I'd like to get some opinion on how people run their bio pellet.
This is my second time running a BP reactor. I started running it about 2 months ago, when PO4 was 0.1. and I think sometime during last week PO4 is down to undetectable level. It shows zero on Hanna checker. Obviously it's impossible to have BP export matching exactly the PO4 output of the tank so either BP is taking out too much or not at all. Also note that I do see algae on the glass so there is nutrient in the water. I also feed quite liberally so there is always nutrient going thru the system. I see some very minor paling of the color of some of the SPS corals. I run the tank at 7.3 ALK.
So here are the options:
1. Remove some pellets but this will suffer from the problem mentioned above, either too little or too much pellets. Consider how slowly the PO4 decreased to zero the amount of BP is probably very close to the balance point.
2. Running the reactor part time. If this works it can give me a finer control on how much nutrients to remove. For example, I can run 50 minutes every hour this will keep the water in the reactor fairly fresh while reducing the amount of nutrients the reactor removes.
3. Do nothing and wait a few more weeks to see longer term effect.
I do measure nitrate weekly and if it becomes zero I dose 1ppm. Right now it's at 1ppm.
Like to hear some thoughts on this and how people run their reactors.
This is my second time running a BP reactor. I started running it about 2 months ago, when PO4 was 0.1. and I think sometime during last week PO4 is down to undetectable level. It shows zero on Hanna checker. Obviously it's impossible to have BP export matching exactly the PO4 output of the tank so either BP is taking out too much or not at all. Also note that I do see algae on the glass so there is nutrient in the water. I also feed quite liberally so there is always nutrient going thru the system. I see some very minor paling of the color of some of the SPS corals. I run the tank at 7.3 ALK.
So here are the options:
1. Remove some pellets but this will suffer from the problem mentioned above, either too little or too much pellets. Consider how slowly the PO4 decreased to zero the amount of BP is probably very close to the balance point.
2. Running the reactor part time. If this works it can give me a finer control on how much nutrients to remove. For example, I can run 50 minutes every hour this will keep the water in the reactor fairly fresh while reducing the amount of nutrients the reactor removes.
3. Do nothing and wait a few more weeks to see longer term effect.
I do measure nitrate weekly and if it becomes zero I dose 1ppm. Right now it's at 1ppm.
Like to hear some thoughts on this and how people run their reactors.
