Bio-Pellets & Skimmer question

[nycreef]

This question pertains to when power or skimmer turn off (which happens when my float valve in the 5 gallon bucket is full of skimate) will shut the skimmer down and now, what happens to the BP reactor? Should it shut down as well since the outlet of the bp reactor goes to the skimmer or let the bp reactor continue its output even though the skimmer isnt catching anything cause it off.

Normally i would think to let it shut the bp reactor also but i understand that if the biopellets themselves arent moving they become toxic but how long before this occurs is my question. hours, days, ect.
and if i let the bp reactor continue its output, then nutrients in the biopellets will create an algae bloom or worse.

when im home i can handle a few hours of whatever but when im away is when i run in to issues.
This is an SPS and Chalice dominant tank so i really have no margin of error.

 

[bertoni]

If the flow gets shut off on the bio-pellets, the water can become anoxic, which can lead to anaerobic decay. Anaerobic decay can produce toxic chemicals. I'd try to set up the reactor so that flow can keep going as much as possible.

 

[nycreef]

Understood but what about the nutrients going in to the tank without being skimmed? And what period of time before toxicity occurs with in the reactor? I need a more detailed explanation no offense.

 

[bertoni]

The bacteria will continue consuming nitrate, phosphate, and the bio-pellets, along with oxygen, as long as they can. The reactor might become anoxic and build up a lot of hydrogen sulfide in a few hours.

 

[downbeach]

How long does it take for your bucket to fill with skimmate? Can you dump it more frequently? Are you using a DC return pump, with a slow/delayed start up?

 

[nycreef]

The bacteria will continue consuming nitrate, phosphate, and the bio-pellets, along with oxygen, as long as they can. The reactor might become anoxic and build up a lot of hydrogen sulfide in a few hours.

So I guess the answer is two fold. If the bp reactor is off but for less than lets say a day( 12 hours ) then it shouldn't be a problem. If im away and not tending to this is when im running in to a problem. Not sure what the answer is then because at some point in time i wont be home for 3 days or more at a time and if it continues to feed or shuts down i either crashed the system with too much bp fluid going in and not being skimmed or im back to square one starting the bp's all over again because the system shut down along with the skimmer.
This is all leading me to to an obvious answer which i really dont want to do. A second small skimmer just for the biopellets reactor which i really dont have much room for in my sump.

How long does it take for your bucket to fill with skimmate? Can you dump it more frequently? Are you using a DC return pump, with a slow/delayed start up?

The 5 gallon container can take a week or so to fill or sometimes it can fill in a day cause something made the skimmer go nuts and im sure you know what im talking about. Im not sure what you mean about a DC return pump/ delayed start up?

 

[oseymour]

I've shut off my biopellet reactor for a week and then simply restarted it. I did get a foulish smell for about 4 hours after restart and my skimmate was extra stinky for the first 48 hours.

My tank and it's inhabitants were fine -then again, all I have is softies and lps. You have more sensitive corals.

 

[d-man]

Some manufacturers state that the reactor output doesn't need to go into the skimmer. So it may depend on the biopellets. But I would think that even a few hrs of the skimmer being off wouldn't make a difference, and that the skimmer, once turned on will then just pull a lil heavier initially.

 

[nycreef]

Some manufacturers state that the reactor output doesn't need to go into the skimmer. So it may depend on the biopellets. But I would think that even a few hrs of the skimmer being off wouldn't make a difference, and that the skimmer, once turned on will then just pull a lil heavier initially.

So on a day to no biggie if skimmer shuts and BP reactor continues or shuts off also.
On the long term outage now is what I'm wondering about. I guess it might be trial and error.

 

[bertoni]

Some people report die-offs after restarting reactors. There are a number of factors involved, including the volume of the reactor compared to the volume of the tank, and the biomass of bacteria that die, which depends on the nutrient input stream. Personally, I wouldn't assume that 12 hours is safe.

It likely will be safe to put the output of the reactor into the tank without a skimmer. You could try it to see what happens.

 

[nycreef]

I'll try that. As we speak my skimmer shut down because of the float valve and is now working without the skimmer. I'm at work so it'll be like that for another 5 hours. I guess the corals will enjoy the extra nutrients in the meantime.

 

[lpsouth1978]

I take it you run a wet skimmate? It would take me a month or more to fill my 5 gallon bucket with skimmate, though I like a pretty dry skimmate and my system is about a third of the water volume yours is.

I have had my system (returns, skimmer, reactors, etc... just wavemakers running) shut down for several hours during major maintenance without any harm to fish or corals. I would not want to have the BP reactor off for more than a few hours though.

 

[nycreef]

I try not to let it skim wet but it's just happens at times because I keep the foam close to the top so the skimmer runs more efficient.