reactor media

[Sparkpaul]

What is the proper pH in the calcium reactor for the dissolution of brightwell's coralazarus and neomag?

I can't find any technical specification regarding the melting point for its medias.

On the internet and forums, some says the Neomag requires a much lower pH thus it can make aragonite turn into mush and if it's not low enough, the dissolution of magnesium won't occur.

I checked Brightwell's website and it says check with calcium reactor manufacturer's website for pH specification. I have a Geo reactor and it says it depends on the media that I am using thus checked with the media manufacturer.

I have the pH in my reactor currently at 6.5 to 6.6. Does it need to be higher or lower?

Has anyone used Brightwell's Coralazarus Calcium Reactor media and Neomag?

 

[nicholasb]

6.5-6.7 is noramal for a calciumreactor. I don't know about Neomag and coralazarus.
Your alk in the main tank will need to be above 8.5, to prevent any P.H swing.

 

[bertoni]

I agree that that pH seems okay. Every tank is different. If the alkalinity is rising, you'd probably want to raise the pH. If it's dropping, lowering it might be necessary.

The magnesium media do seem to require a lower pH to be effective, but every tank's consumption rate is going to be different, so you might need to do some tuning there by changing the amount of media.

 

[d2mini]

Your alk in the main tank will need to be above 8.5, to prevent any P.H swing.

What does this mean?
How does having a high pH prevent a pH swing?

 

[power boat jim]

The alk in my tank is between 7.2 to 7.8. The pH effluent from my reactor is pH 6.3 with an effluent alk of 14dkh. The tank pH is always between 7.9 and 8.2.

 

[Sparkpaul]

The alk in my tank is between 7.2 to 7.8. The pH effluent from my reactor is pH 6.3 with an effluent alk of 14dkh. The tank pH is always between 7.9 and 8.2.

That's what I got too. I used to use dosing pump and pH is 8 to 8.3 but i hated making mixing batches of sodium carbonate and calcium chloride every month.

 

[jda]

Is that media man made like the AquaMedic stuff? If so, it will need to be about 6.3 to melt. If it is natural, then 6.6, or so will work. Is Neomag just dolomite - it is harder to melt IME and needs 6.3, or so.

Test the effluent coming out out of the reactor for calcium and alk. Measure how much above your tank water the calcium and alk are. Write it down. See if your tank keeps up. Adjust as you need to. This will vary for every tank and with every reactor setup with different effluent rates, but mine needs to be about 25% above tank params to keep up perfectly.

 

[tmz]

What does this mean?
How does having a high pH prevent a pH swing?

The alkalinity buffers carbonic acid and other related H+ additions formed by hydrolized CO2 originating from the low pH reactor.This buffering minimizes shorterm downward pH swings. The alk also minimizes upward swings when CO2 is lower .
However, the reactor effluent is not the only CO2/H+ increaser or decreaser affecting the aquarium water; gas exchange and/or CO2 form the air , bacterial activity and photosynthesis are some examples .Adequate buffering to moderate swings can occur in a specific aquarium at different alkalinity levels including 7.0dkh or even a bit less. I don't think there is a general optimal or minimal l alk level for a tank specifically related to using a calcium reactor .