

 

[msayani2]

How is the build quality of the reactor? What about fit and finish?

I am looking into buying one of these reactors so I am wondering how well it works.

 

[TD2K]

as with all of vertex products, I think the quality is awesome. I have their lighting as well, and I'm a big fan. It is easy to assemble and I didn't have any issues hooking it up once I figured out which pump to buy. I don't have any experience with any other reactors, this is my first, so I can't really tell you if they're worth the bigger pricetag or not.

 

[FLSharkvictim]

I just got the Vertex 1.5L and going to be running off my Neptune Pmup Practical Multipurpose Utility pump that will be connected to my Apex controller.
Also, it's going to hard pump in as well next to my Skimz Monzter protein skimmer. I have in the past ran BRS HC GFO but this time I am going to try ROWAPHOS instead.

Tank Info: 120 Mixed Reef
Out,
FLSharkvictim

 

[FLSharkvictim]

I just set up my reactor last night it seems to be working just fine but I think I have it set up the wrong way! The flow arrow is pointing to the left and my flow is coming up into the reactor the opposite way of the arrow.
Also, do I need to run the 2nd foam disc at the top if I am running rowaphos or do I just need to run foam disc at the bottom.. Please see pixs and let me know your thoughts?

 

[FLSharkvictim]

I turned the pump on and opened the reactor's valve, slowly filling it with water, made sure it didn't have any leaks. Then I turned it off, added my small amount of pellets that had soaked in RO/DI water overnight (about 1/8 of the recommended dose for my tank volume), and turned it on enough to give them a slow boiling movement.

So far the only difference I've noticed is that the junk my skimmer is pulling out is darker and there's more of it. I've increased my feeding so I don't starve out my coral. I upgraded to Red Sea tests, I tested right after installed this reactor (for a benchmark) my nitrates were 0 and phosphates were .04. We'll see if they stay low with the increased feeding. I've always fed very little because my nitrates spike very quickly, so this will be a good test.

@TD2K , Quick question, On which end do you have your pump running and coming in ? Do you have your pump installed on the Union side or the ball valve side?

 

[mtraylor]

I bought 2 of them but only use 1. The other one is huge. They work well. I use the one for carbon. Never had an issue with it and its hard plumbed in.

 

[FLSharkvictim]

@TD2K , THE WATER is coming in and going up through the ball valve as you can see in the 1st pix I have above.