Substrate in a reactor

[wperdigon]

Hi guys - I have a question. It may be silly, but please give insightful thoughts.

I have a bare bottom tank I'm prepping to make an sps/zoo tank. I have 3 fish in it currently and the tank is fairly new (2 months of cycling). I'm just starting to show the green kick of the calcium based alge.

My question is this. I am thinking about running crushed coral substrate in a reactor to control PH. I don't want to put the substrate in the tank. Mainly because my kids love looking at the fish from under the tank.

I am not concerned about "dead spots" in the tank with the Barebottom. I have 5 pumps in there moving water around on a wave maker.

opinions on this? would it work if I did that?

Thanks!

 

[wperdigon]

anyone for this topic? am I thinking in the wrong direction???

 

[reefgeezer]

Unless you are speaking of a calcium reactor, crushed coral in a reactor will do little for pH. It just won't dissolve enough to matter. It will however become a biological filter, and depending on flow rate, O2 levels, and etc., may become a nitrate factory.

IMHO, just keep alkalinity in range and don't worry about pH too much.