ARM media not fluidizing??????

[rtbm]

I am totaly puzzled on this one/


I have been using plain ole aquarium sand/aragonite in my deltec reactor for years.

And for all of those years it will always churn the media very well. Totally fluidize it.

Well today I just decided to try out some medium grain ARM and for some reason I can not figure out it just will not move the sand. I took the whole thing apart like four times now.

I cleaned the pump, even put on a spare I have. I also took nearly all of the media out leaving just a couple inches in there and still no motion.

It's like the sand is restricting it so much that it wont break apart and fluidize. I have had my reactor almost full of sand and it churned like crazy.


Any idea or anyone know some things about arm that I am missing?


Is there something about arm that makes it dense or heavier than "normal sand"


This really just makes no sense to me at all?

 

[dahenley]

it could possibly be the size and shape of the grains. small might be smoother and allow motion. where this larger course is locking its self together and not allowing movement.
have you pulled all of it out and try the old stuff to see if it works with it? just a thought.

 

[rtbm]

Yep I actually did that twice. I have came to the same conclusion. The grains are just to heavy or don't allow enough water to flow freely in between them to churn it up.

I guess as long as it dissolves it will be ok. I just got so used to the massive amount of motion in the reactor that it looked really wrong.

Thanks,