Low alk since switching to Gen-X reactor media

[christyf5]

Hey guys,

I was just wondering for those of you that use the larger sized reactor media if you've had any problems with alk. I've always set my reactor at the same settings (about 60bpm CO2 and a steady drip rate) and my alk has just gone down the toilet since I started using this media at the end of april. I managed to "maintain" an alk level of 7.4 sometime in may but I'd loaned out my test kits for a bit and didn't get a chance to measure again until a couple of weeks ago. My alk had dropped to 5.4. I upped the CO2 and waited a bit before testing again and the alk was at 4.8 the last time I checked it (on the weekend).

I was under the impression that this stuff used less CO2? At this rate if I have to crank up the CO2 any higher I'll be finished the bottle in just a few months (usually lasts about 10 months or so) and have algae up the wazoo no doubt

I guess in the meantime I'll be going the baking soda routine (whee) or going back to the finer grained stuff. I never had a problem with it before just thought I'd try something new.

Anyway, just wanted peoples thoughts on the stuff.

TIA,
Christy

[Delphinus]

Wow, that sucks .. What pH are people running these things at? I remember the Schuran reactors when they first came out, people were running them at insanely low pH values, like in the 6's or possibly even the 5's. Which means significantly higher CO2 rates obviously but maybe the catch is you can get away with a slower effluent rate. (ie. in the end the same amount. or close to the same amount, of CO2 "escapes" into the tank, so to speak).

Good luck figuring it out! I'd like to know too since I was going to switch to this media once I've finished up my current A.R.M. (old style smaller particles, dang I seem to have a ridiculously large stockpile of it .. apparently I didn't need to "oh I'll just order one more container of A.R.M. to finish up the shipment" quite so much.. )

[Pescador]

(about 1bpm CO2 and a steady drip rate)

I was thinking about switching from ARM as well, but just to double check if you meant 1 bp minute or 1bp second. At 1 per minute I'd be saving alot of CO2.

Has anyone tried Super Calc Gold or Koralith?

[christyf5]

oops my bad, one per second. I think right now I have it at like 1.5 per second.

someone using the ARM stuff had reported one per minute though. I used to use ARM and I certainly used way more than that!

[fishface]

sounds very familiar...i try to keep pH around 6.7, any lower and my tank drops too much. i haven't used anything else but if and when this is gone i'll give some other media a shot.

[mark]

can't contribute (using ARM and if anything my alk goes high) but why's everyone switching from ARM?

[zulu_principle]

Ill check my systems here that are running the same reactor and same media and get back to you.

As for the schuran reactor, no problems on alk.


Wendell

[christyf5]

Originally Posted by mark

can't contribute (using ARM and if anything my alk goes high) but why's everyone switching from ARM?

For me, it was something new. I'm easily swayed by "ooh new and improved" sometimes. Most likely I was at the LFS and itching to spend my money on something. I do that sometimes

[Delphinus]

No way - you too?? Wow I wonder if anyone else is like that too. I thought I was all alone..

[marie]

Originally Posted by christyf5

For me, it was something new. I'm easily swayed by "ooh new and improved" sometimes. Most likely I was at the LFS and itching to spend my money on something. I do that sometimes

I'd be the same way if I had an lfs around here to visit