Re-Born calcium reactor media?

[hnguyen]

I just ordered a Geo 618 calcium reactor today to replace my not so favored coralife calcium reactor and was wondering what type of media I should have in it. I ordered my new reactor through aquacave and I saw that they had Re-Born media. I've heard about them before but I wasn't sure if they were good things or bad things that I heard. :unsure:

So once again I'm here asking the advise of the old and wise to guide me through my dark moments :confused2:

So what do you guys think of this media and have any of you used it before? I read that Geo works best with larger grain media so thats why I was interested in the Re-Born. If you guys don't use this than what other brand do you use or recommend?

 

[acroholic]

Reborn media is a TLF product. Looks like their brand of coarse media. I use ARM coarse. Either would work great in your GEO. I use the ARM in my 618.

 

[phi79]

I use coarse ARM media in mine reactor.

 

[presteige]

ARM here as well

 

[schwaggs]

Regular (not coarse) ARM here

 

[hnguyen]

WOW so everyone here uses ARM? Have you guys had any problems with them before? If not than I guess I should go with it too since my LFS has brand new container of it laying around that a buddy of mines gave him. I can just take that and not have to buy a new one. I read the Re-Born and they say that the media dissolve really good so you don't get clogs and calcium build-up. Does ARM offer the same feature or is Re-Born just BS'ing?

 

[acroholic]

Hnguyen;565023 wrote: WOW so everyone here uses ARM? Have you guys had any problems with them before? If not than I guess I should go with it too since my LFS has brand new container of it laying around that a buddy of mines gave him. I can just take that and not have to buy a new one. I read the Re-Born and they say that the media dissolve really good so you don't get clogs and calcium build-up. Does ARM offer the same feature or is Re-Born just BS'ing?

To me, the Reborn is just describing a feature of the physical size of the media. Large media size like ARM Coarse and ReBorn will have more open space between the larger media pieces, thus more flow thru and less clogging. The other side of it is there is less surface area exposed to the carbonic acid (CO2 + water) in solution in the reactor than there is with smaller crushed coral size media. That is why you can run larger media at a lower calcium reactor pH setpoint than you can smaller media without turning the large media into a pile of mush than you can smaller size media.

Personally, I think most calcium carbonate based reactor media is pretty generic, outside of size.

ARM Media is made by CaribSea, one of the largest fresh water, marine and reef aquarium substrate sellers in the world. Their products are generally regarded as high quality, as are those by Two Little Fishies, who market ReBorn.

GEO recommends large size media with their calcium reactors, go with the ARM or the ReBorn and you'll be fine.

 

[hnguyen]

Cool!! Thanks Acroholic! I think I'll go with the ARM since I can get a new container for free.