Vertex Calcium Reactor - Owner's Club

[abcha0s]

I own the Vertex RX6-Duo Calcium Reactor and I am having trouble setting it up. I'd like to hear from anyone who owns a Vertex Calcium Reactor about any tips and tricks you have for making it work.

I am using "Rowalith C+ Calcium Reactor Media" - I suspect this may be part of my problem?

Specifically, the main pump seems to be way to powerful. This causes two problems:

1. The pumps sucks in any air that is trapped in the media chamber. This by itself isn't really a problem but it then gets trapped underneath the foam in the bottom section of the media chamber. When the air builds up, it comes to the surface in large bubbles which disrupt the media.

2. The media is getting blown around and sucked into the pump. This has obvious problems including a significant risk of damaging the pump.

The pump is also very loud, but I think this is because there is air trapped in it? - I figure once I resolve the air issue, the pump noise will settle down?

Am I using the wrong media? - I can't find the recommended Media type in the Vertex instructions?

I did find an alternate media - "Caribsea A.R.M. Coarse Calcium Reactor Media"
- The product description states "Ideal for rapid upflow type reactors".

Is the Vertex a rapid upflow type reactor? - It sure seems to be.

Are you guys running them in sump? - I had planned to run it outside of my sump, but the pump appears to be a submersible pump - just curious.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!!

- Brad