Calcium Reactor Media

tashier · 12-05-2007, 02:34 PM

Time to refill the CA reactor and I've been using just a bag of aragonite type media. I've run out and need to buy some more. I know there's other stuff out there in like cat food size bits and wotnot. Anyone have any preferences or data on what they prefer?

Thanks

whatevva · 12-05-2007, 03:15 PM

I use ARM and always have. I have no reason to try anything different because I'm happy with the results

saltysupply · 12-05-2007, 05:56 PM

caribsea arm has very large size crushed coral

crvz · 12-05-2007, 06:35 PM

I've been using ARM as well with success. I'd recommend it.

bogey · 12-05-2007, 07:31 PM

I also use ARM. Seems to work pretty well.

PowerManJ316 · 03-03-2008, 12:09 PM

I've heard nothing but good things about the ARM. One more question. I am just starting up my reactor and I notice the A.R.M has a large granule media now. I use a pretty high powered up flow design (4.5 Diameter - 24" Chamber) with a PW 40PX pump, similar to Iwaki MD20RLT. I am assuming the larger media would be the better choice because I've heard/read stories about the smaller media clogging pumps on up-flow designs.
Can anyone credit/discredit this?

Wiskey · 03-03-2008, 12:25 PM

I've always used ARM as well, and it works great for me

Whiskey

Wiskey · 03-03-2008, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PowerManJ316

I've heard nothing but good things about the ARM. One more question. I am just starting up my reactor and I notice the A.R.M has a large granule media now. I use a pretty high powered up flow design (4.5 Diameter - 24" Chamber) with a PW 40PX pump, similar to Iwaki MD20RLT. I am assuming the larger media would be the better choice because I've heard/read stories about the smaller media clogging pumps on up-flow designs.
Can anyone credit/discredit this?

I think if your blasting a ton of flow though it there is a greater chance for small media to lift up and get into the pump's intake.

Whiskey

hng · 03-03-2008, 04:01 PM

I used ARM for my reactor too. Not any specific reason why, but I've been happy with it.

tdwyatt · 03-03-2008, 09:07 PM

So long zs it is large enough to not be blasted by the currnt back into the pump and has no shells and is not old aragonite from a tank (and loaded with phosphate and nitrate), it should be good, I've been using ARM for about 8 years now, I usually buy it in the 50 lb bag.

PowerManJ316 · 03-03-2008, 11:49 PM

Thx everyone!

PowerManJ316 · 03-07-2008, 10:29 AM

Just wanted to re-iterate how good the ARM has been working...

Had the Ca Reactor up for 3 days now and my first chamber loop effluent is ~7.0pH The effluent leaving the reactor is about 7.4pH with dkH ~30 (Cheap Test Kit) and Ca levels at about 495ppm (Salifert).

The thing I find really surprising is that I am dissolving the media with a pH of 7.0. Most places i've referenced aimed at about 6.6pH for the reactor. I would say this has to be partly credited to the ARM. It brags that it disolves at a higher pH than any other brand...so far it seems it might be true. I will post a couple updates as I am still trying to lower the pH in the reactor a bit.

FYI I am running about 50 bubbles per minute CO2 and I have a steady drip out of the reactor ~70 drops per minute. I will take more accurate readings when I get the pH to the level I desire. Tank pH runs 8.3 during the day, 8.2 at night/morning.

PowerManJ316 · 03-23-2008, 11:02 PM

I've got the reactor stabilized (sort of) and I have some interesting results. I was using the reactor to raise my ca/alkalinity levels and now I am trying to get it to just stabilize the values.

Right now I am running about 45 bubbles per minute CO2. I was running about 100 bubbles per minute while raising the level. I have slowed my effluent rate to about 60 drops/minute. It was over double this previously (~200/minute). The pH of the reactor is at 6.8 and stable.

However, ever since I hooked up this reactor, my pH of the tank is very high. During the day the pH is about 8.6 and at night it drops to 8.5-8.4, but I never see it below 8.4. Also, I only have a cheap alkalinity kit, but it measure upwards of about 18 dkH, which is wayyyy higher than I expected. Calcium is sitting around 425ppm. Could this high pH be from an overly high alk? I have tuned down the reactor as noted above and over the last week the alk has dropped to 12-13dkH and the calcium has risen to nearly 440ppm. I am hoping to stabilze around 450ppm Ca and an Alk around 11dkH. However, the pH is always really high (~8.6).

Any thoughts? Maybe just a bad test kit? The clams are doing great and my purple tangs isn't showing any signs of stress.

jamessp01 · 03-23-2008, 11:40 PM

what are you measureing pH with? pH testing error is my guess.

tdwyatt · 03-24-2008, 12:25 AM

You need to do a test with a pH meter, and test the meter with the borax test to make sure that it will be performing correctly. High alk does not = high pH (although it can be a problem sometimes) High pH is usually he result of adding or providing too much sodium carbonate, a possibility if your system is not in conservative proportionality (i.e., too much sodium, or adding too much sodium bicarbonate in the presence of high pH products LIKE KALKWASSER or having water that does not display the conservative proportionality AND using kalkwasser to create sodium carbonate ion pairs (OK, this is a reach, but possible). Keep in mind that folks that bake their baking soda to make sodium carbonate from sodium bicarbonate are quite likely to have periods of high pH as a result of the use of this product: The pKa of sodium carbonate is somewhere around 11.4 or 11.6 or so, much too high for a reef aquarium, and if you accidentally bakeyour bicarbonate too long, and end up with high proportions of sodium carbonate vs. sodium bicarbonate, then you're going to have high pH issues with its use.

The same is true for injudicious use of some brands of alkalinity builders...