# Putting the Pax Bellum Chaeto reactor on line



## Crayon

At MACNA this year, we had a shopping accident and came home with a Pax Bellum ARID n24 reactor.
This is John explaining to Visa that fish stuff can be expensive. (Actually he was explaining why Visa was seeing purchases from vendors who appear to be in California, Seattle, Texas, Florida all on the same day). Visa doesn't like that kind of thing so they thought our card had been compromised and called us.










Anyway, when we got to the airport we had to put the reactor in checked baggage as it was just a bit big and weird looking. Instead of risking having the box go through normal checked baggage scan we took it to special handling x-Ray so we could explain why the thing in the box was a long cylinder with an aluminum heat sink on the end and lots of wires coming out of it.
We got the thumbs up when it came through the scanner. The package arrived safely home.


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## Crayon

These reactors are external, so we had to find a way to plumb this onto the supply line of one of the tanks as we didn't want to add a dedicated pump. It made sense to use the supply pump in the sump as it is strong enough to run the whole system. We didn't want to have it plumbed in to the return to the sump cause we didn't want to have dirty water going into the reactor.

This is John working on sorting out what parts he needs before going to the hardware store. It gets sad when we can discuss which store is more likely to have 3/4" slip fittings and who has the better glue.
Any how, lists were made, discussions had about how to make the connections, where to put shut offs and unions and how to not make a bigger sh*t show on our temporary set up.


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## Crayon

Today we finally got time to finish the plumbing.

Time to use the fun plumbing tool.


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## Crayon

And the other fun plumbing tool.

Heat gun.










It's pretty easy to heat and bend the pipe to get weird angles or offsets and stuff. Saves on having to have a bunch of 45degree fittings that never seem to be quite the right angle.

The trick is to take it slow, heat more area than you think you need. Heat all around the pipe, not just one side and don't try to do the bend in one go.

Also to prevent the pipe from collapsing at the bend, we put pressure on the side of it while it's cooling against the concrete floor.










This is the finished bend. It was almost 90 degrees and it was done in maybe three or four heatings.


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## Crayon

Marking pipes for glue joints to make sure they end up where they are supposed to, plus we mark valves to know where to keep them closed at so they don't overflow.










Double lines for the glue joint is safer in case one line gets messed up.


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## Crayon

The reactor prior to connections.


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## Crayon

After connections are done, leak checked, chaeto added and light on.










I missed photos of a few steps in this process. Got told we had half an hour to finish if we were going to make the movie. So ended up rushing a bit.

Anyway, no leaks. All good. Everything was fine when we got back tonight. I will grab a couple photos of the "guts" of this reactor when we open it to check the chaeto.

There are two 'bays' inside the tube for chaeto with guide lines for the chaeto to attach to as it grows.

The light is a rod style LED that goes down through the centre of the reactor. It doesn't come into contact with the water at all.

Will update with growth progress over the next few weeks.

We don't use GFO or nitraguard cubes or carbon dosing. We do use Lanthanum which we will take off line for now to see what happens.

Today, nitrates are at 35 and phosphates are 0.06


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## Crayon

Day 1 
Phosphates 0.11 (probably because I cleaned the filter socks and stirred up the sump yesterday)
Nitrates 32


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## Wiser

Woa. That looks like it could be part of a warp reactor. 

Let us know how it works out. 


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## Windowlicka

Wiser said:


> Woa. That looks like it could be part of a warp reactor.


I wanna know what happens when it hits 88mph&#8230;

(informative write-up, and I like the pipe-bending hack)


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## Mikeylikes

Looks radio active!


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## advanced reef aquatics

Are those crocs steel toe?
Nice reactor btw....?


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## Crayon

Today phosphates are 0.12 and nitrates 36


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## Crayon

Two weeks in, Phosphates 0.03. Nitrates 30


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## WiseGuyPhil

Following along, I really and looking forward to seeing these results. I will be using a DIY reactor in the same way. The amazing thing about these reactors is what they do long term according to studies.

Do you have plans to try the Triton method with the reactor?


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## Crayon

WiseGuyPhil said:


> Do you have plans to try the Triton method with the reactor?


At this stage, I don't think so. My plan, if everything keeps going well, is as follows:
Target levels: phosphates at 0.01 to 0.03 nitrates at 25 to 28
Which is pretty close to where the system is at right now.
We have had to play with the flow rate through the reactor, and without knowing exactly what the flow rate is, we just turn it up and make it faster, or turn it down and make it slower. Right now it's turned up. I'm going to leave it alone.

Next week if the levels are the same, we will take the lanthanum entirely off the system. We have reduced the lanthanum down, but I wasn't willing to take it entirely off before we saw results with the reactor.

In two or three weeks, If levels continue to stay the same and maintain what I want after the lanthanum is off, then I will start to reduce auto water changes so that the water changes are for additives only and not for nitrate removal. Right now we do 40 gallons a week on a 250 gallon system.

Although I might reduce water changes first and leave lanthanum for a bit. Don't know.

I use Fauna Marin Organic and Ultra Amin as my additives. Will stick with it for now.

If, in a month everything is running smoothly and levels are dropping below ideal, then we will have to take a look at dosing nitrates or using something else. But will cross that bridge in a month. Or more.

Right now, I am thrilled with what I see happening with phosphate and nitrate levels by using the chaeto reactor. Getting phosphates down to the range it is currently at has been has battle for us for 5 years. We have tried everything.

Except getting rid of fish. I like my fish. We have too many which is why our levels were too high.


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## WiseGuyPhil

Sorry I should have looked through your setup before asking. 

Makes complete sense as you to why you went the cheato reactor way of removing phosphates. I hope it gets to that point too where you can remove the lanthanum as well. I think everyone would love to be in a place when we can eliminate the use of chemicals to remove phosphates and also create a large sustainable food source for fish. I plan on making cheato pellets for tangs with mine 

Keep us posted 



Crayon said:


> At this stage, I don't think so. My plan, if everything keeps going well, is as follows:
> Target levels: phosphates at 0.01 to 0.03 nitrates at 25 to 28
> Which is pretty close to where the system is at right now.
> We have had to play with the flow rate through the reactor, and without knowing exactly what the flow rate is, we just turn it up and make it faster, or turn it down and make it slower. Right now it's turned up. I'm going to leave it alone.
> 
> Next week if the levels are the same, we will take the lanthanum entirely off the system. We have reduced the lanthanum down, but I wasn't willing to take it entirely off before we saw results with the reactor.
> 
> In two or three weeks, If levels continue to stay the same and maintain what I want after the lanthanum is off, then I will start to reduce auto water changes so that the water changes are for additives only and not for nitrate removal. Right now we do 40 gallons a week on a 250 gallon system.
> 
> Although I might reduce water changes first and leave lanthanum for a bit. Don't know.
> 
> I use Fauna Marin Organic and Ultra Amin as my additives. Will stick with it for now.
> 
> If, in a month everything is running smoothly and levels are dropping below ideal, then we will have to take a look at dosing nitrates or using something else. But will cross that bridge in a month. Or more.
> 
> Right now, I am thrilled with what I see happening with phosphate and nitrate levels by using the chaeto reactor. Getting phosphates down to the range it is currently at has been has battle for us for 5 years. We have tried everything.
> 
> Except getting rid of fish. I like my fish. We have too many which is why our levels were too high.


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## giermoivi

*heat*

So the Led is not touching water, okay, but how hot does the heat sink of that led get to? Not adding much heat into the system either then??


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## Crayon

The heat sink on the top is very hot to the touch. But no heat added to the system, you're right.


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## Crayon

Today nitrates 46!!!????
Phosphates 0.12??!!!

Not sure why. I changed foods a bit but nothing significant. Changed lighting schedule for chaeto to 4 hours up from 3 hours today.


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## Jusgiviner

Wow that's getting up there!!! I can't keep nitrate up for the life of me!! I have 6 fish in a 35 and still have to dose nitrates. We should just exchange water !!


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## Crayon

Jusgiviner said:


> Wow that's getting up there!!! I can't keep nitrate up for the life of me!! I have 6 fish in a 35 and still have to dose nitrates. We should just exchange water !!


One week up, one week down. I hate this. I would love to have nitrates staying down. Maybe one day.


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## Jusgiviner

I use seachem matrix, enough for 100g if you go by seachems recommendation. Seeded it with aquavitro seed and mb7. I seriously can't get nitrates over zero without dosing kno3.


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## WiseGuyPhil

How often are you pulling the cheato out of the reactor?



Crayon said:


> Today nitrates 46!!!????
> Phosphates 0.12??!!!
> 
> Not sure why. I changed foods a bit but nothing significant. Changed lighting schedule for chaeto to 4 hours up from 3 hours today.


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## Crayon

Reactor isn't full yet, so haven't pulled any out in the last month.


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## Crayon

Today:
Phosphates 0.06
Nitrates 38

Up, down, up, down


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## Wiser

How’s the cheato growing? Has it filled the reactor yet?


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## Crayon

Today, nitrates 40
Phosphates were 0.12

Chaeto has almost filled the reactor. I’ve been running it for only 3 hours a day, so far. I need to increase it, which I may do tomorrow.


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## Clydester88

*Update?*

Hi,

Curious to know how the reactor is faring. I have one on order for my 180.

I've been experimenting with an Aquamaxx reactor and the chaeto is growing like crazy.

I understand that an ideal nitrate: phosphate target is 100:1. I'll be aiming for nitrates at 3ppm and phosphate at . O3ppm accordingly.


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## Lilphil26

Red field ratio is 106:16:1 so nitrate should be 16:1 phosphate. Carbon is the 106.


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## Clydester88

N does not equal NO3, and P does not equal PO4 in the redfield ratio. Common misconception.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/redfield-ratio-significant-factor-in-reef-tanks.215833/

As per PAX bellum instructions :

Recommended Dosage

Nitrate & Molybdenum
1ml raises 100L 0.5ppm
Does as needed to maintain NO3O4 ratio of approx. 100:1


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## Lilphil26

Yes very true. Good catch clydester!


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## Crayon

Sorry guys, didn’t get a chance to test levels this wknd. I will let you know next weekend. I know I have to raise the light schedule on the reactor as I am currently still only running 4 hours per night (long story) so this is not helping with chaeto production or utilizing the full benefits of the reactor yet.

I want my nitrates levels around 25-30 ideally based on conversations with head of Fauna Marin and other research facilities (Reef Nutrition) as well as discussions with reef keepers more knowledgeable than me at MACNA in order to not have to dose nitrates and to keep the food (nitrate) levels for corals in an acceptable range (according to them).

I do not subscribe to the ULNS theory. Which I know is going to frustrate some people but it’s based on my research and I have success with the levels I am using.


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## Clydester88

That's very interesting about the nitrate level. I'll have to learn more about that.


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## Clydester88

*Updates?*

Any updates? I've had mine running for a month - not sure it's fully kicked in but it fills up every week now after I harvest about 1/3 of it. I'm now running the lights at the max.recommended of 16 hours. Took both my Denitrator and Lanthanum offline. My nitrates have seem to have settled at 25-30ppm. My phosphates were slowly rising so I'm running some GFO - currently at .1ppm - still too high. I have a mixed reef 180g, no sump. Lots of fish and heavily fed. I just started dosing the iron supplement - not sure it'll make much difference as my chaeto has been growing fast without it.

I'm hoping I don't have to continue to run GFO to keep phosphates down. Still probably too early to tell. I can't complain about the growth rate of the chaeto - wondering if I should have purchased a larger unit.


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## Crayon

I cleaned out my reactor last weekend to find my chaeto mix was more mix and less chaeto. There was all sorts of funky stuff growing in it. Not bad, just other types of algae. So I emptied the whole thing and need to pick up some clean chaeto.
I’m keeping the red algae in it for fun, just to see what’s happens.
So far, my nitrates and phosphates have both come down a lot, to the point where our lanthanum is completely off line (it took a long time for me to be confident that removing the lanthanum would not cause an issue).
I will test levels again this weekend and update.
I may have to start dosing the additives required to keep the algae growing, just not certain yet.
The only thing I can’t monitor accurately with the reactor is the flow rate. I have no idea what flow rate is going through it.

What I really like about the chaeto reactor is the cost to maintain. No gfo, no nitraguard cubes (no need to go any buy any of that stuff). If you have a good algae source, then all this reactor costs is the power for the LED light for 8 hours. Cheap! 

Maintenance to clean the reactor takes about 10 minutes so 

after 6 months or so, I’m giving this system 👍🏻👍🏻 (two thumbs up)


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## Wiser

Thanks for updating. Strongly thinking of making the jump. 


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