Deltec Fluidized Bed Calcium Reactors PF601

Fluidized bed calcium reactor.

Ideal mixing of media and CO2.

Dosing pump NOT INCLUDED.

Recommended Dosing Pumps: 
Kamoer FX-STP WiFi Continuous-Duty Peristaltic Dosing Pump.
Kamoer X1 Bluetooth Micropump Doser.
Kamoer X1 Pro Wifi Dosing Pump.

PF601

Aquarium size up to 526 gallons, Holds 8.7 kg of media, Dimensions (LXBXH)  10.25 x 10.25  x 20.75  inches , Uses Aquabee UP-2000 (included).

Setup & Use

Deltec’s PF-series manual and D-D’s own step-by-step guide both cover this reactor. In short:

1. Wash the media before anything else. Deltec ask for granulate free of floating matter and foreign particles. D-D’s guide goes further: wash it in batches under a hose until the water runs clear, then stand it in RO water for a few hours to rinse out the nitrate and phosphate that come with tap water, and drain it well. Because the reactor works on the fluidised-bed principle, Deltec specify Rowalith C+ or Deltec Hy-Carb: a coarse media will simply sit there.
2. Fill the vessel. Turn the reactor head anticlockwise and lift it off, then take out the strainer plate and sponge. Fit cap No. 12 over the central feed pipe No. 15 so media cannot drop into it, keeping the pipe straight and central, and fill to the fill line marked on the body. Hold the clear pipe with one hand while you pull the cap off, or you will lift it out and lose media down the hole in the plate. Refit the strainer plate with the sponge pointing downwards.
3. Close it up. Clean the O-ring and all sealing surfaces, grease the O-ring with silicone spray or grease, align the bayonet and turn the head clockwise. A couple of degrees past the point where you feel it grip the O-ring is enough; D-D warn that over-tightening can break the bayonet, and that the lid is not meant to line up squarely with the foot.
4. Fill the bubble counter with tap water: loosen the cap nut of the pressure fitting, take the hoses off, withdraw the counter and fill it under a tap.
5. Feed water in. The micro filter on the lid takes water either from a separate pump or from a bypass off the main aquarium pump. Open the tap at the micro filter, let the reactor fill, then start the circulation pump; raising the outlet hose above the reactor body for a moment helps trapped air out. Run the outlet back into a high-flow part of the sump, and leave the end above water so you can count the drips. Never restrict or block the outlet: that puts the reactor under pressure.
6. Connect the CO₂. A flexible CO₂ hose runs from the regulator, or the solenoid if you have one, to the non-return valve and bubble counter on the reactor. The non-return valve has to be there and has to be the right way round: without it, water pushes back into the bubble counter when the gas shuts off and travels on into the solenoid and gauges. D-D set the secondary gauge to about 1 to 1.5 bar. Start at roughly one bubble per second and two to four drops per second at the outlet.
7. Tune it. Deltec put the working pH inside the reactor at 6.2 to 6.5, and the aquarium calcium level above 400 mg/l, preferably 470 to 500. D-D suggest measuring the dKH of the water leaving the reactor after one to two hours and aiming for 45 to 50 to start with. If it reads low, raise the CO₂ or slow the water: one change at a time, and give it a couple of hours before you test again.
8. Run it with the lights on. A calcium reactor pushes pH down while photosynthesis pushes it up, so D-D recommend running the reactor for nine to twelve hours a day, timed to the photoperiod, using the solenoid rather than changing the water flow. Check dKH and calcium in the tank daily at first and shorten or lengthen the CO₂ period as the corals grow.
9. Top it up before it runs low. D-D make the point that the only real difference between the models in this range is how much media they hold, so there is nothing to gain by letting the level fall.

pH probe. This model has a probe port in the lid under the red blanking plug. Loosen the black domed nut, take the plug out and store it in the hole provided, push the probe in until it touches the perforated plate, pull it back about 20 mm and hand-tighten the nut onto the built-in O-ring. Take care not to push the O-ring into the port, or it will leak. A pH controller is optional: D-D say they get better results without one.

What you still need. A CO₂ cylinder, a two-stage regulator with gauges and a feed pump are all separate. The bubble counter, non-return valve, probe holder and micro filter are built in; the solenoid valve is a Deltec option.

Media. Deltec’s own sources do not agree on whether media ships with the reactor: the US listing our specification comes from does not mention media at all, while D-D’s UK listing for the PF509 says in one line that it comes supplied with 2 kg of Rowalith C+ and in the next that it includes 2.5 kg of Hy-Carb. Message us before you order if you need media supplied with it, and we will tell you what is in the carton we hold.

Freshness & Storage

Every batch we dispatch carries a minimum of 6 months’ remaining shelf life. Store this product in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, with the cap or inner foil closed tightly after each use.

Filter media and substrates carry no manufacturing or expiry date: their working life begins on first contact with water, not on the shelf.

Backorder & Dispatch Timeline

This item is stocked to order. Back-orders are consolidated and placed with our overseas suppliers once a month, on the last day of the month, and all such orders are shipped before the 15th of the following month.

Back-orders cannot be cancelled once they have been placed with the supplier. If you cancel before that, payment-gateway charges of 2% plus GST are deducted and the balance refunded. In the rare case a supplier cannot fulfil the item, we will offer you an alternative first, and refund in full with no deduction if you would rather not take it.

Warranty & Support

This product is covered by warranty as per the manufacturer policy, against material and manufacturing defects from the date of purchase.

Warranty support is handled by us directly. Message our WhatsApp support with your order number and we will diagnose the fault first. Most cases are solved by replacing a single part, so you rarely need to send the whole unit. If the item does need to come back, it ships to our Delhi or Pune warehouse, whichever one served your order, and courier cost in both directions is borne by the customer. Your GST invoice is valid proof of purchase for the claim.

Returns & Replacement

Returns are accepted within 7 days of delivery, provided the item is unused and in its original packaging. Manufacturer-sealed items cannot be returned once the seal is broken, and sale-priced items are not refundable.

If your item arrives defective or damaged, message us on WhatsApp with your order number, or email us if you would rather, and we will replace it. Approved replacements are delivered within 3 to 5 business days. Transit damage is covered by insurance on every shipment. If tracking shows delivered but nothing reached you, tell us within 48 hours, which is the reporting window Indian couriers allow. Damage caused during installation or use is not covered; replacement spares for such cases are chargeable.

Full terms are on our Cancellation & Returns page.