Biopellet Reactor: Tuning

[DamonG]

Gonna try and reply to all.

The dry skim well yes mean more effluent will get into the system, thus more nutrient into the system and water column. I will preface that with "potentially". Simply because it depends on what you want to do. In one hand, you could dial the effluent back on the top, which I know you really don't want to do, or, you could let it ride and see what happens if anything, but I would test as things could change pretty quickly. At least once a day I would honestly.. Or, you could set yourself up to get another skimmer.. Yours is giving "me" a headache.. Lol! Just kidding.. Ha ha..

But, i remember, before these skimmers, I used aqua c ev skimmers. I liked them, but they were noisy.. First skimmer that actually allowed me to adjust from wet to dry skim fairly easily.. But my point is, that most decent skimmers will get the dark and clunky gunk out dry skim, but not all of them are really adjustable easily.. I don't know why myself and honestly, but lol, that's why I think he charges what he does for his products, and as a flip why as you said there are "dynamics haters". It's a tough choice honestly to contemplate when you have something that won't let you do what you want.

My lights right now have me there.. I have to upgrade after Christmas and I'm not happy at all about it.. But it's something, I know I need to do with the system or I'll just go buggy.. Lol

 

[gdemos]

Hindsight I'd go with a true recirculating external skimmer. .... Also would have bought Apple stock at $7. Headache indeed. Sorry to drag you into my tribulations

 

[DamonG]

Ah no dude.. Lol, I was just joking. That's what we're all here for. To help one another.. Lol..

This hobby, like most others, are labors of love. Tremendous progress has been made by sharing of knowledge, ideas and if course trials. Sharing is the key to unlock the mysterious husbandry..

Anything I can possibly do too help or learn at the same time. Your helping me also. May not seem like it, but you are dude. No worries!

And lol, isn't hindsight 20/20. I was just talking to my girlfriend about our tank and your issue. She wonders why I stay so attached to my phone. Then, I show her the videos and she just sat and smiled at me.. Lol, that smile makes it all worthwhile..

 

[Aqualund]

Everytime I have an issue with an overflowing skimmer (due heavy organics, or using epoxy putty to affix a coral) the "skimmate" is basically clear. I think since you opened you pellet reactor more, you will get this overflow until you get all the extra stuff that wasn't in there before...out of the system.

I recommend operating at normal level and letting the water that comes out just flow into an extra bucket until the overflow stops.

 

[Aquarist007]

Everytime I have an issue with an overflowing skimmer (due heavy organics, or using epoxy putty to affix a coral) the "skimmate" is basically clear. I think since you opened you pellet reactor more, you will get this overflow until you get all the extra stuff that wasn't in there before...out of the system.

I recommend operating at normal level and letting the water that comes out just flow into an extra bucket until the overflow stops.

I second this :thumbsup:

 

[gdemos]

I understand that certain additives, coagulants, or indeed an effluent from BPR could result in skimmer overflowing. But after leaving it this morning at what I'd consider a very low water level setting with an anticipation of heavy suds I was surprised to see another skimmer overflow. And this is clear skimmate as you describe aqualund. So now removing this from system as opposed to just dumping it back in sump. I normally would dispose of an overflowed skimmer cup, but here and there this past few events I just dumped it back to sump since it was so clear. Will continue to discard any overflowed skimmate and keep an eye on salinity.

I am glad to be experimenting like this prior to acros going in

Maybe I'm getting there?, have noticed RBTA subsiding more than normal. And some minimal whitish dusting on glass

Think I might have to get a pinpoint nitrate instant test. I really don't like the three minute salifert NO3 kit!

 

[DamonG]

The dusting is a great sign!

And yep, that would make sense with the overflowing.. Test, test, test! See where your at! And share!

And yep, burp the skimmer! Mix up some extra saltwater and have at it with a bucket.. Your system is larger than mine of course, but it never took long when I used to do it..

And three minutes? Ha! Try the red sea 9 minutes.. Lmao..

 

[gdemos]

Mb7 arrived today. Says 1 capful (5mL) per 25gal daily for first 2 weeks. 50 ml daily for me going right into BPR.

Pretty clean and easy unscrew BPR Top, recirc continues uninterrupted , add bacteria let it ride a few, cap back on and can keep effluent settings etc without touching

Current
No3 : 10-25 ppm salifert. (down from 25+ week ago)
Po4. .1104 Hanna ULR (from .2698 week ago)

-Greg

 

[DamonG]

Really? That's strange dude. I tried to release my cap once and it sprayed all over the place. Maybe I'm missing something here?

I thought and from my experience, it was pressurized unless the valve(the red ball valve) was just about horizontal, and then, there's little to no suction going through the reactor and the input and output..???

You sure your shooting water out of your top when the cap is on, and your getting draw? Just sounds odd. I would go try it on mine but I'm pretty sure I'd have a mess on my hands.. Lol

And just saw your test results! Excellent! So what's your next move? Opening a little more?

 

[gdemos]

If you shut down the feed line (ball valve on 3/8 line in first), carefully unscrew lid water will be at very top of course. Siphon out a bit and you're in clean. Can then clean too strainers if necessary etc.

Try shutting down feed line while keeping everything else running for a minute (effluent open, pump powered). Wrap a towel if need be around top then open lid. Maybe a little spill from jostling the reactor but no more should spew out

My plan is to follow MB7 dosing 50 mL per 250gallons daily for 2 weeks. Testing regularly. Will keep effluent setting on BPR as is 350 gpd. If after 1-2 weeks no Change in parameters I may open effluent further.

Bare in mind I have the BPR being fed off the system return pump via manifold so I may have ability to pass more water through the BPR than the standard eheim pump could produce, especially since my BPR is above sump and a couple feet away... That distance and head could otherwise potentially compromise flow if solely left to the power of eheim built into reactor ... So my 'wide open' effluent is likely more volume than a standard RD BPR without a feed. That's my thinking anyway

 

[DamonG]

Ah . I see what your saying. When I purchased mine, he wasn't including ball valves on the feed line (your talking about the blue pex line correct). So I will have to pick one up and incorporate it in. And yeah, I need to clean my strainer fir the recirc pretty badly.. Lol

And your "enhanced" flow, I had thought about some your first video and how you have your layout set up. You probably are getting more feed through your unit. I am in agreement with you there.

And just remember like I, and I'm sure Jeff told you, now that they are active, check it if you can at least once fir the next couple days. You never know whether this is is the standard rate it's going to drop, or, more interestingly, if it's just the beginning. Thus, you could see an even lower drop (more consuming), so just keep an eye out so it doesn't pull to much to fast.

And lol, isn't it ironic : ha ha, so you even need the MB7 inoculation at this point? Honestly, I'm thinking not. They seem to be active, fully active and colonized. Definately enough to pull that much in a week. That would be me, and I'd just save it. MB7 is actually really good for clearing up cloudy water from bio film, so you may find another user for it. But doesnt sound like your pellets need any more help.. Lol

 

[gdemos]

I don't want to take one day's testing to determine if BP are inoculated yet and reactor has kicked in. But I must say I'm feeling something in the air of effectiveness. Skimmer stayed productive overnight no issues.

While I'm pretty confident in my testing skill there is surely room for error.

Here's s 6 month trend in NO3 Testing, this would be really beneficial if I was methodical about weekly testing

 

[gdemos]

And PO4

 

[DamonG]

Lol, wouldn't it be beneficial if we all tested on the regular. And I'm bad about it myself.. Lol.. I'm in need of testing my levels honestly..

And I don't blame you on the pellets. If nothing else, it really won't hurt anything..

 

[gdemos]

Skimmer just continuing to overflow. Daily. Leave work at 8 looks good. Home at 8 and overflowing. I fear if I hooked up a waste line it could be an excessive water drop and with ATO salinity drop too dangerous. No way of knowing how much of overflow is hitting sump. Either I work less hours or I hire someone to babysit this skimmer all day long!

Well I'm discarding what I can if the overflow and monitoring salinity

Meanwhile....
no3 down to 5+ (seems like it's working)
po4 .1134 (stable could be an aspect due to overflow)

This would be day 3 of mb7 but I think I'll take a break for a day given the apparent drop in nitrate and the ongoing overflow issue

 

[DamonG]

Hmm, what kind of carbon are you using and have you changed it lately? For pulling excess, I used to use Marineland for a few hours to overnight and then take it out. I was also using purigen at one point in the past, like when I wanted to pull organics quickly. Just spot stuff.

Just something to think about.. And I think maybe your flowing excess in your tank and the skimmer isn't able to keep up(yup, back to the skimmer). And it kind of makes sense. The pellets throw a lot in the system while they are in there. You had problems with the skimmer and it was being run for dry production. So there may actually be a lot that it's trying to pull out. It may just need a little help for a few days to get on even level. And, it's much cheaper to add a resin for a little while than to buy a new skimmer..

But your pulling FAST! Might want to turn it in a little. That would also help with excess from the pellets(which would also help the skimmer catch up).. Just another thought. But you at pulling very, very quickly now.. Now is the time to be careful with it..

 

[gdemos]

I use BRS carbon. I change it every 3 weeks and just did a few days back. Overflow did not coincide with the carbon as it happened before - and after carbon change. I run it in the BRS dual reactor (again GFO chamber empty for now).

Tend to agree about slowing effluent a tad as well given the drop in no3 past 4 days. 20+ down to 5-10 is significant.

So far as the skimmer goes I'm trying to not let it crush me. Just empty it out and leave gate valve at the dry setting. If it happens to overflow I grin and bare it

I'm going to slow effluent a tad. My telltale is a very slight cloudiness to water and RBTA is a little depressed looking.

 

[DamonG]

And I just thought of something key here. Your overpowering your system as far as the pellets are concerned. Didn't you say your system was around 250 gallons? If that's the case, your volume of pellets "technically" should be 30oz. If that's the case, your like me, running over as far as pellets(I'm running 18oz instead of 6oz for more pulling power potential).

Because of this, your going to get more of everything :more /faster pulling, more excess nutrient in the effluent, etc. Here's the thing, and this is just my experience: 99% of skimmers are rated wrong and overrated. Dynamics is one of the few that rates them correct (actually, heavily underrates them and honestly everything he makes). My ins135 really, honestly, outperformed 250 gallon rated skimmers that I tried out on my last system. Even my 80 that I have now, it doesn't get overwhelmed and works great. I know you said yours is rated for 500 gallons, but I am wondering (just wondering) if it really is actually able to handle that under a decent amount of load. And that reactor, it is a pretty decent load all by itself.

So, just thinking on paper, you very much may want to turn in your effluent nozzle..

 

[gdemos]

I pulled the effluent off skimmer and to my surprise it's running at a rate of 700 gpd!!! I thought I was at 1/2 that!

Dialed down to 350 gpd effluent rate now. That's 900 mL per min for those playing at home.

That certainly could have something to do with my overflowing [emoji12]

 

[Aqualund]

Cool, such a great opportunity to watch a frustrated situation turn into a positive learning experience for the best. This hobby is great