# plumbing in a GFO/carbon reactor...



## Flexin5 (Nov 12, 2011)

so as you may tell i'm doing some upgrades to the tank. 

i was wondering, how do you have your (if you have one) GFO/carbon reactor plumbed into your system? 

right now i have a maxijet 600 in the sump (in the section with the drain and skimmer) and that feeds the UV sterilizer, and returns into the refugium on the other side. 

my question is, would it be a good idea to have a maxijet 1200 -> uv sterilizer -> valve -> reactor -> refugium? or is that too many things to run off the MJ1200?


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

First and foremost I would get rid of the MJ since they're loud and obnoxious!! Kinda like me I guess...

You could do it but I think you need more of a consistent pump.
I have a Eheim 1050 if you're interested. Silent as a carjacker on a saturday night and cheap!


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

Not sure what you did to your MJ, but mine is extremely quiet.

I wouldn't run them all off one pump. For the UV to run proper, the flow needs to match the wattage of the bulb. The GFO, and Carbon reactors run best if you have a seperate feed for each. I split my MJ line with valves to run mine. Lets me have a faster flow in the GFO (since its heavier) and slower in the carbon.


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## JamesHurst (Mar 1, 2013)

I'm running 2 phosban 150's on a maxi 1200 but it got REALLY loud and the flow was reduced too much for the 1st reactor which needed the high flow (running bio pellets).

I have a 2nd pump I'm going to use for the carbon, in the protein skimmer area which comes after the pellets.

Depending on the restriction of flow in the UV sterilizer, you may have enough flow to run a small reactor plumbed in after it with just GFO. Even though the flow in my 1st reactor wasn't high enough for the pellets, it was TOO much for the 2nd reactor which had the carbon and it broke it down, compressed against the top of the reactor and clogged (not good at all). So you should have enough flow for the GFO, again, depending on how much your UV restricts the waterflow into the reactor.

Personally, I'm not going to chain anything together anymore. Seperate pumps for each. Hydro is included in my rent 

Hope that helps


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Separate pumps for each. easy to replace carbon or GFO and do not need to shut down the whole system

It depends on the type of material but MJ 1200 creates to much flow for BRS carbon and GFO. 
I use 600 or 900 and it works perfect. I seen somewhere that Little Fishes recommends ~ 90 - 120 GPH flow for these reactors

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## Flexin5 (Nov 12, 2011)

hrm good to know. i think i still have some research ahead of me to see what flow rate is needed for what media.

i'm planning to use the BRS GFO and carbon in one:

http://cdn.bulkreefsupply.com/media...2a94d/3/0/300180-BRS-Reactor---Single-a_1.jpg

now they reccomend the MJ1200, but is that too much?

can you get the media locally? and how long does the media last?


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

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## wildexpressions (May 3, 2010)

J_T said:


> Not sure what you did to your MJ, but mine is extremely quiet.
> 
> I wouldn't run them all off one pump. For the UV to run proper, the flow needs to match the wattage of the bulb. The GFO, and Carbon reactors run best if you have a seperate feed for each. I split my MJ line with valves to run mine. Lets me have a faster flow in the GFO (since its heavier) and slower in the carbon.


the various opinions on Maxijets may be due to the marineland maxi's being a completely different pump from the original maxi's. None of the parts are interchangeable and the Marineland ones appear to be more prone to leeching current into the tanks.

A company called Cobalt stepped in and produces the original Maxijets in the original factory using the original molds/etc. They are few bucks more than the Marinland Maxi's but so far they seem to be exactly what the Maxi is supposed to be, a tough arse cheap very flexible little pump. The parts are interchangable with the originals which means you can still get impellers for old ones though Cobalt.


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## thmh (Mar 17, 2011)

Ehiem 1262 with a T for 3 of my reactor!


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