Cleaning GFO

I have been running GFO for about 2 weeks and there seems to be organic matter tumbling inside with the GFO. would it be ok to take the GFO out and clean with hydrogen peroxide to remove the organic debris and any bacteria slime coat covering the gfo? would anything happen to the GFO chemically?

 

I would not do that and your GFO shouldn't be tumbling.

 

The Gfo that is tumbling at the very top(the boiling)

 

GFO should tumble if it is in a reactor!

 

Yup GFO should tumble in a reactor.

OP I would replace the GFO to get rid of the detritus.

 

I took the GFO out soaked in half a cup of hydrogen peroxide, bubbled heavy for about a minute then rinsed 4 times with RODI placed back in reactor. all detritus is out and GFO is back to its soft boiling tumble.. I was just curious if hydrogen would chemically alter the surface of the GFO. but who know. I will be switching it out in 2 weeks anyways..

 

I just changed mine today. I would be interested in hearing peoples opinions on cleaning rather then replacing.

 

Someone with a better grasp of chemistry should expound on this, but i believe GFO is essentially just chunks of rust. I wouldn't think that hydrogen peroxide would have any negative effects in the form of creating a toxic compound (maybe releasing some iron), but it could be using up all of the available bonds that would otherwise be used to trap phosphates, etc (rendering it useless).

 

andywyeth07 the cleaning is just to remove the organic build up that I had in my tumble. GFO can not be cleaned and reused, but there is a way to renew it using lye. Dr. Bergeron that is what i was trying to figure out.. I wasn't really worried about any harm being done just if it would cause the GFO inert in its absorption of phosphates.