Bio Pellet Reactor or huh?

[mathusala]

So I am setting up a new tank, 245g display.

Originally I planned on GFO media reactor, Carbon media Reactor, and a refugium in the sump with live rubble and chaeto.

Now I am starting to think that a Reef Dynamics bio reactor might be a better plan but i am unsure what this eliminates from my system and would like to check with you guys to see if I understand it correctly.

The way I understand it is:
The use of GFO and Carbon is to reduce nitrates and phosphates in the system and what they don't pick up the refugium is supposed to eat the rest.

If i use the bio reactor does this effectively replace my refugium, and also does this also eleminate my need for GFO? I think carbon also does additional filtration so I think that is still needed but I am just not sure at this point.

Any points of clarification are welcome thanks!

 

[sirreal63]

You may still need GFO, it depends on the levels your tank is starting at. IIRC the consumption rate is 16 parts of NO3 to 1 part PO4, so if you have a lot of PO4 you will need the GFO to remove it.

 

[BigKahuna]

The way I understand it is:
The use of GFO and Carbon is to reduce nitrates and phosphates in the system and what they don't pick up the refugium is supposed to eat the rest.

If i use the bio reactor does this effectively replace my refugium, and also does this also eleminate my need for GFO? I think carbon also does additional filtration so I think that is still needed but I am just not sure at this point.

Any points of clarification are welcome thanks!

The GFO is excellent at phosphate removal but neither the GFO nor the Carbon is going to do anything about nitrates in the long term AFAIK. The refugium with macro algae will work on both however. The refugium is somewhat limited in how much PO4 it can take up because it's used up in something like a 16:1 ratio vs. nitrates, I think it's called the Redfield ratio. The BP's are just a way to enable much more rapid and effective nitrate reduction as well as PO4 reduction to some degree, the same 16:1 ratio applies here too. This enables you to feed your tank much more than you could otherwise. I use BP's and still use a GFO reactor because it seems the BP's are so very good at nitrate removal, I can't detect any in my water, that the PO4 must not be a limiting factor from introduction with food etc. that they aren't consuming all the PO4. The downside is that in systems that are low on nutrients to begin with you could end up stripping the water so thoroughly of nutrients the corals might actually suffer, this is probably one of the reasons some people have trouble with BP's. I actually find that leaving in my filter socks longer seems to keep my PO4 lower than swapping them more regularly. The old "nitrate factory" problem with decaying matter in sponges and filters mat actually be of some benefit in a system using a BP reactor IMHO. I think some people even dose nitrate to give their carbon dosing scheme more to work with and thus consume even more of the more troublesome to reduce PO4.

My albeit non-expert advice would be two part. One, don't set up a BP reactor right away because the tank won't have much in the way to feed the bacterial that call the BP's home. And Two, plan to feed your tank more if you go with BP's.

 

[mathusala]

My tank is brand new so I will be starting at go.

I knew I wouldn't run the GFO until the tank was established but thought I would have the refugium and carbon running.

So you guys are saying (if i am reading this right), I could skip the refugium if I went with the bio pellets.

As far as not using the bio reactor at the start I am planning on the reef dynamics bio reactor that can be dialed down so that I can slowly turn it up as my levels rise (in theory).

What are your thoughts on this plan? This is all kinda new to me, I've had tanks years ago but this is a pretty big change from what I was used to.

And btw thank you guys soo much for explaining this to me.

 

[sirreal63]

Yes, if I were going to use a reactor for pellets, I would use the RD one. If you do use the pellets on a new tank, use about a quarter of the recommended amount.

 

[mathusala]

Yes, if I were going to use a reactor for pellets, I would use the RD one. If you do use the pellets on a new tank, use about a quarter of the recommended amount.

Sweet thank you again for the help.