Calcium Reactor

[Weatherman]

Some reactor media are "harder" than others. Aragonite is more easy to dissolve than its cousin, calcite.

Another consideration on dissolution rates would be the amount of surface area exposed to acid. Smaller size media, of the same mineral type, would dissolve more quickly than large media.

Finally, there is the phosphate content. Some media have higher phosphate levels than others.

I think the best combination of soft mineral, small size and low phosphate is CaribSea A.R.M. I don't quite understand the appeal of the larger media, like Schuran.

[Viv]

So, does this mean if you get the smaller size, that dissolves more quickly, you need more in the reactor chamber? This smaller size, would it mean the effluent would be less, but more potent?

On another note, just can't believe it, but got a UPS tracking that it should arrive tomarrow! We are suppose to finally get a little snow mix - maybe it will be delayed, which would be ok, gotta work tomarrow night and you know I'm gonna really want to be sick!

[Weatherman]

Originally Posted by Viv

So, does this mean if you get the smaller size, that dissolves more quickly, you need more in the reactor chamber? This smaller size, would it mean the effluent would be less, but more potent?

You know, I don't know whether the stories I've read about "recommended effluent pH" for Schuran media being in the low 6s is simply hype or really has something to do with the hardness or size of the media.

If you can keep acidic water in the reactor in contact with the media long enough, and the media dissolves fast enough, to return the carbonate ion concentration in the water back to near saturation, that's all that matters.

If you are getting Schuran media, I'd try running an experiment by starting out the effluent pH around 7 and see what happens. If you get good results, you can tune the pH down to around 6.7. It may not be necessary to run a pH down in the low 6s at all.