biopellet for SPS tank?

[machodik]

Dear All Sps Expert here,

I wonder if there is any SPS expert that still using Biopellet to reduce their nutrient? I have heard so much "cons" in using biopellet for SPS tank.

A lot of people saying the biopellet cause more chances of STN/RTN.

Hope to hear from you guys!

Cheers,


MD

 

[machodik]

Anyone ?

 

[Relativity]

I just bought the Np all in one pellets. The regular pellets always seem to not be good enough for phosphate control. Lunar uses them aswell he has an incredible tank. I have been using pellets for a long time now and they never hurt anything.

 

[Tron_954]

What kind if effects could pellets have on introducing them into an established tank?

I have pellets and a reactor for my 30g nano but was afraid to try them.

I never detect p04 & n03 but suspect algae somewhere is eating it up, which is not what i want

 

[spsfreak1977]

Been running Warner marine for about a year
With no problems at all
Will never go back to gfo

 

[mhucasey]

The best SPS tank in the world(in mine and several other's opinions) has used biopellets for several years, Kryztof Tryc aka Lunar:
http://youtu.be/OGMrT1vHqpQ

I have also been using them with great success.

 

[doctorwhoreefer]

Ecobak plus pellets here (warner marine 2nd gen) since they came out. They're touted as a multiple carbon source.(I would suspect a vsv kind of combo, don't quote me though) They work a lot better than the first gen in which I'll admit I had cyano and bacterial mats, but I also didn't have a recirculating reactor. Which in hindsight I think is vital.

I also have mine plumped into my skimmer both for input and output. Meaning reactor input from skimmer output, and reactor output to skimmer input. Thus creating another recirculating system in addition to the reactor. I've successfully kept a high degree of more bacteria in the reactor than I've ever seen.

I have found a 1ml amp of biodigest will establish a reactor in 24 hours, for a 75 gallon tank. The bacteria addition definitely seems more optimal than bacteria from the air, it also greatly helps directly after cleaning the reactor.

Don't think I would ever setup another tank without them. It makes phosphate and nitrate management kinda comical that it was ever a problem in the first place when keeping aquariums. In my opinion it's a step up from vinegar/vodka/sugar dosing in keeping the bacterial colonies mostly out of the main tank.

 

[machodik]

biopellet for SPS tank?

This was indeed a very encouraging words !

How about any "cons" ? Just want to hear more and more people sharing their experiences .

Cheers,


MD

 

[mhucasey]

I tried both the Vertex and ReefDynamics pellets and had issues with SPS corals losing polyp extension and with poor Phoshate removal. I have had success with both the regular NP biopellets and the all-in-one biopellets. The use of a recirculating reactor is a must in my opinion to be able to tumble the pellets properly while separately controlling the flow through rate.
With pellets you must make sure to keep a positive nitrate value, as there are many situations where the pellets stripped all the nitrate in a tank. Corals will pale and struggle with zero nitrate in the water in this situation.

 

[Big E]

I tried both the Vertex and ReefDynamics pellets and had issues with SPS corals losing polyp extension and with poor Phoshate removal. I have had success with both the regular NP biopellets and the all-in-one biopellets. The use of a recirculating reactor is a must in my opinion to be able to tumble the pellets properly while separately controlling the flow through rate.
With pellets you must make sure to keep a positive nitrate value, as there are many situations where the pellets stripped all the nitrate in a tank. Corals will pale and struggle with zero nitrate in the water in this situation.

I agree..........and why I never tried the pellets. No control with those other reactors. You need to have control like you do if you were dosing vodka/vinegar.

You nailed it on the Nitrate too...........I think a lot of those pellet products weren't eliminating PO4 as much as just NO3. From what I know or have heard they lace the newer pellets(All in One) with some kind of GFO or some kind polymer that works like GFO?

Probably a terrible explanation by me, as I'm still trying to understand that part. Jon Warner is going to be talking at one of our local clubs in a few months or so. I'm anxious to hear what he has to say about bio pellets in general.

 

[toothman]

how about trying zeo start for your carbon source. It is easier to control than pellets. Has nitrate in it, it will keep your nitrate 1ppm. Many say you have to use the whole zeo system,(and the whole system would be better) what is the entire biopellet system: not much. Why don't you need to use a whole system with pellets.

On a side note I have zeo in my main tank and have pellets in my isolation tank. The zeo tank has better nutrient levels and coral looks better, but there is better everything on the main tank.

 

[doctorwhoreefer]

This was indeed a very encouraging words !

How about any "cons" ? Just want to hear more and more people sharing their experiences .

Cheers,
MD

One thing I learned as well, is just keep the effluent mostly closed. Opening it up can easily strip water overnight. After so much time has gone by, I just ignore the rising phosphate test and leave the effluent trickling water out. The phosphate level will go back down fairly quickly.

Another con is it seems that everytime you change the water in the reactor, or expose the pellets to air, it eliminates the bacteria it seems and colonization will need to take pace again before it's at maximum efficiency.

I noted someone asked about zeostart. I've tried this and it doesn't seem to affect the pellets from what I've seen very much. (ecobak first gen, and ecobak plus pellets)
I did however notice that I was able to not only recolonize the pellets after a full clean out in the reactor but also bring the phosphate levels down from .22 to .05, both of these happened in 27 hours iirc. I only used 1ml of biodigest for a 75gallon, which is still under their suggested dose.