reactor question...

I just went home to turn off the actinics to find my reactor is no longer swirling my media around....
does anyone know why???
my pump is giving out pressure and I don't understand why this happens....

 

What type of reactor / pump / and media are you running?

 

I'm running a 150 two little fishes phosban reactor
500 gph magdrive return pump...it's being split between 2 150 two little fishes...
the media in the reactor that's not swirling is the swc biobeeds...
the other that's still swirling is the phosgaurd...
I noticed it was tumbling weaker day by day...
I don't understand why...
espically with a magdrive gph pump powering the 2...

 

Decent setup... I used to run the same, equipment wise.

From what I understand about biopellets is that they have to be swirling very aggressively to keep from sticking. They build up a film on the outside that gets sticky. A very aggressive swirl will knock that film off to be skimmed out. A lot of guys shake the pellets every day to help keep this from happening.

 

really???
so maybe tmw I'll poke the media with a chopstick to loosen it up...
I also noticed to that the bottom foam had 45 degree angled up,meaning my media is on a slant in the reactor???

 

That would give a path for water to flow up one side easier than the other. Get that pad back flat, and see if that helps. Good luck and let us know if it fixes it.

 

I run 2-TLF 150 reactors .. 1st had GFO & 2nd GAC.
I notice that the sponge filter pads in mine "clog" up over a couple of weeks or so ... gradually reducing the amount of flow through them and causing the GFO to stop tumbling.
My solution ... use less GFO & GAC and just change more often so I can clean the filters.

 

yeah i was thinking the same although those reactors are such a hassle to remove the sticky media and making sure when replenishing the reactors don't get any into the middle tube located in the center...
i think even 1-2 small little pellets can give your reactor a good clogging...