Anybody run a reactor off your return?

[zero26]

Currently I have a BRS dual reactor run by a MJ. But I have plenty of spare power on my return pump. Has anybody tried this? I'm sure just to get the proper fittings and a valve you would be good.

[jtma508]

Not my return but I run my GAC/GFO reactors off my skimmer pump and feed my Ca reactor off my closed loop.

[slief]

I am running my BRS cabon and my BRS GFO reactors off of my return pump. It works just fine. I made a 3 outlet manifold that is "t'd" into my return line. I use the little valves that came with the reactors to adjust the flow on the exit side of the reactors. These reactors require a minimal amount of flow and as such, they dont really impact the return flow very much if any in my opinion.
Here are a couple pics of my setup. The sump with the live rock and bio balls is going to be replaced in the coming weeks with 2 new large (30"x40") sumps which will be used in part for a refugium as well as a place for a future in sump large skimmer.

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo347/shleif/Tanks/DSC00426.jpg

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo347/shleif/Tanks/DSC00351.jpg

[Losungen]

Just a word of caution, with the valve on the outlet side of the reactor, your pressurizing the reactor. They aren't really designed to be pressurized and it could spring a leak someday.

[slief]

Just a word of caution, with the valve on the outlet side of the reactor, your pressurizing the reactor. They aren't really designed to be pressurized and it could spring a leak someday.

Thanks for that bit of advice. I am using those to fine tune the flow. The flow is also reduced at the valves on the manifold. Oddly, I think the BRS instructions actually suggest regulating after the reactor as well. When I do my sump swap, I will likely move those to the input side just to be safe or eliminate them completely.

[Losungen]

Thanks for that bit of advice. I am using those to fine tune the flow. The flow is also reduced at the valves on the manifold. Oddly, I think the BRS instructions actually suggest regulating after the reactor as well. When I do my sump swap, I will likely move those to the input side just to be safe or eliminate them completely.

If they suggest it then I'm sure its okay. It will have the exact same effect on flow through the reactor no matter which side of the reactor it on, only difference will be pressure in the reactor or no pressure. I tend to err on the side of caution and not pressurize.

[JeF4y]

I tee off of my return pump to run my CA reactor as well. Not sure about the reactor not being designed to be pressurized. You need to push water through it. Without pressure, how do you intend to do that?

[James77]

I tee off of my return pump to run my CA reactor as well. Not sure about the reactor not being designed to be pressurized. You need to push water through it. Without pressure, how do you intend to do that?

the pressure from a reeflo external pump would be far more than from a maxijet. Too much pressure can cause leaks, and several manufacturers mention this.

[JeF4y]

Hmmm.. I wonder what the actual pressure is when Tee'd off of the pump and reduced down to a 3/8 or 5/16 tube.

[Losungen]

I tee off of my return pump to run my CA reactor as well. Not sure about the reactor not being designed to be pressurized. You need to push water through it. Without pressure, how do you intend to do that?

Of course the reactor itself has some resistance to the flow of of water, its constant and won't change. What can change is the pressure from the flow of water. Let's say you got a 300gph pump and a reactor running at 80gph and you hook it up pump to reactor to valve. Using the valve to restrict flow means you have the pressure of 220gph of flow between the valve and the pump, including inside the reactor. If you hook it up pump to valve to reactor... You only have that extra flow between the valve and the pump as before but now the reactor is after the valve so won't see any extra pressure beyond its resistance to the flow of water. Does that make sense to you? I could use a 10000 gph pump restricted to 80gph using a valve before the reactor, the reactor will see the exact same as using a 300gph pump. If I hook it up valve AFTER reactor, my reactor will now have ALL of the extra pressure of 9920GPH trying to flow. Basic fluid dynamics and physics at work. Reactors can handle some pressure for sure... Maybe a little bit more then are rated to handle, usually around 100gph.

[zero26]

Yes absolutely I would put a valve before the reactor to restrict the flow.

[JeF4y]

If I hook it up valve AFTER reactor, my reactor will now have ALL of the extra pressure of 9920GPH trying to flow.


I don't know if I fully agree with this.

I have a 3/4" line running up to my display from my MaxiJet 1800 (475gph minus 4.5' of head). Off of the pump I have a T which also feeds a 3/8" line going to my CA reactor. The 3/4" line can accommodate far more water in GPH than the 3/8" line can (come to think of it, it may be 1/4 or 5/16. It's not real big). So that being the case, the bulk share of the water is going up into my display where a slight bit is going into the CA reactor.

Is the actual PSI pressure of the 3/4" line and the 3/8 (or 1/4, 5/16 whatever) line the same? Yes, I guess it has to be. However, does that smaller line have the capability to move the full amount of water in GPH? No, I don't believe so.

A valve between the pump and the reactor is certainly a good idea, but in the end, the hose is only going to move so much water.

[SDguy]

I run my fuge, chiller, ca reactor, and phosban reactor all off my return pump. Awesome to only have one electrical cord for all this. Less awesome that everything shuts down if I turn off the sump pump.

In order: pump > true union > tee > 1/2" out down to 1/4 to JG valve for the ca reactor > tee 1/2" to valve to phosban reactor > 3 way split to tank (no valve), chiller (with valve), fuge (with valve).

[Losungen]

I don't know if I fully agree with this.

I have a 3/4" line running up to my display from my MaxiJet 1800 (475gph minus 4.5' of head). Off of the pump I have a T which also feeds a 3/8" line going to my CA reactor. The 3/4" line can accommodate far more water in GPH than the 3/8" line can (come to think of it, it may be 1/4 or 5/16. It's not real big). So that being the case, the bulk share of the water is going up into my display where a slight bit is going into the CA reactor.

Is the actual PSI pressure of the 3/4" line and the 3/8 (or 1/4, 5/16 whatever) line the same? Yes, I guess it has to be. However, does that smaller line have the capability to move the full amount of water in GPH? No, I don't believe so.

A valve between the pump and the reactor is certainly a good idea, but in the end, the hose is only going to move so much water.

Water under pressure and water flowing under the force of gravity are two different things. How big is the hole in a nozzle on a pressure jet? Do you think a pressure washer has more pressure and moves more water then your 3/4 return line? In the end no ones the reactor police, its merely information and I personally could care less if someone agrees or disagrees... Takes advice or not. I certainly do not take all advice I read to heart ;)

[Losungen]

I run my fuge, chiller, ca reactor, and phosban reactor all off my return pump. Awesome to only have one electrical cord for all this. Less awesome that everything shuts down if I turn off the sump pump.

In order: pump > true union > tee > 1/2" out down to 1/4 to JG valve for the ca reactor > tee 1/2" to valve to phosban reactor > 3 way split to tank (no valve), chiller (with valve), fuge (with valve).

Its not bad if you think about it. If your return pumps off, you don't really need any of the rest running. I only have a phosban reactor t'd from my return, in my case it sets resets easily when I turn off my return for feeding and maintenance, ca reactor... Maybe not. My only issue with running a t off the return is water bypassing the the reactor. Stands to reason that the majority of water will bypass the reactor and a minority of the reactor output water will cycle once again through the reactor... Not very efficient by any means.

[James77]

Is the actual PSI pressure of the 3/4" line and the 3/8 (or 1/4, 5/16 whatever) line the same? Yes, I guess it has to be. However, does that smaller line have the capability to move the full amount of water in GPH? No, I don't believe so.

A valve between the pump and the reactor is certainly a good idea, but in the end, the hose is only going to move so much water.

It does not matter how much water is going or can go through it- that is the amount of flow. We are talking about pressure- the force- of the water. Too much force will build too much pressure in the reactor, and its seals could fail. A MJ pump cannot give enough force to do this, some return pumps could.

A pressure washer only draws a couple gallons per minute, but the pressure can be 5,000+ PSI.

[SDguy]

Its not bad if you think about it. If your return pumps off, you don't really need any of the rest running. I only have a phosban reactor t'd from my return, in my case it sets resets easily when I turn off my return for feeding and maintenance, ca reactor... Maybe not. My only issue with running a t off the return is water bypassing the the reactor. Stands to reason that the majority of water will bypass the reactor and a minority of the reactor output water will cycle once again through the reactor... Not very efficient by any means.

I actually never turn off my return pump (unless I'm doing a water change) so my setup is fine for me, I was just mentioning it as a drawback for those that shut off their return pump frequently (ie during feeding).

I'm not sure I understand the second part of your post. Water does not "bypass" the reactor feed. In fact it pressurizes the reactor slightly, making very low bubble/drip rates easier and more consistent.

As for the effluent cycling back through the unit, that's a non-issue, IMO. The effluent gets diluted in the sump. Even if your effluent line fed directly into the return pump intake, I think the mathematical calculation of how much actually gets back into the reactor would be infinitesimal. :) But if you are really worried about this, either feed the effluent directly into the tank, or use a feed pump for the reactor which is placed in the sump somewhere ahead of where the effluent drips in, so as to be sure ONLY from the tank is being pumped into the reactor.

[billdogg]

I made a DIY manifold from my dart - it runs everything - 2x returnd=ns to DT, return to fuge, 2x BRS reactors - and tons of flow to everything no problem.