IM Minimax reactor or media basket

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#1
Hey nano reefers,

What do you prefer for a mixed reef 20g nano tank. The IM minimax media reactor or media baskets?

What type of media would you suggest for either? Carbon, GFO, biopellets?
 

Titanwerx

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#2
Everything I've read says a media reactors work better than media in a mesh bag. I use GFO, had cyano issues with carbon, but that could have just been user error I don't think I was testing properly.


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#3
Seems to be the consensus from what I've looked up as well. Any issues in adding GFO in a running tank? Will it reduce phosphates too much too quickly?

Also, can you add GFO and carbon mixed in the reactor? Seems like you shouldn't have carbon tumbling but wonder if anyone has done it another way to maximize use of the reactor?
 

Titanwerx

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#4
I would start with half the recommended dosage of GFO and then increase in a couple weeks. You don't want to mix carbon and GFO. GFO needs to tumble slightly and if you tumble the carbon with the GFO the carbon will grind the GFO to dust.


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#5
Sounds good, will give the half dose GFO a try and see how it goes. Prob will drop carbon somewhere in the sump as well.
 
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#7
I would start at 1/4 of dosage you'll be surprised how far it drops in a nano. I had one crash because of dosing 1/2 of the recommended. I would start slowly. You could water changes if your worried.



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#8
Got some BRS GFO today and the grain size is much finer than I thought. Any way I can still run this in the reactor without it slipping through the 2 bottom filter sponges?
 

reefes pieces

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#9
get some filter floss and cut it to fit in the reactor. Make sure to rinse the GFO first before putting it in as well
 
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#11
get some filter floss and cut it to fit in the reactor. Make sure to rinse the GFO first before putting it in as well
Got it, wouldn't plugging filter floss in block the flow and impede on the tumbling effect? Maybe not, I'll need to try it out.

Would I have to change out the filter floss every week?
 

reefes pieces

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#13
Just put a thin amount. Just enough to hold the GFO in. Shouldn't need to change it weekly, just when you swap out the GFO.
Got it, wouldn't plugging filter floss in block the flow and impede on the tumbling effect? Maybe not, I'll need to try it out.

Would I have to change out the filter floss every week?
 
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#14
Hey guys - curious when to make the determination to switch from media baskets to a reactor. What is the tell tale sign that a reactor is needed?
 
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#15
Hey guys - curious when to make the determination to switch from media baskets to a reactor. What is the tell tale sign that a reactor is needed?
It is personal choice but if you go with reactor I would go with biopellets unless you are doing exclusively carbon. but for me I decided to go to reactor when i reduced feeding to the minimum and then there was still algae issue but I tried to first solve the problem then use this as a fix. Good luck
 

russ13

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#16
On my last tank I ran a reactor with a mix of carbon and gfo. And one with bio media. Seemed to work well. Reactors are more money but do a much better job then a media basket
 
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#17
It is personal choice but if you go with reactor I would go with biopellets unless you are doing exclusively carbon. but for me I decided to go to reactor when i reduced feeding to the minimum and then there was still algae issue but I tried to first solve the problem then use this as a fix. Good luck
Alright, great feedback. I'll follow that route when I cross that bridge. So far no algae issues with adequate feeding. Thanks!
 

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