REACTORS- Filtration for stingrays

[coyotethug]

Why won't bio balls work? Cause they aren't designed for the bio to fall off of. They don't work the same way moving bed media does.

IF you went out and bought a high end sports car designed to be ran on nothing but 91+ octane would you dump 87 in it? It's cheaper, and it's still gas so it should work right?

This again is no differen then the UV conversations. Spend thousands on rays, thousands to house them, food and electricity bills, but when it comes to thier filtration by all means lets cut some corners and save a few bucks..... Am I really the only one that thinks this seems odd? Maybe I am crazy..... lol

The link to the reactors was so that you have a starting point for #s if you're going to build one. They are expensive. That's why they are a fun little project to build yourself. But anyone that thinks they're just gonna toss one together and have it work properly right out of the gate might need to adjust their thinking..... It is much easier to build one that runs off the slow turnover they are recommended for then to run in the sumps of our rediculously turned over ray tanks.

I guess I hit a hot button here for someone. The fact that they were designed for one use doesn't mean they won't work in another. I am sorry but I am not the type of person to just accept that it will not work without trying it as long as it makes sense to me. I already have the bio balls, so setting up a filtration system and testing its efficiency won't cost me any more money, and worse case scenario I see that it doesn't work and swap the media out.

Not the same as undersized UV or low octane fuel in high compression engine. There are legitimate scientific reasons for not doing that. My question was why will it not work? I am looking for real responses such as

They tend to clump together and don't tumble properly
Inner surface area not cleaned as efficiently with bubbles because space is too small between surfaces compared to K1 media
Never attain proper buoyancy due too being too positively buoyant
Etc.

One thing I have learned is that you don't know who you are really talking to on forums such as this. I was honest and said I was going to do it no matter what. I was hoping for a brainstorming session with a number of you who I consider my intellectual peers, however the response I received was "because it won't stupid"

Anyone have reasons it won't work based on experience?



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[Silent Bob]

Coyotethug here is an inside view of my reactor. Maybe this will give you an idea on how bioballs would move in your setup. I would love for anyone else running one to post a video. With a ton of us using smart phones this shouldn't be an issue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkfjA3h63vQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[coyotethug]

I don't see why I can't get the bioballs to tumble like that with enough aeration strategically placed.

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[Energy]

I don't see why I can't get the bioballs to tumble like that with enough aeration strategically placed.

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You could get the bioballs to tumble like that and you can also get a tractor to fly if you drive it off a cliff. The difference is one was designed specifically for a purpose and the other can make due-given all the right circumstances. The K-1 is efficient at what it was meant to due. But you can use bioballs if you want.

 

[Silent Bob]

Energy is there any way we can get a better video of your reactor? Really enjoyed a behind the scenes video you posted but would love a better shot. :thumbup:

 

[eklikewhoa]

I'm running the NextReef SMR1 but with 2L of Seachem Purigen

Have 2cu.ft. of moving media similar to the K1 (think it's ultima) that I haven't put into the works yet.

 

[snake8myelbo]

I'm running the NextReef SMR1 but with 2L of Seachem Purigen

Have 2cu.ft. of moving media similar to the K1 (think it's ultima) that I haven't put into the works yet.

Ek what size tank are you running this reactor on? I was thinking of running this reactor on my 600.gallon

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[eklikewhoa]

I am running it on a 180+75g sump.

It's much more than what the tank volume would need but for the bigger tanks I would look into the larger reactors or daisy chain them.

 

[scott s]

Questions- How many people are running a seperate reactor vs actually running a fluidized bed filter in the sump they all ready have. I have room in my sump where I could do this vs having a seperate unit and pumping water out of my sump and to the unit then flow back into the sump. What are the PROS and CONS to each?? QUOTE]

I currently run my reactor in my sump. I have mechanical filteration, fluidized bed, return pump going through a pond filter with built in UV. Cheap DIY. It does a great job for what it is, but like already stated, I am not happy with part of the set up and need to make changes...but it works. I will use the same concept when I re do it but the "sump" volume will be increased greatly.

What do you need for a moving filter bed?
1. Mechanical filteration.
2. Filter media agitated by air bubbles.
3. Return pump seperated from the media.

Sounds simple beacuse it is. Many different set ups with varying results. I am a huge fan of simple DIY.

What would be awsome, would be a sticky with pics from ray keepers showing the various filteration methods we use. We have some very interesting DIY methods of filtering our systems.

 

[Reedmaster16]

Here is the first reactor I built a while back to give a reference to how one should boil. It is the 55g I was giving specs on earlier in the thread.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO2pCjG72p8