What do you think...

[TampaSnooker]

What do you think about using oolitic sand in a calcium reactor? Or even a Kalk stirrer?

My understanding is that oolitic sand forms as a precipitate and is fairly pure CaCO3. I also seem to remember that it dissolves at a much higher pH than aragonite. It probably wouldn't work in a fluidized reactor like a Deltec since it is light weight and small but perhaps in Korralin or other brand that doesn't tumble the media.

I also wonder if RO water through a kalk stirrer is low enough pH to dissolve it.

Thoughts? Corrections?

 

[billsreef]

The fine grains of oolitic sand are likely to pack too much and/or cake up in the reactor. In regards to RO water, while it will dissolve some of the calcium, it won't dissolve enough to be a major Ca source.

 

[JerseyClowns]

Agree with Bill. I've had 300# of oolitic (6") in my remote deep sand bed for over 4 years and I've seen little to no dissolution. I would not recommend using it in a Ca reactor.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The potency of aragonite dissolved in RO water which is allowed to be saturated with normal atmospheric CO2 is about 40 times less than using calcium hydroxide to make limewater. Without the CO2 to help dissolve the aragonite, it is about 80 times less potent.

I show that here:

Calcium Carbonate as a Supplement

 

[TampaSnooker]

Just a thought. I was thinking that if you could keep oolitic sand just slightly fluidized in a Ca/CO2 reactor it might perform better than other aragonites if you could keep it from clumping or stirring up into the pump.

Jersey - with regards to dissolving in the sandbed, I run an "experiment in neglect" 29 gal softy tank on my kitchen counter. Annual water changes and buffering only if something really drifts. It has a plenum (11 y.o.) full of typical aragonite 2-3 mm sand. A couple times a year I add a few pounds of oolitic sand and stir it in to help buffer. It is most definitely dissolving for me. It works pretty well since Ca demand is pretty low with the softies

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Oops, forgot my link:

Calcium Carbonate as a Supplement
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/7/chemistry