Help with Bulk Reef GFO/Carbon Reactor

[dcforester1]

I ordered a combp GFO/Carb, and I really dont understand the directions. It says to add 1 tablespoon carbon for every 10 gallons, and 1tablespoon per every4 for the GFO. I have 65-70gal tank, so im going to add 7tbls of carb, and 17tbls of GFO. This doesnt seem like much(of carbon)? Also Do I put the disk in to hold the product down. How do you do it? Do you put it in then just force the carbon in, to push the disk up. Do you want the disk tight on the GFO, I know it needs to tumble a little. Also it says to hook it up and run it to flush it out? Shouldnt I do it before putting it in? I dont have that much water saved, to just keep flushing it. PLEASE do not send me the video, I have watched it 10 times.
Thanks Derek

 

[Joel A]

i have a 75 gallon tank and use 1 cup of carbon for the whole tank.. it doesn't take much.

The GFO takes more than the carbon, but be careful with GFO because you don't want to "strip" the tank of phopshate to fast. Doing so is known to cause serious damage to sensitive inverts (corals).

Start very slowly with the GFO, i'd say maybe half the recommended dosage then after a month or so add more at your first change out you can use a little more, and then on the next change out a little more... and so on.

 

[dcforester1]

How do you rinse it with RO? do you just soak it in a bucket? or just let the RO flow over it, and waste all that water?

 

[too_tanked]

If I'm understanding your question right - the carbon should be pushed up to the top of the cylinder and held in place with the foam pad underneath. So you pour the carbon in first, then push the carbon up into place with the foam pad so the carbon is all the way at the top. Then add the GFO which will just sit on the bottom of the cannister. There should be a space of at least a few inches between the top of the GFO and the foam pad that is holding the carbon in place above it.

You definitely need to flush it out first. There will be a fair amount of black carbon dust coming out for the first minute or so and probably GFO dust also. To flush it out, I just dip the intake pump into a bucket of RO water and let it run a minute or so and pump the waste into another bucket.

 

[jamesdong009]

I just flush it with my tank water and then replace that with new sw. Kills two birds with one stone.

 

[Joel A]

I just flush it with my tank water and then replace that with new sw. Kills two birds with one stone.

yup, exactly. Set the reactor up with new media just like you normally would, only put the return line in a separate bucket and take out a gallon or so of water (until it's clear again) then return the line back to the tank/sump. Then add back the same amount of saltwater you removed.

 

[dcforester1]

you guys are good, 2 tanked you did answer my question, but I have 2 cylinders. I got the idea, I figured the carbon is going to float, so do I hold it down, or push it up. Push it up I will do. OK next question. I have a turbo twist UV ster, can I put that in line? I dont have a sump, but with all this stuff. its getting alittle crowded.
TIA Derek