Aqua Medic Multi Reactor - Gen II
Water type
Freshwater + Marine
Aqua Medic Multi Reactor - Gen II
A fluidised media reactor sized S, M or L, for running carbon, GFO, zeolite or fine filter media without a bag going anaerobic in the corner of a sump. The Aqua Medic Multi Reactor Gen II mounts directly in the aquarium or sump via a holder rated to 12 mm glass, and uses a built-in 12 V low-voltage pump to keep loose filter media tumbling evenly — carbon, phosphate remover, zeolite or fine mechanical media all work properly only when water passes through the whole bed, not just around a channelled bag.
Key features
- Three sizes, S/M/L — media capacity from roughly 150 mL up to 800 mL, so the reactor can be matched to tank size rather than oversized or undersized.
- Built-in 12 V pump — a low-voltage pump is fitted to each size, drawing 4 W (S), 8 W (M) or 14 W (L).
- Even media fluidisation — water is driven up through the media bed so carbon, GFO or zeolite tumbles rather than channelling or compacting.
- Removable filling tube — media can be topped up or swapped without disassembling the whole reactor.
- In-tank or in-sump mounting — a holder clamps to glass up to 12 mm thick, so it works in the display or the sump.
Specifications
| S | M | L | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SKU | AM409930 | AM409940 | AM409950 |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | approx. 60 x 50 x 325 mm | approx. 80 x 60 x 390 mm | approx. 100 x 100 x 465 mm |
| Usable media capacity | approx. 150 mL | approx. 380 mL | approx. 800 mL |
| Rated pump flow | approx. 200 L/h | approx. 350 L/h | approx. 450 L/h |
| Power | 12 V / 4 W | 12 V / 8 W | 12 V / 14 W |
| Recommended aquarium size | up to 350 L | up to 500 L | up to 800 L |
| Max glass thickness (holder) | 12 mm | 12 mm | 12 mm |
Which size do I need?
Match the reactor to your aquarium's total water volume rather than to the media bag size you're used to buying. The S suits tanks up to roughly 350 L, the M up to roughly 500 L, and the L up to roughly 800 L. If your tank sits right on a size boundary, or you run a heavier bioload, sizing up gives the pump more flow margin to keep the media properly fluidised rather than lightly stirred.
Performance
Flow is rated at the pump, not through a full media bed — as with any reactor, actual flow through the reactor drops once it's loaded with media, and drops further as fine media compacts over time. The figures below are the manufacturer's rated pump output for each size, at 12 V, unrestricted.
| Size | Rated pump flow | Media load |
|---|---|---|
| S | approx. 200 L/h | approx. 150 mL |
| M | approx. 350 L/h | approx. 380 mL |
| L | approx. 450 L/h | approx. 800 mL |
Aqua Medic doesn't publish a flow-versus-media-load curve for this reactor, so treat the figures above as unrestricted pump output rather than realised flow once media is loaded — judge performance by media effectiveness and your usual replacement schedule rather than assuming full-rated flow indefinitely.
What's included
The reactor body, mounting holder (clamps to glass up to 12 mm), integrated 12 V pump, and a removable filling tube for topping up media. Filter media itself is not included and is sold separately.
Suitable for, and not suitable for
Suited to freshwater and marine aquariums running loose filter media — activated carbon, phosphate remover (GFO), zeolite or fine mechanical media. Not designed as a biological filter chamber, and not a substitute for a protein skimmer in a reef tank.
Care and maintenance
Check media regularly and replace on the media manufacturer's stated interval — carbon and GFO exhaust well before they look "used up". Rinse the pump impeller periodically to keep flow at the rated figure, since a fouled impeller is the most common cause of a reactor that looks like it's channelling.
Safety
Low-voltage 12 V pump; connect only via the power supply intended for this unit. As with any submersible aquarium pump, keep the mains-side connection above water level and check the cable for damage before use.
Goes well with
- Activated carbon, GFO or zeolite media sized to the reactor you choose.
- Aqua Medic mV Monitor or mV Computer-Set — for reef tanks running ozone or redox control alongside media filtration.
Warranty and delivery
Covered by the Aqua Medic manufacturer warranty against defects, in addition to your rights under the Australian Consumer Law. Standard parcel delivery Australia-wide.
Common questions
Can I run carbon and GFO in the same reactor at once?
You can layer media, but carbon and GFO exhaust at different rates, so most reef keepers run them in separate reactors, or in the same reactor on separate replacement schedules, to avoid guessing which one still has capacity left.
Does the flow rate drop once media is loaded?
Yes. The rated flow figures are unrestricted pump output; a full media bed reduces flow. Aqua Medic doesn't publish a loaded-flow curve for this model, so judge performance by media effectiveness and replacement schedule rather than by flow alone.
Will the L size fit a nano tank?
No — size the reactor to your tank volume using the table above. An oversized reactor on a small tank can push more flow through the sump than you want; an undersized one on a large tank won't fluidise the media properly.
Can it mount inside the display tank?
Yes, the holder clamps to glass up to 12 mm thick either in the display or the sump, though most reef keepers prefer sump mounting to keep it out of view.
Is filter media included?
No. The reactor ships empty — choose carbon, GFO, zeolite or fine media separately based on what you're targeting.
