Let Your Corals Shine: AC Activated Calcium & Magnesium Reactor Media – the "Hard Skeleton + Power Core" for Reef Tanks
Update time: 25-10-22 Views: 222
1. Why do reefers always talk about "Ca/Mg imbalance"?
In the aquarium world, the scary keywords "algae bloom", "burnt tips" and "tissue loss" are almost always linked to unbalanced calcium, magnesium and carbonate hardness (KH).
- Calcium (Ca) is the "steel bar" of coral skeletons—growth slows when Ca < 400 ppm.
- Magnesium (Mg) is the "buffering framework" of seawater, keeping Ca and carbonates in a supersaturated solution so a water-change does not "snow-storm" the tank.
- KH governs pH stability; a KH crash equals chemical stress for corals.
Traditional two-part dosing or balling methods act fast, but they often leave chloride, sulphate or phosphate residues. Long-term accumulation clouds glass and chokes coral polyps. Is there a cleaner, steadier and easier way? The answer is a calcium reactor (Ca-reactor)—and the "soul" of every reactor is the media inside it.
2. AC Activated Calcium Reactor Media – 35 % more Ca, rock-solid skeleton
Made from high-purity natural aragonite, AC Calcium Media is twice-activated and sintered, increasing surface area by 1.8×. At a mildly acidic pH of 6.5–6.8 it dissolves slowly and releases:
- ≥ 38 % Ca—lab tests show a 35 % faster Ca-ion rise than common reactor media under the same conditions
- Mg, Sr, K and trace elements in natural ratios—no extra trace additives needed
- Carbonates—balances KH naturally and prevents "roller-coaster" values
- Ultra-low Al & P—ICP-AES shows PO₄ ≤ 0.02 ppm, keeping "ultra-low-nutrient" tanks free of yellow slime
How to use:
1. Rinse and fill the reactor.
2. Set effluent drip at 30–50 mL/min and keep reactor pH at 6.6 ± 0.1.
3. Top up every 4–6 weeks and watch SPS tips stay snow-white while LPS tentacles puff like popcorn.
3. AC Reef-Spec Magnesium Plus – 6× Mg boost, true power core
When Mg drops below 1,250 ppm, calcium "loses its magnetic suspension" and precipitates. AC Magnesium Media is engineered for "new tank fast-fill and old tank ratio-correction":
- High-purity Mg(OH)₂ plus activated seeds dissolve 6× faster—raising 200 L from 1,100 ppm to 1,350 ppm in 30 h instead of 7 days
- Zero chloride, sulphate or ammonia—ICP shows NH₄⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻ all below detection limits, eliminating ionic pollution
- Moderate pellet hardness—no crumbling or dust; mix with calcium media in the same reactor or run a separate "Mg-column" for flexible management
How to use:
- New setups: start with 200 g per 100 L water, mix with calcium media at 1 : 3 by volume; Mg locks at 1,350–1,400 ppm within a week.
- Correction dosing: if Mg/Ca < 3 : 1, add 50 g per 100 L; re-test after 24 h for pinpoint control.
4. Real tank story: from "grey and dull" to "fluorescent pop"
Jason from Guangzhou runs a 450 L SPS-dominant system. Former levels: Ca 340 ppm, Mg 1,050 ppm. Tips bleached, green fluorescence gone. He switched to AC Calcium + Magnesium Media (3 : 1 volume) in a CO₂-fed reactor:
- Day 3: Ca 420 ppm, Mg 1,320 ppm, KH 7.2 dKH
- Day 14: purple growth rims visible on all SPS, growth lines measurable
- Day 30: Al down from 0.18 ppm to 0.03 ppm, PO₄ stable at 0.03 ppm—no extra phosphate media needed
Jason's feedback: "I used to dose two-part every day and still saw swings. Now I just monitor reactor pH—Ca and Mg stay on line. More time to enjoy the tank, less time fighting it!"
5. FAQ – four hottest questions from reefers
1. Can I throw the media in the sump or algae chamber?
No. These products are engineered for slow-dissolve reactors; drip towers or simple immersion waste the 35 % / 6× advantage and may clog pumps.
2. Will it raise phosphate?
Raw material is seawater-floatation & acid-washed twice; lab result PO₄ ≤ 0.02 ppm—essentially phosphate-free.
3. Can I combine with two-part dosing?
Yes. Reactor sets the baseline, two-part does "fine-tuning", further stabilizing pH and preventing night-time Ca drop.
4. Shelf life?
5 years unopened in dry storage; after opening keep sealed and moisture-free.
At AC we believe great media is not just "number games"—it is the art of letting corals grow at nature's own rhythm. Calcium Media gives the skeleton, Magnesium Media gives the power; together they turn every breath of your reef into fluorescent brilliance.
