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backwards32 
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 Topic: What is the best media reactor?
Posted: October 01 2015 at 8:15am |
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I am looking to get a media reactor to run both GFO and carbon. I have been looking on marine depot and i really like the Vertex RX-U and the next reef MR-1 XL. does anyone have either of these?
Or what are your thoughts on what is the best
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Krazie4Acans
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Posted: October 01 2015 at 8:19am |
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What size tank are you putting it on? Have you looked at the BRS reactor? Simple design and effective.
I did have a Next Reef MR-1 a while back but I liked that I could hang the BRS reactor instead of the MR-1 having to stand up in the stand or sump. Hanging gave me a lot more options for placement.
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My ocean. 90g (yup, won it!), 40g, 28g, & 10g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water Tank Thread:
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backwards32
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Posted: October 01 2015 at 8:35am |
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It is for a 300 gallon tank. Do your BRS reactors work well? I have heard not so good things about them
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Krazie4Acans
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Posted: October 01 2015 at 8:41am |
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Mine work great. I did modify their dual to be able to control flow in each one individually instead of the flow from one feeding the other. It's a simple modification and solves every issue I ever had with the BRS reactor. I also mix the carbon and GFO so that I can run the reactor at a lower flow rate (more contact time) without the GFO caking.
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My ocean. 90g (yup, won it!), 40g, 28g, & 10g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water Tank Thread:
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backwards32
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Posted: October 01 2015 at 12:54pm |
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so because you are mixing both media could you just do one reactor instead of the dual chamber? maybe just need a bigger single reactor
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Reefer4Ever
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Posted: October 01 2015 at 9:17pm |
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I also have the brs dual that Jeff showed me how to separate them to control flow to each individually. Otherwise personal opinion it's a horrible design for gfo and carbon. I also mix mine in one reactor and have had fantastic success with my tank.
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90 gal reef w/refugium
24 gal softie tank
11 gal nano anemone tank
5 gal fresh water
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relethg
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Posted: October 02 2015 at 9:30am |
I think the BRS are going to be a little small for your 300 gallon tank. I don't know what GFO or carbon you will run or your planned bio load, but the recommended GFO amount is 4.5 cups and the carbon is 2.5. The BRS reactors hold 3 cups each if you don't tumble the GFO. If you are going to tumble GFO it says it will hold 2 cups but I have issues with anything over 1 1/2 cups. You can run less or more depending on what kind/brand you run. I had no issues with the BRS reactors other than they are too small for my 210. I have a high bio load with 35 fish. I will be using them on the new 105 though. I bought two separate units not the double and I don't run gfo and carbon combined. I switched to Avast reactors. Oh one thing on the vertex I think they are plumbed for bigger than 1/2 and my manifold is all 1/2.
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210 G Filled 18 Mar 15
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love2skiutah
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Posted: October 02 2015 at 10:40am |
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I've got a Vertex Reactor for my 400 and I HATE it. It's a pain to get the lid off, it's a paid to change and it has leaked several times on me from the fittings THEY glued, even when it was brand new. I ended up putting it in my sump for now, but I will be swapping it out in the future.
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Krazie4Acans
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Posted: October 02 2015 at 11:08am |
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BRS also has jumbo sized reactors. They work great as well. I tried for over a year to use a tumbling reactor and it was a constant pain to adjust every day. Ever since I started mixing my carbon and GFO I've never had a problem. Flow stays constant, media doesn't cake, and it just works. You can choose your ratio of mixture as well
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My ocean. 90g (yup, won it!), 40g, 28g, & 10g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water Tank Thread:
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love2skiutah
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Posted: October 02 2015 at 11:14am |
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If I were you, I would put the carbon in a bag, toss it in the sump and then buy a jumbo BRS reactor for just the GFO.
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relethg
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Posted: October 02 2015 at 11:19am |
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I think tumbling is not optimum in the BRS reactors as they do change up flow. I think the small grills are impacted by small particles of all kinds of things. With the Avast reactor I set it and forget it until I change the media. No changes in flow at all.
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210 G Filled 18 Mar 15
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Marcoss
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Posted: October 02 2015 at 12:08pm |
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I second that Glenn. My BRS reactors have major issues when I exceed one cup. If I use than more than one cup of GFO it cakes and doesn't tumble right, if I use less it tumbles so quickly (even when regulated) that it burns through GFO. I've found mine to be best with carbon. Maybe I'll try what Krazie is doing and mix it up.
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RedSea Max S400 - 90G Rimless Frag Tanks x2 - 185 Lookdown Bin
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Reefer4Ever
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Posted: October 02 2015 at 12:16pm |
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I also mix mine with carbon in a single brs reactor and use the foam pads to hold in place. My total water volume is about 105 gals I use 1/2 cup gfo 1 cup carbon. My po4 starts to rise at about the 6 to 7 week mark. I feed daily pellets and froze. Just what works for me. I also have macro algae in my fuge. Water change 25% once a month.
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90 gal reef w/refugium
24 gal softie tank
11 gal nano anemone tank
5 gal fresh water
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backwards32
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Posted: October 02 2015 at 12:33pm |
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so it seems very variable if people like the BRS reactors or not. but no one has said anything bad about the nextreef MR1 products. I was looking at that avast and i think they look pretty good as well. so many options hahaha
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backwards32
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Posted: October 06 2015 at 8:35pm |
Ok here is what I ended up getting. I had only heard good things about the next reef MR-1. So I went big and got the MR-1 XL. this thing is huge and is rated for up to 375 gallons. so that is probably overboard but o well.  Sorry it is upside down. also i put a water bottle next to it so you could see how big it is. thanks for everyones input
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