Building a “Reef-Grade” Coral Tank—Start with the Right Calcium and Magnesium Media
Update time: 25-08-15 Views: 5
In reef-keeping circles you’ll often hear: “If your corals aren’t rock solid, 80 % of the time it’s a Ca/Mg issue.” Calcium forms the skeleton, while magnesium is the invisible scaffold that keeps it standing. When the Ca:Mg ratio drifts, SPS tips bleach, LPS stay retracted and calcareous algae explode—nightmares every reefer knows too well.
Backed by 20 years of R&D and China’s National Industry Ceramic Research Center, AquaClean has engineered two “hard-core” products—AC Activated Calcium Reactor Media and AC Reef Spec Magnesium Plus—to let hobbyists bring laboratory-grade water chemistry straight into their stands.
1. AC Activated Calcium Reactor Media: +35 % Ca boost, virtually zero PO₄
1.1 Ultra-pure, zero-pollution starting line
Traditional reactor media often “gift” you phosphate, so algae boom before calcium rises. AC Activated Calcium Media uses a secondary activation-sintering process that drives phosphate below 0.0001 %—calcium without the algae buffet.
1.2 Smoother dissolution curve
At pH 6.5–6.8 inside a calcium reactor, the media releases Ca²⁺, HCO₃⁻ plus eight trace elements (Sr, K, etc.) at a steady “millimeter-per-day” rate. Field tests show AquaClean delivers a 35 % faster Ca²⁺ increase than leading brands, yet never causes pH roller-coasters.
1.3 Beginner-friendly, veteran-proof
• Day 1: rinse 30 s to remove dust, then load.
• Routine: keep reactor pH 6.5–6.8 and flow 40–60 mL/min (500 L system).
• Fits: high-density SPS tanks, algae refugiums, frag systems.
2. AC Reef Spec Magnesium Plus: 6× faster, chloride- & sulfate-free
Magnesium is calcium’s “forklift.” When Mg²⁺ drops below 1200 ppm, Ca²⁺ precipitates on heaters and plumbing while coral skeletons turn chalky.
AC Reef Spec Magnesium Plus employs a chloride- and sulfate-free formula based on activated magnesium oxide, double-calcined at 1200 °C. Surface area is 6× higher, dissolution rate 6× faster, yet it produces no irritating MgCl₂ or MgSO₄ by-products.
Usage tips
• Combo loading: 1 part Magnesium Plus to 4 parts Calcium Media by volume in the same reactor, or run a dedicated Mg reactor.
• Target numbers: Mg 1350–1450 ppm, Ca 420–450 ppm, KH 7–9 dKH—perfect for razor-sharp SPS tips.
• Water-change friendly: keeps Mg swing within ±30 ppm even on a two-week change schedule.
3. Real case: from “burnt tips” to “snowstorm”
Kevin’s 600 L SPS system in Guangzhou suffered chronic Mg deficiency (~1080 ppm) and burnt tips. Switching to AquaClean Calcium Media + Magnesium Plus:
• Day 7: Mg climbed to 1320 ppm.
• Day 21: Ca stabilized at 440 ppm, KH 8.2.
• Day 60: Aussie Gem coral crowns fully extended, fluorescent green edges thickened 2 mm, and brown coralline turned pink—a full-tank snowstorm.
4. How to start? Three simple steps
1. Dose: baseline 300 g Calcium Media + 75 g Magnesium Plus per 100 L.
2. Tune: CO₂ needle valve + pH controller to lock reactor pH at 6.6.
3. Test: weekly Ca, Mg, KH checks; top up media as consumed.
At AquaClean we believe great media lets hobbyists spend more time admiring corals and less time chasing numbers. Ready to upgrade your reactor or give your SPS tips that razor-sharp glow? Try the AquaClean Calcium & Magnesium combo and start your zero-phosphate, high-magnesium journey today!
