Normal for Dirty Carbon?

I'v been running carbon and GFO in a dual BRS reactor for a few months now. every time i take it out it always look the same which i guess consistency is good but I'm worried that im grinding my GFO up to much and I'm just wasting my carbon collecting the GFO fines.

The GFO has a layer of white film looking stuff on top of it which i assume is the same chunks that get blown out of my return pump every time i turn it off for a few minutes or longer. i asked about those previously here and was told its just some build up in the return lines that gets knocked off. My carbon always turns the same color as my GFO and looks like the carbon is only there to collect GFO fines.

I have my flow set to about the same rate in the BRS video where the GFO is slightly tumbling near the top to prevent it from forming a block...but my reactor dosen't tumble as equally as theirs does.....mine only tumbles in one spot like its not sitting level and all the flow goes out one side of the reactor.



Is this something i should worry about or is this fairly common?

 

how often are you cleaning them? Mine do not look like that after a month.

 

Not saying it is anything to worry about
but have you considered reversing your current set up

run it through carbon 1st and then through the GFO
that way the GFO gets reduced flow due to the carbon and as such less grinding should occur

just an idea

 

I wouldnt really worry about it

 

i thought about reversing them...but then i was worried about blowing GFO fines all over my tank and turning everything dark orange. The picture is probably about 4 weeks of use...i usually swap my carbon every 3 weeks and my GFO every other time i change my carbon so about 6-8 weeks of GFO use.