Buying gfo reactor tomorrow. Help me pick

[recliner]

Ever since my tanks been set up I've battled algae. I have healthy chaeto in the fuge and have had nitrates at 0 for a while now. My phosphates are always in the .25 range.
I'm looking at several gfo units and want advice. Here they are in no order...
1. BRS single chamber unit $40
2. BRS jumbo unit $130
3. BRS dual chamber unit for gfo and carbon $60
4. GEO 410 Media Reactor $50 from craigslist
5. Spectrapure double $80

Any opinions or advice would be great

 

[clownster]

This is the one I went with. I wont get it till Friday so can review it.

BRS GFO & Carbon Reactor

 

[recliner]

My tank is a 150, that's why I was considering the jumbo. I see in your signature you have a 56 gallon. It wasn't clear the size each could handle.

 

[clownster]

If you watch the video they put out it said 120 running CFO or Carbon alone or 60 mixed, so yeah you'd be pushing it with your 150.

 

[d2mini]

NextReef MR1.

I replaced my BRS jumbo reactors with these (and i had the dual reactor before that on my old tank). The MR1 is soooo much better.
No clogging problems, everything fluidizes so easily with much less water pressure, and they are easier to change the media.

 

[recliner]

NextReef MR1.

I replaced my BRS jumbo reactors with these (and i had the dual reactor before that on my old tank). The MR1 is soooo much better.
No clogging problems, everything fluidizes so easily with much less water pressure, and they are easier to change the media.

Wow, thanks for making my decision harder!
NextReef MR1 Complete Media Reactor Kit
The reactor and pump for $90 ugh. I just want everyone to tell me they all agree on the best option (which is the cheapest) lol

 

[FishyReef]

I have the single BRS. I considered getting the dual BRS.... until I saw the spectrapure unit. If I got a double unit I would get the spectrapure unit since you can control flow rates individually, which you can't do with the BRS unit. I have the spectrapure RO/Di and absolutely love it. While everyone else has algae issues, I do not. I even recently picked up a tank that had bryopsis and its since died off with the addition of water made from the spectrapure Ro/DI unit. I think they make very good products. Not saying that the reactor is as good as the RO/Di since I have no first hand experience, but I am happy with the company and if I were to chose a dual reactor, I would go with the spectrapure reactor.

 

[d2mini]

Wow, thanks for making my decision harder!
NextReef MR1 Complete Media Reactor Kit
The reactor and pump for $90 ugh. I just want everyone to tell me they all agree on the best option (which is the cheapest) lol

Trust me. Pretty much everyone complains out the BRS unit. Eventually.
I had to finally get rid of the jumbo singles because my manifold wasn't pushing enough water to them to be able to keep the gfo tumbling long term. And changing the media was a giant mess, requiring a bucket underneath as you unscrew the canister from the bracket.

With the dual, its the same story over and over. Runs fine when you first change out the gfo, and then as the weeks go by you lose more and more flow until no more tumble even with the pump running wide open.

Spend the extra few bucks upfront and save yourself some cash and hassle in the long run.

 

[Angelajean]

BRS Dual reactor. Easy to install, easy to adjust, easy to change out. I love it.

 

[Northstar24]

Trust me. Pretty much everyone complains out the BRS unit. Eventually.
I had to finally get rid of the jumbo singles because my manifold wasn't pushing enough water to them to be able to keep the gfo tumbling long term. And changing the media was a giant mess, requiring a bucket underneath as you unscrew the canister from the bracket.

With the dual, its the same story over and over. Runs fine when you first change out the gfo, and then as the weeks go by you lose more and more flow until no more tumble even with the pump running wide open.

Spend the extra few bucks upfront and save yourself some cash and hassle in the long run.

I am noticing this now. I originally had a TLF Phosban reactor and the BRS is definitely better than that, but it just seems like I cant get a consistent tumble long term with my GFO. Then when I move the pump even the slightest bit to stop the vibration, the reactor moves and I have to balance it all over again. (I should probably mount the reactor to my stand, but that would just make it even harder for me to get at it to change the media)

 

[d2mini]

True... the TLF is junk. It's inexpensive though. lol

 

[noy]

I have one of these and think its great. The built in screws lock onto the tubing and is very easy to fasten/unfasten.

Poly-Reactor Multi-Media Reactor

then again i also run a TLF for carbon and think thats great!.