Media Reactors? BRS Single or Double? Other?

I have been in the hobby for only 2 years, and I am trying to slowly improve my tank. I have been using Blue Life's Clear FX Pro, with solid results, but it seems a bit expensive.

I am thinking about buying a reactor for GFO and Activated Carbon, but don't know the best way to proceed, Single and mix the media, or get the larger double reactor?  Some say to only run Carbon for a short period each month, others run it constantly.  Looking for solid advice.

Help a rookie out. 

65 Gallon Display, with 20 gallon sump. running 2 -  250 W metal hallides with 2- 65 W Compact florescent actinic.

You could run both in one but you will get better results if you run them separate in a dual. Although I don't run the dual the way it comes from brs. I add a T before and after with valves on each so that I can adjust the flow separately for each media. Turns a good reactor into a great reactor.


Edited by Krazie4Acans - January 30 2014 at 4:46pm

I've run just about every reactor...in every combination. I went with a dual BRS on my 150g, and the capacity isn't enough (but it was the only thing that would fit in my space). I need to add a valve between the two as mentioned since the flow through both is not correct (GFO should gently tumble while carbon should not.)

Krazie4Acans wrote: You could run both in one but you will get better results if you run them separate in a dual. Although I don't run the dual the way it comes from brs. I add a T before and after with valves on each so that I can adjust the flow separately for each media. Turns a good reactor into a great reactor.

This sounds like a really neat solution. It sounds like you can separate the canisters and control the throughput with separate valves. Very nice solution. Thanks for the insight.

KRAZIE,
I am going to try splitting the two. Did you get the extra valve and "T" joints locally, or do they sell them a BRS?
Thanks for the suggestion.

Ok. Here is the drawing. I also need to explain the connections a bit more. When you buy the dual reactor it comes with quick connect (John Guest) connectors on one side of each reactor. Then between the two reactors is a 1/2"x1/2" threaded coupler. In order to make the reactors independent, you need to remove the 4 plastic screws that hold each reactor to the mounting bracket. Then you can remove the coupler from between the two reactor. then you need to turn the reactor containers 90 degrees so that the input and output ports are at the front and back of the bracket instead or the sides of the bracket. Then the ports that were connected together in the center with the coupler need 1/2" npt threaded to quick connect elbows just like the ones that came on the canisters from brs. So now both canisters will have quick connect elbows on the input and output of each canister.

Why do you need a valve on the outlet

So you can stop any back siphon when changing the media. Makes it really easy. Just turn off the pump, close the valves before and after each T and then you can unscrew the canisters with very little water leaking. Then refill your media and hook back up.

I also improved one setup by adding another T and valve to the output side before the valve that is in the drawing. This one let me flush the media into another container before opening the valve back to the tank. I'll be adding that to my setup very soon.

Ok that works

Edited by LaRue - January 31 2014 at 9:40am