Phosban Reactor vs HOB Filter

I currently have a AquaClear 50 which I put my Chemipure Elite in. I just wonder how well the Chemipure works with it not being in a reactor. Water flows around the bag and I assume it goes thru the bag as well. Anyone else ever use a HOB for carbon/ferricoxide and then change to a reactor?
Thanks

 

You are going to get better overall flow through with a reactor as the water is forced through the media and can't spill over like an Aquaclear. These are decent HOB filters when it comes to using as a "reactor" but for the ~$30 that a TLF reactor costs its worth going that route, and you won't have the potential salt creep like a HOB filter will.

 

That's pretty good advice. I used a HOB filter to run carbon and ferric oxide, then used a reactor, now I just have a bag in my overflow.

 

how much does the bag restrict flow in the over flow tho? I thought about that as well, but figured I'd go from 400gph to like 100gph and nuke my whole system

 

I had a small flood when I tried to cram to much carbon and phosphate remover into my AC50. Pretty sure the overflow on the filter couldn't keep up with what the pump was putting in, and it had to go somewhere, namely my floor.

I still use it however with less media and it seems to work fine.

One of these days I will probably buy a reactor, just want to get my $40 out of the AquaClear.