Best rinsing method for GAC and GFO

[kiran523]

Okay, we all hate doing it but then again a tank covered in a cloud of black or rust doesn't look very nice. Currently I use DI (so as not to reduce efficacy) in a small pail with my hands. I carefully pour out the water and repeat 4-5 times (until the water runs a little more clear and my hands are black). I rinse the GFO twise and then put it to use. I am using lignite carbon and granular GFO from twopartsolution.com. I am very happy with the products.

Okay everyone, if you have a good method for rinsing, please share and make everyones life a little easier.

[cwegescheide]

I'm not sure but I didn't think you were supposed to rinse GFO. I do rince GAC though. I just run mine under the sink for a minute or two to get all the black dust out.

[bertoni]

I rinse both carefully with a kitchen strainer.

[kiran523]

I have always been tempted just to rinse it under the tap as well. My only concern is loss of efficiency. Does anyone know how much of a difference it makes. Of it also depends on each individuals Tap water (TDS, organics, inorganics...)

[bertoni]

I rinse mine first with tapwater, and then dump a little RO/DI over it, but I'm not convinced it much matters.

[Mache62]

I don't rinse the GFO but the GAC I put into a filter sock and then rinse in the sink. I keep one sock just for this purpose.

[nismo driver]

i use a filter sock to rinse both and use tap water.

[nismo driver]

i use a filter sock to rinse both and use tap water.

[DocG]

I put my GFO in the reactor and then put in on the side of a bucket with the feed pump in the bucket and the output down the drain. I then turn on the pump to a slow setting and then turn the tap on to fill the bucket as the water that was in the bucket goes thru the reactor and down the drain. I wait until it runs clear and then increase the flow to where I want it and then wait for it to run clear again. Then I put it on the tank.

I tested my tap water for phosphates and it came up very low (0.01) so I am not to concerned about it effecting the efficiency of the GFO.

For carbon I do the same thing but turn it on high from the beginning and only let it run for a minute.

[Snowboarda42]

I found an actual use for those green nets! I put my 2 cups of GAC in there and rinse it under the sink, and spray it with the faucet hose 'till its clean.

[madadi]

i change the GFO and GAC at the same time i do a water change. i put them both unrinsed in the reactor and i take the hose that leads back to the sump from the reactor and i put it inside a 5 gal bucket. i turn on the reactor and i let the water run trough and its really really dirty for a min or two. as soon as it runs clear i put the hose back in the sump. replace the water i took out with a second 5gal bucket of freshly made salt water and im done. I did my water change and i rinsed the media at the same time.

[madadi]

the reason i do it that way is because i hate working with wet carbon and GFO. its much easier to put in the reactor when its dry.

[ezcompany]

1/2 gallon of ro/di water in a tub
place gfo/gac in sock/pouch and rinse in the tub
after rinsing remove it and pour fresh ro/di water over the pouch for 1 second, and ur done

[DrBDC]

I fill my reactors, 1 carbon and 1 phosban or equiv. then turn the outpur away from the tank and run tank water through it until it's clean. Then turn the output back to the tank. During the rinse I kind of shake the reactor some too to rattle the media around just a bit.

[sjm817]

I run GAC and GFO in a canister filter. I fill a 5G bucket with RO or SW from a water change and run the filter connected to the bucket. I put a filter sock in the bucket and put the the output side in the sock. I run it until the water runs clear, then switch the hoses over to the sump.

[benf]

I agree with madadi, DrBDC and sjm817....thats basically what i do...see no reason to make it harder on myself by using another water source to rinse it. Soon as the water runs clear i simply move the hoses back into the sump/filter sock.

[Mavrk]

Originally posted by madadi
i change the GFO and GAC at the same time i do a water change. i put them both unrinsed in the reactor and i take the hose that leads back to the sump from the reactor and i put it inside a 5 gal bucket. i turn on the reactor and i let the water run trough and its really really dirty for a min or two. as soon as it runs clear i put the hose back in the sump. replace the water i took out with a second 5gal bucket of freshly made salt water and im done. I did my water change and i rinsed the media at the same time.

That's what I do as well for GFO.

I only run GAC for a day or two in between changes of GFO so I just put it in a mesh bag and rinse it with tap water. Then dump it in the reactor. Wet GAC is not so hard to work with, but wet GFO is just nasty stuff.

[Lunchbucket]

I put mine in the reactor and then run RO/DI through the reactor until it is clean.

Anyone else have great experience w/ twopartsolution.com 's products? That phosphate stuff work the same as Rowa and others?

Also is their Magnesium stuff the same as tech M? I need to raise my Mg to kill my bryopsis.

Lunchbucket

[kiran523]

I am very happy with twopartsolution. I felt their lignite GAC was better than Black Diamond

[kiran523]

Does anyone have any idea regarding the loss in total efficiency of GAC when rinsing with tap water (assuming and average TDS of around 200-300)

[USC-fan]

Originally posted by madadi
i change the GFO and GAC at the same time i do a water change. i put them both unrinsed in the reactor and i take the hose that leads back to the sump from the reactor and i put it inside a 5 gal bucket. i turn on the reactor and i let the water run trough and its really really dirty for a min or two. as soon as it runs clear i put the hose back in the sump. replace the water i took out with a second 5gal bucket of freshly made salt water and im done. I did my water change and i rinsed the media at the same time.

I do the exact same thing but i use my ATO to replace the water.