Multiple NextReef MR1 Reactors and Media for Fresh Water

[Naois]

Hello!

This is my first post here. I would like to start off by saying that I really appreciate all the experts who put so much time into helping novice individuals such as myself. This forum seems to be swimming with them (pun intended).

I've been reading it for a few days and found the abundance of information overwhelming. I think of myself as a fast learner, but based on all the contradictory information I've found scouring the internet with Google, I'm more lost than I was when I started.

I don't have any problems with my current aquarium, I am just looking to do this for fun more than anything. If what I plan to do is feasible, I can't wait to show it off to my house guest. I'm pretty sure I can make something to display the MR1s cleanly, adding another level of coolness to my aquarium.

Current Aquarium Information

I've have a 36gal. freshwater tropical community tank that I've been maintaining for about a year. I have a single Emperor 280 using two of their RiteSize E filters of which I rotate and replace one every two weeks. It also contains a heater (of course) and a 12in. airstone. I vacuum the gravel and do 8gal. water changes once a week using my fairly good tap water with API StressCoat mixed in a bucket before adding it to my tank.

My water parameters all seem to be stable at pH 7, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 20 nitrates. I test all of these every week, right before I do my water changes.

I have ten Danios, three Gourami, three Mollies, one Angelfish, and three others that I don't know the names of.

Questions

1. I really like the look of the NextReef MR1 Reactors. I would like to replace my current filter with two of the MR1s. Is it possible to use only Reactors as a means for filtration on a 36gal freshwater tank?

2. If so, I was thinking I could run one with Purigen for a chemical filter parallel to another with silica sand for a biofilter, and place something before each of them to act as a mechanical filter - what can I use as a mechanical filter?

3. The NextReef MR1 Reactors can be bought in a "Complete Kit" that comes with a little pump and the hoses required to install them - It says they are good for up to 500gal. of fresh water. The pump is rated at 4.3 ft. of head which I don't think is very strong - is that strong enough to get the job done with the media I wish to use?

4. The little pump is rated at 132gph so it should (in theory) cycle my tank 3.6 times an hour. I'm not familiar with the math involved with fluid dynamics (I'm more of an electricity guy; shocking, right?), but I would assume if I ran them parallel, that would double the rate giving me 7.2 cycles per hour which I believe is acceptable - is this right?

Having some kind of mechanical filter before the MR1's will surely slow the rate at which they work as the mechanical filter "fills up", but since that would be visible, I could use that as a signal for when it's time to clean the mechanical filter.

Assumptions

• Purigen is a valid replacement for carbon
• Silica sand is okay to use in freshwater
• You know more about aquariums than I do

Thanks!

 

[drdrewr]

Yes, the NextReef reactors are quite an impressive sight and will definitely "up" your cool factor!! You can use Purigen as a replacement for carbon, but, you will still want some form of traditional filter in your setup.

Although NextReef does sell the setup that comes with a pump, I would recommend that you drive the reactor(s) you are considering via a cannister that will allow you to regulate the output flow. Also, instead of getting two MR1, you may want to consider the MR1 "monster" (dual chamber setup). It would be more economical than two MR1s and they can be plumbed in a serial loop and driven be the same (one) cannister filter. This is the setup that I use and it works very well for me. An additional benefit of this setup is that it is easy to tell when the Purigen will need to be recharged. The color of the Purigen will completely change in the first chamber as it exhausts before it begins to change color in the second chamber. When the second chamber reaches the same color, you know it is time to recharge.

Check out the following link for a picture of my MR1 monster:
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=413487

 

[Naois]

Thank you for the info and suggestions drdrewr!

I was trying to avoid having a canister and use only the NextReef MR1 reactors. I took a look at the "Monster" you suggested and the link to your setup. It's quite impressive, but I don't think it will be flexible enough for my plans on making a display case. I want them to be spaced out a bit more and it looks the Monster is a single unit.

I've reworked my design plans and came up with this:

3/4" Bulkhead in the lower corner of the tank, feeing the 3/4" input on an Eheim 1250 pump. The 1/2" output would go into a 1/2" Y, with one Y output going into the input of the first MR1 and the second Y output going into a ball valve. The output of the MR1 and the other end of the ball value will be fed into another 1/2" Y to combine them back into a single line. This should let me control the flow through the MR1 using the ball valve based on the fact that water takes the path of least resistance.

From the output of the last Y I could repeat the same structure with a second MR1, and a third, etc... as long at the pump driving this is powerful enough. The goal here is to control the flow for each MR1 independently. The last Y in the series would have two 1/2" and one 3/4" to bring a matching 3/4" back to the tank.

Here is a rough ASCII diagram:

               /MR\     /MR\
TANK---PUMP---<    >---<    >---TANK
               \BV/     \BV/

Any comments or concerns? I have ordered some of the equipment for this setup to test it out myself. If it doesn't work I'm just going to stick the MR1 on my tank in a standard method until I work out something that works better - and I'll have some extra pluming parts to experiment with in the future.

Thanks!

 

[drdrewr]

Thank you for the info and suggestions drdrewr!

I was trying to avoid having a canister and use only the NextReef MR1 reactors. I took a look at the "Monster" you suggested and the link to your setup. It's quite impressive, but I don't think it will be flexible enough for my plans on making a display case. I want them to be spaced out a bit more and it looks the Monster is a single unit.

I've reworked my design plans and came up with this:

3/4" Bulkhead in the lower corner of the tank, feeing the 3/4" input on an Eheim 1250 pump. The 1/2" output would go into a 1/2" Y, with one Y output going into the input of the first MR1 and the second Y output going into a ball valve. The output of the MR1 and the other end of the ball value will be fed into another 1/2" Y to combine them back into a single line. This should let me control the flow through the MR1 using the ball valve based on the fact that water takes the path of least resistance.

From the output of the last Y I could repeat the same structure with a second MR1, and a third, etc... as long at the pump driving this is powerful enough. The goal here is to control the flow for each MR1 independently. The last Y in the series would have two 1/2" and one 3/4" to bring a matching 3/4" back to the tank.

Here is a rough ASCII diagram:

               /MR\     /MR\
TANK---PUMP---<    >---<    >---TANK
               \BV/     \BV/

Any comments or concerns? I have ordered some of the equipment for this setup to test it out myself. If it doesn't work I'm just going to stick the MR1 on my tank in a standard method until I work out something that works better - and I'll have some extra pluming parts to experiment with in the future.

Thanks!

Naois,
It looks like you've been putting a lot of thought into this instead of "just doing it". That is commendable and I would recommend that you proceed with your plan. Like anything else, if it doesn't meet your expectation, you regroup and try again, right? "My" setup is just one of hundreds of ways the NextReef reactors can be deployed. Unlike you, I was too lazy / distracted / in-a-hurry to really do the proper due diligence (as you did) on this.

Something happened to me as I aged. Whereas I (think I) once could do "almost anything", I just don't seem to have "it" anymore!!! I took the lazy way out, but, I'm still as pleased as can be with my setup. I'm sure you'll be just as pleased with the implementation you illustrated above. Go for it and don't look back!!!

 

[Naois]

Hello again!

I decided to buy all the equipment I needed to install 1 MR1. It didn't go as planned, but worked out in the end.

Playing with the Y adapters and valves I found that I needed to run the Y adapter directly in front of the MR1 as controlling the flow from the bypass was too fast, even when the bypass was fully opened. Live and learn I guess. It was easy to correct it. I had all the parts so I reworked it and it's working good now. I'm not sure how much the Y adapters resticts the water flow, but I'm happy with the overall result. When I add a second MR1 I believe I can use the same method. Again, I'll have to play with it and test.

Another questions came to mind while I was testing this. Some of the purigen fell below the spunge at the bottom of the MR1. Is there a different sponge that works with the MR1s? I've seen people mention different ones on this board but no one specifically mentioned any that would fit the MR1 directly. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[drdrewr]

Good luck on finding sponges more suitable for Purigen. I tried and failed. I actually bought (what I thought was) the perfect sponge at Home Depot and sent it to Dave (of NextReef). Dave promised to laser-cut the sponge for me, but, the result did not meet his "quality requirements".

Some of my Purigen has fallen below my sponges -- and -- some of it rests on top of the upper sponge too. This is harmless, but, it "does" announce the upper limits of how strong your flow through the reactor can be. Using Purigen in this (or just about any other reactor) is all about flow-control anyway. Too much flow and you will blow the Purigen out of the reactor.

Regardless of the flow restrictions, using Purigen in a "fluidized" mode is 1000% better than using it in "the bag" (I know, I have done this). In a bag (in my experience), the outermost Purigen beads get used, but the innermost are "bypassed". In a reactor, "all" of your Purigen gets utilized equally and the result is far more effective and much longer-lasting.