Changing carbon/ GFO

[jmustapha]

Hey guys. So everytime I come to change/remove anything granulated from my reactors I end up with a huge mess. Whether I'm trying to add new AC or GFO or I'm trying to remove it it ends up everywhere. Anyone have any tips/tricks to replacing this stuff and rinsing it without it causing a mess everywhere.

[Reef Pilot]

That's why I use these types of reactors with the refillable cartridges. No mess, no fuss, and very effective.
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=102101&page=2

[Magickiwi]

I just take the canisters to the bathroom and dump the GAC/GFO into the toilet then the sink etc. is there to rinse them.

[Treebeard]

Nice job on the carbon/gfo reactors but I thought I read somewhere that gfo should go before the carbon.

That's why I use these types of reactors with the refillable cartridges. No mess, no fuss, and very effective.
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=102101&page=2

[Reef Pilot]

I have seen it either way, not sure if it matters. I do this way, because the GFO is very fine, and being the last on the line, is not likely to clog as quickly.

[AquaPin]

For emptying, I too just unscrew and dump the old in the toilet...quick and easy with no mess. Rinse them out and then add the new media (rinse again of course). After connecting, I take the return tube and let it fill a small bucket in case there is any "rust" colour water still from the GFO, then place the return tube back into the sump.

[Madreefer]

To rinse both my carbon and GFO I just fill with new and put back in sump and turn the outlet of reactor in to a bucket outside of sump and fill it up. 2 birds with one stone. Rinsing my media while getting water out for my water change.

[neoh]

To rinse both my carbon and GFO I just fill with new and put back in sump and turn the outlet of reactor in to a bucket outside of sump and fill it up. 2 birds with one stone. Rinsing my media while getting water out for my water change.

x2

with the whole dumping in the toilet thing as well.

[Spyd]

I rinse my carbon and GFO in my laundry sink using a fine stainless steel strainer that you would use for cooking. I rinse with RO/DI water from my resevoir to remove all the dust before adding it into my reactor.

[The Guy]

I have a spare TLF reactor, unscrew dirty one & screw the clean one on. Then I can clean out the used dirty one and have it ready for the next change, I don't run carbon just GFO and it seems to work for me. Like the others I dump it all down the toilet.

[jmustapha]

Thanks guys. I'm a civil engineer so I've seen first hand the damage that dumping non-organics can do to a city system so I have a hard time doing that but thanks for the input. How do u guys rinse without losing it all drain?

[Magickiwi]

Thanks guys. I'm a civil engineer so I've seen first hand the damage that dumping non-organics can do to a city system so I have a hard time doing that but thanks for the input. How do u guys rinse without losing it all drain?

Don't rinse too much. With GFO it looks awful but I do a couple swishes with RODI and that's all. Tank goes a little brownish for a couple hours and then it's fine. My carbon only takes one rinse to make it dust free. (Rox .8)