mixing carbon & Phosban in the same reactor

I am looking at getting a second reactor for my carbon, but haven't had the chance yet. So my qiestion is if there would be a problem mixing the Carbon and Phosban together in the same reactor chamber? I have been running the Phosban in the reactor and carbon in a bag.

 

One problem is that their longevity is vastly different, so you would be wasting perfectly good Phosban to change the carbon. Someone else will need to comment if there are any other pitfalls.

 

That would be a major problem. I have a Kent Marine reactor now. But I have been looking at the BRS reactors. What do you recommend for a second?

 

Az Desert Rat mixes his in the reactor. I suppose he probably just uses less Phosban in the reactor to compensate for the difference in longevity.You could PM him and ask if he doesn't chime in here.He says he has no problems mixing them.

 

yeh, the only problem is how often each should be replaced. That being said, if you run good quality carbon, then you can just let it run after its exhausted, you wont have it do anything for you, but it wont start leeching everything back into the system either.

 

Yes, but if you use less Phosban it will become depleted faster.

 

I am going to try the mix. I don't feel that putting the carbon or Phosban in a bag is doing much good. What is the thought on a the BRS reactors? They have the standard size and a jumbo size.

 

i was doing what you are doing running the carbon and gfo in a bag in a high flow area. i recently put both into a reactor i had just sitting in the closet. well the results are clearly seen in the water and in the readings I'm getting. i would not go back to running carbon and gfo in a bag in a high flow area. its almost a waste of money. thats how much of a difference you get with a reactor.
Im now running the BRS rox8 carbon and their best GFO in a TLF reactor together. i know i will be wasting money on the GFO but i am limited for space under my cabinet and in my sump. I'm starting with the full amount of both recommended and will try cutting my GFO back when my phosphates get close to 0
i went from 0.50 down to.07 and i have not tested again in a few days. i tested phosphates ( with hanna Checker) every 2 days and every 2 days it seemed to drop my phosphates by about half each time i tested. i haven't tested in a few days and it needs to be done again.
my water is so clean, i don't have to clean my tank walls as much, which is well worth running a reactor in its self, and my corals are swelled and look very happy.