Another calcium reactor question about media

[Hausser]

I apologize at the start for another calcium reactor question/thread

I am waiting on my new Geosreef calcium reactor to show up and I purchased the ARM extra course media and was wondering if the extra course media is good or if I should send it back and get other ARM media?

 

[P-Dub]

I think extra course is fine. Use it and see how it works out. As the media is melted it shrinks up anyways.

 

[The Opinionated Reefer]

Has far to low a melting point. I have to have my reactor at 6.00ph for it to melt properly and it is driving my ph into the ground. I am going to switch to some kind of crushed coral media.

 

[JMetaxas]

I run a combination of Reborn (less smaller pieces as the large aren't available anymore) and Coarse CaribSea ARM. Probably 50/50. With an output pH of 6.65 I maintain the Alk of my mixed Reef 180 gallon tank just fine. (MTC Calcium Reactor).

 

[Deep]

I run a combination of Reborn (less smaller pieces as the large aren't available anymore) and Coarse CaribSea ARM. Probably 50/50. With an output pH of 6.65 I maintain the Alk of my mixed Reef 180 gallon tank just fine. (MTC Calcium Reactor).

With the combination, do you see both media melting or is it just one more than the other ?

 

[The Opinionated Reefer]

I don't think that would work for me, my reactor is not massive and the melting points of both are so different i would imagine the reborn melting and the arm hardly melting at all?

 

[JMetaxas]

I haven't really noticed. It's only been up and running about 6 weeks, so it may be too early to tell. I think BRS did a test and Reborn dissolves more at higher pH. ARM seems synthetic to me, but I don't really know what it is.

 

[The Opinionated Reefer]

I haven't really noticed. It's only been up and running about 6 weeks, so it may be too early to tell. I think BRS did a test and Reborn dissolves more at higher pH. ARM seems synthetic to me, but I don't really know what it is.

Its not synthetic it's calcite and does have a decent amount of trace elements in it.

 

[JMetaxas]

FWIW, I use both only because I didn't buy enough REBORN to fill both chambers of my MTC Calcium Reactor. Going forward, my first refill will be with all REBORN. (I also run about 10% of the Two Little Fishes Re-Mag.

 

[The Opinionated Reefer]

You cant get Reborn outside of the USA and all the crushed coral gravel seems out of stock over here.

Does anyone use seachem reef reactor media?

 

[The Opinionated Reefer]

I also have Aqua Medic hydrocarbonate media but nobody can tell me if it has additional trace elements in it or if it is just a synthetic calcium carbonate?

 

[X-37B]

I run a tunze 3171 on my 120. Its a very small reactor. I run the tunze manmade media. Has worked very well for over a year. I do not run a ph probe or controller.
I run effluent at 20-25 dkh.
I tested effluent ph once and it was 6.5.
It has had no effect on the ph of my tank.
I dose dsr trace as the media is for alk and ca only.
I have had to top off my reactor 2 times and cleaned it once.
The media does not mush and has kept my reactor very clean compaired to coral bone media.

 

[The Opinionated Reefer]

If the effluent of the reactor is 6.5 ph how can it have no effect on the ph of the tank?

 

[X-37B]

If the effluent of the reactor is 6.5 ph how can it have no effect on the ph of the tank?

Because I tune my reactor by bubble count and effluent. The co2 is always on as it does not dump co2 in every time the solenoid opens. Its the old school way to tune a reactor. Check out jda here as he explains it very well.

 

[The Opinionated Reefer]

Because I tune my reactor by bubble count and effluent. The co2 is always on as it does not dump co2 in every time the solenoid opens. Its the old school way to tune a reactor. Check out jda here as he explains it very well.

I tune my reactor the same way but it still suppresses my ph. The only difference is that my effluent ph is about 6.05 and dumping effluent this low is always going to have an effect on the tank PH. The dkh of the effluent is about 35 and I run it at 20ml per min to keep up with demand. ARM extra course just won't melt without an extremely low PH. Screw this stuff I need to find a better media that also has trace in it.

 

[The Opinionated Reefer]

One thing I am not clear on is coarse vs fine media? What one has the higher melting point?

 

[X-37B]

Coarse vs fine should dissolve at the same ph if its the same media.
I prefer to contol trace elements manually.
I am not familiar with your reactor but mine is very small with < 2 liters of media. I run effluent at 60 and bubble count at 80 and have not checked dkh or ph of effluent in 6-8 months.
I run alk at 7-7.5.
I have a fairly high demand tank, too.
I have read similar threads on arm media that report same ph issues.
My ph in tank runs 7.9-8.2. This is the same as before I ran a carx.
Check my build thread.

 

[JMetaxas]

My Effluent runs pH 6.65 at 40ml/min. Tank pH runs 8.0-8.25 daily. My tank's Alk is 8.8-9.1

 

[Irongolem411]

I see Bulk Reef Supply no longer carries Reborn. Does anybody know why?

 

[The Opinionated Reefer]

I see Bulk Reef Supply no longer carries Reborn. Does anybody know why?

Its no longer available, they cant get the coral skeleton bits anymore. Have to use mined media which takes a much lower PH to melt.