BRS Deluxe Reactor Question

[Waterbury Guy]

I want to run both carbon and GFO in the my Deluxe Bulk Reef Supply reactor. I have the ROX Carbon and GFO granular. If I was running each media individualy, the calculator tells me to use 13 Tbsp of GFO or 5 Tbsp of Carbon. can anyone advise as to how much GFO and how much carbon to use if running them at the same time?
Thanks!

[daido]

Between 1:2 to 1:1 mix.

[Waterbury Guy]

Sorry, not sure I'm following....

[PikkaGTR]

are you running them in the same reactor?
carbon generally does not last as long as GFO so its a waste if youre replacing media every 2 weeks o so
but if you must I'd run it as 2/1 carbon /GFO mix
juts make sure the GFO is on top and that the media tumbles nicely so it doesnt cake or break and cloud up the water

[Crusinjimbo]

I go with a 40g GFO and 40g GAC in a single BRS reactor and change it every 8 days. GFO on the bottom and the GAC between 2 sponges on the top of the reactor. Seems to work best for my system.

[Waterbury Guy]

Thanks, you BRS advises mixing the media on thier website.

[keithhays]

If you are going to mix them in the same reactor, nothing should be tumbling and it doesn't need to as long as the GFO is evenly distributed in the carbon. If anything tumbles in this configuration your carbon will turn to dust.

You will waste a lot of GFO mixing them in the same container though.

You only need to worry about proportions because you are mixing them together and you need to waste as little as possible.

Also, not related to proportions, but as far as how much of each for a given size tank is almost irrelevant on the top end. The more you put in a given reactor the longer it will last and the quicker the effect. If you had two reactors, you would fill up both and run them until either your phosphate started to increase (for GFO) or your DOCs started affecting water color (carbon).

[Waterbury Guy]

Thanks keithays, this is very helpful. I'm OK with wasting the GFO short term and running to two together. After a couple months I want to go GFO for a spell then carbon for a spell. Sounds like I will go with 13 Tbsp of GFO and 5 Tbsp of Carbon.