Arm Coarse Media for reactor. What changed.

[chicago]

Any thoughts on this suff. One is much different than the other.. one on the right is a year old ..
any input thanks

 

[JMetaxas]

Wow, quite a difference. But the one on the left seems to be marketed as high Mg+. Email Caribsea and let us know what they say.

 

[chicago]

That’s a good plan. Will do

 

[jda]

The high magnesium stuff could be dolomite.

My last batch of arm looked like crunched up larger pieces of coral. It melts and works just fine. I bought a 50 pound sack, so no idea if it said "high magnesium" on it. I find no difference between ARM medium, ARM large or reborn... I just get whatever is cheaper when I need a 50 lb sack again.

 

[lapin]

The left is dolomite, the right is coral skeletons.

 

[chicago]

Why would we use 100 percent Dolomite?

 

[lapin]

If you have an SPS tank and need the mag as a buffer you might use dolomite instead of dosing.

 

[chicago]

I Need to be more clear why change the media to 100 percent Dolomite. I have used a few cups worth but looks like it’s being sold to be used as 100 percent in the reactor.

 

[lapin]

The only reason I can see to run it is if you have a high magnesium demand and want to try using 1 product. For me I run the coarse Reborn media and Zeo mag. A ratio 90% Reborn and 10% Zeo

 

[jda]

Dolomite will work, it just has more magnesium in it. I find any natural media (ARM or Reborn) to have enough mag by themselves and have no reason to use dolomite. You could get too much magnesium if you run dolomite alone - most people mix it with regular aragonite. I used dolomite when I tried some man made calcium carbonate which had no mag or other traces in it.

 

[chicago]

Hmmm. Wondering why manufacturer does not state more specifics. But New specs. On label.

 

[chicago]

 

[jda]

That probably is not dolomite then... I would have expected a lot more mag. It is probably just smashed up calcium carbonate rock that looks like smashed up dolomite.

 

[chicago]

I’ll let you know when I hear back from caribeasea

 

[scuzy]

I know the dolomite one takes a lot lower pH to melt. I threw that away.

 

[chicago]

If this is in fact simply dolomite.. that is a problem.. I will find out from Caribsea..

 

[JMetaxas]

I'd be surprised if this was Dolomite, but look forward to Caribsea's reply.

 

[chicago]

emailed them .. lets see what they say..

 

[Softhammer]

I stopped using ARM, the new stuff just doesn’t dissolve like the obvious coral skeletons did. It looks to me like a tub of Pea gravel. I started using their Florida crushed coral sand instead. Works better and costs about 1/10 of the ARM stuff.

 

[chicago]

the new stuff is for sure not coral skeletons..