Calcium reactor & Caribsea ARM Coarse help

VJV · Nov 22, 2018

Hi, I have a 180g tank with some large SPS colonies that consumes 1,5dKH per day. As I go tired of mixing 1 gallon of balling solutions every 3 days I decided to try out a Calcium Reactor.I bought the Tunze 3171 and filled it with Caribsea ARM Coarse media (TLF Reborn is not available in Europe) about one month ago.

In order to keep up with the demand I have the following settings:

Calcium Reactor pH: 6,1 (controlled by Profilux 4 with solenoid and pH probe)

Effluent rate: 75ml per minute

Effluent Alk: 12,6dKH

I was really surprised to find out that the effluent dKH was so low, especially taking into consideration that the reactor pH is set to such a low point...!

Also, because I have to keep such a high effluent rate with such a low pH, this has impacted my tank's pH significantly, dropping by 0,5 vs before using the calcium reactor!!!

My pH probe is new, has been calibrated, tested so that is not the issue.

Could this be a bad batch of Caribsea ARM Coarse?

Many thanks in advance

GoVols · Nov 22, 2018

Running the Reborn media over here.

6.1 is a really super low melting point.

My reef in takes about 1.3 of alk per day and I average out at about 7.o for the melting point inside my main reactor.

Use the Sicce 1.0 for the feed, but use the constant stream method.

scuzy · Nov 23, 2018

My caribsea arm takes forever to melt. So I mix it with reborn and it's been working great. Then I found out my pH probe was out of calibration. Got a new probe and it was reading pH of by .4

VJV · Nov 25, 2018

scuzy said:
My caribsea arm takes forever to melt. So I mix it with reborn and it's been working great. Then I found out my pH probe was out of calibration. Got a new probe and it was reading pH of by .4

Exactly. Will never buy this again. No Reborn in Europe so be to fin an alternative. My probes are new, calibrated and tested. I now have the reactor tuned to 6.0dKh and still only getting about 14,6dKh in the effluent! Will give Tunze media a try.

Tobbe · Jan 23, 2019

You can use KZ coral gravel German company and same type as reborn dead coral skeleton

VJV · Jan 23, 2019

Tobbe said:
You can use KZ coral gravel German company and same type as reborn dead coral skeleton

Thanks. I gave up on the calcium reactor and went back to balling... my pH is now much more stable at 7,9-8,2. Also did not like the fact that the reactor can only be regulated via a pinch valve. I am only at home on weekends and during the week the effluent would slowly reduce so my Alk would be bouncing around.

Struttmaster · May 7, 2021

Would it be worth trying a reduced effluent rate? Less volume/higher potency? No reborn in Oz either...

TX_Punisher · May 7, 2021

I don’t necessarily think the media was the problem. Plenty of people, including myself, use ARM coarse with fine results.

you didn’t mention bubble count. I would have also slowed the flow through the reactor.

as mentioned above, 6.1 is plenty low enough for that media to melt. I’m around 6.3 and push about 30dkh from my effluent.

VJV · May 8, 2021

TX_Punisher said:
I don’t necessarily think the media was the problem. Plenty of people, including myself, use ARM coarse with fine results.

you didn’t mention bubble count. I would have also slowed the flow through the reactor.

as mentioned above, 6.1 is plenty low enough for that media to melt. I’m around 6.3 and push about 30dkh from my effluent.

My last post is more than 2 years old but still appreciate the feedback ! I gave up on the Calcium reactor and went back to dosing. I believe the Tunze reactor was way undersized, no mater what Tunze says.

TX_Punisher · May 8, 2021

VJV said:
My last post is more than 2 years old but still appreciate the feedback ! I gave up on the Calcium reactor and went back to dosing. I believe the Tunze reactor was way undersized, no mater what Tunze says.

Sorry. It popped up in a feed of some sort.

certainly could have been too small.

good luck