Pax Bellum Arid Reactor Experience

iReefer12 · Feb 15, 2019

I set a Pax Bellum Arid C36 last week.

Will be tracking results here for anyone who is interested.

I decided to hard plumb the Reactor for a clean look. Also have an apex flow sensor on the Input so I can know what the flow looks like. Here’s a few pics of the install.

Prior to now I haven’t done much to control Nitrate Phosphate, I don’t like GFO as I had massive swings when I’d get too lazy to replace it.

I Carbon dose, about 60ml/day which is fairly minimal on a 220Gallon tank, and I also skim fairly dry.

Previous Po4 & No3 test from the day before install were
Po4: 1.36ppm
No3: 32ppm

1 week later, Chaeto has grown quite a bit.
Po4: 1.12
No3: 15ppm

Results look encouraging, plan to test every Friday and harvest Chaeto every 2 or 3 weeks.

Will try to keep this updated

roberthu526 · Feb 15, 2019

I also just setup a C36 last week. I used Silicon tubing and so far can’t say I notice any growth.

iReefer12 · Feb 15, 2019

What are your test numbers looking like before and after? Also, how’s the flow through it?

I’m getting some kind of clear-ish slime build up on the inside of the lid, notice anything like that?

roberthu526 · Feb 15, 2019

iReefer12 said:
What are your test numbers looking like before and after? Also, how’s the flow through it?

I’m getting some kind of clear-ish slime build up on the inside of the lid, notice anything like that?

Nitrate is around 16 and phosphate is 0.12 ppm.
I do see clear to light brown stuff inside. I think they are film algae.

iReefer12 · Feb 16, 2019

Maybe your phosphate and Nitrate are already low and limiting growth.

12 and 0.12 seems pretty good, what else do you do to control nutrients

roberthu526 · Feb 17, 2019

I run a refugium that’s about 50G with an H380. I also dose NOPOX and run an external skimmer (SRO 6000 Ext). I feed a lot and I have a lot of fish.

iReefer12 · Feb 17, 2019

Seems like you don’t really have a need for the Arid?

Your nutrients look like there in order an you have a huge fuge already.

I added the Arid as I had no room for a fuge and wanted to use macro to reduce nutrients

roberthu526 · Feb 18, 2019

I don’t want to dose NOPOX on the long run. And I also want to take the skimmer off eventually and just rely on algae growth for exporting.

iReefer12 · Feb 19, 2019

Mid week test:

Po4: 1.09ppm
No3: 14ppm

Growth has slowed a bit, maybe it’s already quite crowded and light is getting blocked?

I’m thinking this is nitrogen gas building up on the inside?

roberthu526 · Feb 19, 2019

Growth looks good. Mine has a lighter color than yours so I reduced the photo period to 6 hours a day. I will ramp it up one hour a week until it reaches 12 hours.

saltwaterpicaso · Feb 19, 2019

how many hours a day are you running yours how many hours did you start with im up to 8 hours now started at 4 weeks ago

iReefer12 · Feb 19, 2019

I started around 12 hours, up to 14-1/4 now. 18:45 to 09:00

Flow through stays at 400gph

saltwaterpicaso · Feb 19, 2019

Do you dose there elements that were provided

iReefer12 · Feb 19, 2019

I don’t, I wasn’t sure if I should or not. My nutrients are way high, so was just going to run as is and then dose if I need to... I really don’t want to haha

saltwaterpicaso · Feb 19, 2019

Yeah I dont want to either I figure I feed enough to support it

iReefer12 · Feb 22, 2019

End of week 2.

Po4: 1.14ppm
No3: 12ppm

Po4 went up a bit, My glass had about 4 weeks of algae growth on them, and scraped the glass on Wednesday, so Po4 could be up due to that?

Algae growth has definitely slowed down in the chamber although it might just be that it’s full? The chaeto is in thin strands at the top and I was thinking it would be thick and compact against the lid and that would be the indication to harvest?

roberthu526 · Feb 23, 2019

I have brown algae growing on the lid so visual is not good but it looks like the chaeto at the bottom is much more green and dense than chaeto on the top.