Bio-Pellets Tumbling Pattern

[Staaan]

Is this how my bio-pellets should be "aggressively tumbling" as per the NP-X instructions?

I seem to have a sort of "dead spot" on the bottom center, a clump of pellets seem to be stationary while the other pellets are thrown around. Is this something to be concerned with?

You can see the "dead spot" at around 00:30 in the video.

<embed width="600" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" src="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf" flashvars="file=http%3A%2F%2Fvid288.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fll165%2FSSHNAYDER316%2F5fe9bbf9.mp4">

Thanks for looking.

 

[chuckbuc]

I have a few dead spots in mine also .what I do is once in a while I lean the reactor to the left our right this shifts the flow and gets the dead spot moving around .if I decide to keep my pellets then I may get a better reactor the 2 lf reactor can't handle pellets the right way .I'm still uncertain that the pellets even work so I might get rid of them

 

[DgenR8]

Leveling the reactor makes a difference, but I have not been able to get all my pellets to tumble no matter how much I try.

 

[THEDLO]

Leveling the reactor makes a difference, but I have not been able to get all my pellets to tumble no matter how much I try.

yea it has to be level. i placed my reactor directly into the sump because it was easier to level since the wooded platform under my stand wasn't.

 

[Staaan]

Thanks for the input guys.

Any other opinions/thoughts out there?

 

[Staaan]

Leveling the reactor makes a difference, but I have not been able to get all my pellets to tumble no matter how much I try.

Larry - I thought you said you weren't going to be using pellets?

 

[Staaan]

I have a few dead spots in mine also .what I do is once in a while I lean the reactor to the left our right this shifts the flow and gets the dead spot moving around .if I decide to keep my pellets then I may get a better reactor the 2 lf reactor can't handle pellets the right way .I'm still uncertain that the pellets even work so I might get rid of them

Charlie - why don't you want to stay with the pellets?

Did you observe a decrease in nitrates & phosphates?

 

[Staaan]

It's good to read the instructions once in a while,

As per the npx biobeads instruction manual -

"NpX-Bio Beads are best used within a fluidized reactor with enough flow to keep the top layer of Beads tumbling aggressively. Start with about ½ the total volume of Beads you want to run and work your way up to the full volume over a week or so. The average amount of Beads to aim at is about 550ml per 75 Gallons of water volume, more or less can be used depending on your unique bio load and inhabitants."

So I infer that's it's just the top layer of beads that needs to aggressively tumble...

 

[DgenR8]

Larry - I thought you said you weren't going to be using pellets?

I bought, and introduced 550 ML before I read that I need 550ML for each 75 gallons of system volume. My system is almost 500 gallons. I don't have enough reactors to run that many pellets, but I never took the original ones off line.

 

[afernandez]

i think that 2much flow. look for the recomemded flow rate (i cood be wrong)
what brand of pellets are those?

 

[chuckbuc]

I didn't notice much dif stan.my phos and trats.are pretty low .but I'm not giving the pellets the credit I have been doing water changes everyweekend so maybe its low from that .I did notice my ph has been very low now and I heard it could be from the pellets I wonder if anyone else has had low ph issues using pellets

 

[DrHarryLopez]

I've been runnning the BP's since last July, my pH has been consistently high-normal 8.2-8.35.
Weekly water changes will not result in significant reduction in Nitrates or phosphates if your having those issues. If N/P are low water changes may help keep them low if everything else is consistent.
Stan, the tumble rate seems to be slightly high. Just me...