• 50-litre acrylic culture column — enough standing volume to run a continuous harvest-and-refill cycle instead of batch culturing.
• 50 W, 6,200 K LED light — five times the Reactor II's output, matched to the larger volume so light still reaches the centre of the column.
• MEAN WELL power supply — a commercial-grade LED driver rather than a generic plug pack, built for continuous 24/7 operation.
• 2 m PVC air supply pipe with adjustment valve — included, so aeration is dialled in from day one rather than sourced separately.
• 1 m PVC sampling pipe with adjustment tap — draw off a harvest without disturbing the rest of the culture or lifting the lid.
• Runs on around 438 kWh a year — the 50 W LED is designed for continuous operation; at 30c/kWh that's roughly $131 a year to run around the clock.

Ten times the culture volume of the Reactor II isn't just "more of the same" — at this scale you're running a standing culture with a rolling harvest (draw off through the sampling tap, top back up) rather than growing and dumping a batch. If your feeding load is one reef tank, the II is cheaper to run and easier to fit on a shelf. If you're supplying multiple tanks, farming coral frags, or breeding copepods and rotifers as a feed source, the PRO's volume is what keeps a continuous culture from crashing between harvests.

Fill with saltwater (or freshwater for infusoria culture) and a starter culture, connect the included 2 m air supply pipe to an aeration source, and run the light continuously. Aqua Medic recommends a Mistral 2000 II or a larger air pump to keep a 50-litre column properly mixed and gas-exchanged — the smaller pump sized for the Reactor II won't move enough air for this volume. Draw a harvest through the 1 m sampling pipe and its adjustment tap without opening the lid, then top the culture back up.

• Plankton Light Reactor PRO acrylic culture column with 50 W LED lid
• MEAN WELL power transformer (230 V / 50 Hz)
• 2 m PVC air supply pipe with adjustment valve
• 1 m PVC sampling pipe with adjustment tap

• Air pump — Aqua Medic specifies a Mistral 2000 II or larger for this volume; it isn't supplied
• Starter phytoplankton or microalgae culture
• Fertiliser or culture medium

Suitable for: hobbyists and small-scale breeders running continuous live-food culture to feed multiple tanks, a frag farm, or a copepod and rotifer breeding line that needs daily green water.

Not suitable for: a single lightly-stocked reef tank that only needs an occasional phytoplankton dose — the Reactor II is the right size at a fraction of the cost; running without adequate aeration, which will crash a 50-litre culture faster than a small one.

Rinse the column and lid between batches or at each full refresh to stop old growth fouling new culture. Wipe the inside acrylic wall periodically — algal film on the column wall cuts light penetration to the centre of a 300 mm-diameter culture more than it does in the smaller reactor.

Mains-powered via the included MEAN WELL transformer (230 V / 50 Hz, which covers Australia's 230–240 V / 50 Hz mains) — keep the power supply and cabling clear of splashes and standing water, and route the air and sampling lines so they can't siphon back into the transformer housing.

• A Mistral 2000 II or larger air pump, sized for the 50-litre volume
• A dosing pump, to automate feeding from the sampling tap into your system
• Phytoplankton or copepod starter cultures, to seed the column

Covered by Aqua Medic's manufacturer warranty in addition to your rights under Australian Consumer Law. At 1.25 m tall in a specialised acrylic vessel, check delivery clearance before it arrives.

What air pump does the Reactor PRO need?

Aqua Medic recommends a Mistral 2000 II or larger. The smaller pump sized for the 5-litre Reactor II won't provide enough air for a 50-litre column.

Is the power supply Australian-compatible?

It ships with a MEAN WELL transformer rated 230 V / 50 Hz, which covers Australia's 230–240 V / 50 Hz mains. Check the plug fitted to your unit matches an Australian outlet before installing.

How do I harvest without disturbing the whole culture?

Use the included 1 m sampling pipe and its adjustment tap to draw off what you need, then top the column back up — you don't need to open the lid or disturb the light.

Can I run this on freshwater infusoria instead of marine phytoplankton?

Yes — the column and light work the same way for freshwater or marine culture; only the starter culture and nutrient dosing change.

How much floor space does it actually need?

Around 500 x 500 mm at the base, with enough headroom above for the full 1.25 m height including the light — check ceiling and shelf clearance before ordering.