Calcium Reactor Media

[Gtinnel]

I am completely new to calcium reactors but I have been gathering stuff to set one up. I have almost everything I need but I realized I accidentally bought the little reborn media. Should I just use it or go ahead and get a bag of the bigger size? If I do need to get the bigger size is there a problem with mixing the sizes so I use half of each size.
I also have some old coral skeleton that I have been keeping. Some of it was corals that died and others were fast growing corals that needed cut back. If I want to use them in the reactor do I need to do anything to them first other than breaking them into appropriated sized pieces. I am sure some of them have some dried up algae on it.

 

[KrisReef]

The goal is to have aragonite dissolve in the chamber. Size is interesting, because even if you start with boulders as they dissolve eventually they become smaller, and turn to dust. Too much CO2 in the chamber can turn the media to mush, and again it all becomes dissolved Calcium and Carbonate (I think, RFH is more reliable for chemical equations).

I have heard that using tank recycled frag skeletons isn't good, as many tanks lack the natural elemental solution to provide with proper skeleton depositions, and the theory was that constantly recycling these weak skeletons would create problems, where others denied this was even possible and swore/sware that they use recycled skeletons without issue.

I don't know, but I have used reborn (old chunky version) and modern reborn and the other rocks made for reactors (the other brand dissolves at a slightly lower pH) and if the reactor is properly set up the media doesn't seem to matter, ime.

I do try to remove fines and small chunks when I start up to prevent dust clouds and problems that pumps may have if a chunk of rock gets in an impeller, and I like to fill my chambers as full as I can so that I don't have to refill them (take them apart to service) as often. HTH. :cool:

 

[Gtinnel]

After doing some more reading I found a well respected forum member that mentioned in an old thread that if the reactor flows water from the bottom up the smaller media size will be fine. Apparently if it’s small and flows from top to bottom in tends to compact the media as it dissolves.
My reactor seems to flow up so I think I’m just going to go with the little reborn since I already have it. If it becomes an issue I’ll buy the larger size and switch it out.