Re-using dead corals in calcium reactor?

[Gools]

What are people's opinion on using dead corals in calcium reactors. I remember an issue with phosphates, but anything else that would cause a problem. I have tons of it, and want to mix it in with my schuran media, from time to time. Looking for opinions. Thanks

[Ruth]

I have never tried it myself but have definately heard about other people doing it all the time. I know on Zeovit.com people talk about doing just that on a frequent basis.
I usually just take mine and throw it in my sump/refugium.

[Chin_Lee]

I don't see a problem. i've been saving mine to recycle in the next reactor media change. the media for shuran and Gen-x media is the same thing - dead corals. maybe not acroporas per se but nevertheless its dead corals. I usually put about 3-4" of dead coral pieces at the very bottom of the reactor where the pump's output is. this creates an space where the water can flow out from the pump and into the media.

FWIW - i've been using the Caribsea Florida Crushed Corals for the past six months and its been perfectly fine. My effluent's alk and ca levels are the same as before when I used ARM. One component I have not look into is the difference in phosphate level between the two. However I suspect them to be the same and that a phosphate removing media will be required for both products regardless.
http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/store_pages/details/substrate.php?product_ID=cs-asfcc40

i like this better because the larger particles is much easier on my circulating pump because water flows through the particles easier. It also takes longer to turn the media into mud which I found was happening with my ARM. I am aware that ARM has recently increased the sizes of their media but still for $33, i will be able to fill my entire reactor twice. It would otherwise require 4 ARM media containers at $80.