Deltec Ca Reactor users.....What media?

[afishfanatic]

I run a Deltec 601S Ca reactor but am not having good luck with the Rowalith media. At MACNA this weekend, a few people said that they were getting much better results with course media. I am not that excited about adding phosphates into my tank, but if it can stabilize my parameters I am willing to try it. What are you guys and girls using?

 

[afishfanatic]

I am sorry about the lack of editing in the original post, but I cannot find a way to edit it.

 

[Mike&Terry]

I am sorry about the lack of editing in the original post, but I cannot find a way to edit it.

I can't answer your question regarding media, but did tidy up your post for you. :bigsmile:

 

[afishfanatic]

I can't answer your question regarding media, but did tidy up your post for you. :bigsmile:

Thanks!

 

[afishfanatic]

Anyone?

 

[tampasnooker]

I inherited 6 Deltec 501 reactors within a service company acquisition and one much larger unit (1001, I think). In terms of breaking down aragonite, they are great BUT the aquabee pumps on the 501 are horrible with no tolerance around the impellar. Every one has had multiple pump failures because the fines chew them up and the pump has a ceramic impellar shaft and a ceramic ring it spins in - friction rips them apart. I've switched to coarse aragonite and seen a slight decrease in output compared to the fluidized media but not had a pump issue since. We run GFO reactors on most tanks so I can't really comment on P addition but i am now happy with their performance. We simply change media when we see P in the chem.

 

[afishfanatic]

I inherited 6 Deltec 501 reactors within a service company acquisition and one much larger unit (1001, I think). In terms of breaking down aragonite, they are great BUT the aquabee pumps on the 501 are horrible with no tolerance around the impellar. Every one has had multiple pump failures because the fines chew them up and the pump has a ceramic impellar shaft and a ceramic ring it spins in - friction rips them apart. I've switched to coarse aragonite and seen a slight decrease in output compared to the fluidized media but not had a pump issue since. We run GFO reactors on most tanks so I can't really comment on P addition but i am now happy with their performance. We simply change media when we see P in the chem.

Thanks for the info. Are you using the course ARM? Have you tried the TLF brand Reborn?

 

[tampasnooker]

I've been using the coarse ARM lately on those models. Haven't seen any algae blooms in those tanks. The big one works fine due to its height and the Eheim pump having much more tolerance than the aquabees. I hope they put a better pump on the 601! Haven't used the Reborn. From what I see in most medias, they are just beach sand that has been rinsed to varying degrees and possibly tumbled to separate out other materials and size particles. I'd bet both come from FL or Bahamas beaches.