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Starting Bio-Pellets
- Thread starter downbeach
- Start date
It looks like I've used about 1/3 of what I started with. I noticed a slight increase in my NO3, so I'm going to add some more today, and see if that will reduce it.
When you started this were your PO4 levels similar to your NO3?
I ended up getting the same reactor you have but have yet to start because my PO4 is minimal with my NO3 being around 2ppm. From what I've read you need both NO3 and PO4 for the pellets to work and once you run out of one the breakdown is not nearly as efficient. Can you tell me if this is correct ni your experience?
I ended up getting the same reactor you have but have yet to start because my PO4 is minimal with my NO3 being around 2ppm. From what I've read you need both NO3 and PO4 for the pellets to work and once you run out of one the breakdown is not nearly as efficient. Can you tell me if this is correct ni your experience?
I can't tell you for sure just what my PO4 was at the time since I wasn't using a Hanna meter when I started. I don't believe either my PO4 or NO3 were very high at all. I did take my fuge and GFO off line when I started the pellets. After a few months, my NO3 was undetectable, but the PO4 wasn't getting any lower than .08, so I redeployed the GFO reactor, at the same time I added the full amount of pellets for my system. I think all systems are going to be different. If you have some NO3 and PO4 with your current set up, I'd just put the pellets on line(about half), and start to slowly decrease whatever else you've been using to control your nutrients, as your pellets start to colonize and take up the slack. You'll want to use a pump(or ball valve) that has the ability to increase/decreace its flow. The tumble should be about like your GFO, just enough to keep it from clumping.
PS, I do periodically inoculate with a vial of BioDigest followed by a vial of Biotim.
PS, I do periodically inoculate with a vial of BioDigest followed by a vial of Biotim.
Are you guys seeing a lot of skimmer activity after adding in the pellets? After 3 weeks of ECOBAK I have not dumped a single cup a skimmate, yet they say that the skimmer is really important.
I'm starting to see a bit of red cyano as well, but that seems like the usual. I've also been doing a lot of waterchanges to purge out the HA and the sea hare waste, so I did not bother dosing with bacteria.
I'm starting to see a bit of red cyano as well, but that seems like the usual. I've also been doing a lot of waterchanges to purge out the HA and the sea hare waste, so I did not bother dosing with bacteria.
I would say my skimmate has gotten a lot darker. I've got a waste collector so occasionally i will pour that out - but not very frequently.
Not really.. I had this Tunze Nano 9002 running for a year and 1/2, in this tank, and it never really created skimmate. I just chalked it up to there was nothing in the water column since I did not feed the tank. I only had some kenya trees, pulsating xenia, and hairy mushrooms in it + about 10lbs of LR + HOB filter related at 50G.
Anyway, now that the bio-pellets are in place it started to brown/blacken the skimmer cup, but nothing goes in it. I've tried playing with it, but it's soo darn sensitive that the smallest change just makes the cup full with clear water. I have it now were the instruction manual recommends - were the bubbles are erupting. It's also a real pain if my sump suddenly dumps into the DT and the water level goes down. It actually dumps the cup instantly and spills over.
Anyway, I sent it to Tunze like a year ago since the pump shocked me when I was cleaning it. I have a bad habit of playing/cleaning with powerheads while they are plugged in.. They gave it a green bill of health and I asked them in advance to look it over since it has never created skimmate.
that skimmer needs to be at a certain water height to function correctly...but I am 100% in agreement with you on the sensitivity...it is very difficult to tune...that stated, once you hit the sweet spot it's great. I used it for my clowns when i was growing them out on a 29 gallon tank.
On occasion, about once a month, I add some Prodibio Biodigest and Bioptim.
I have a bulk reef supply dual reactor that was supposed to be used for carbon and phospban, would i be able to use this reactor for biopellets and if so how would i set it up?
A single dedicated BP reactor is best.
The dual reactors are not that good for pellets because they require a lot of flow. You would have to run the BP's in the last stage so the pellet slime doesn't clog any other media. Running it second stage you will lose flow in the first stage and might not get good mixing and the pellets will clump. If you run any media in the first stage you will have even less flow and most media requires a slower flow rate than what the BP's require.