holdyourlight
New member
I don't have any corals in the tank right now, just 8 fish that are my concern
I've got an airstone in there already
Just want to make sure the fishies make it through this alright
N/P reducing pellets (solid vodka dosing)
- Thread starter tntneon
- Start date
- Status
I don't have any corals in the tank right now, just 8 fish that are my concern
I've got an airstone in there already
Just want to make sure the fishies make it through this alright
pecan2phat
Active member
hold,
When I started my pellets on a 300g system that housed a total of 40+ fish, I had a serious bacterial bloom and the tanks clouded up severely but they all came through fine. It took about 4-5 days for the water to clear up and none of the fish were breathing rapidly during the bloom.
I didn't use an airstone but just made sure my large skimmer was in working condition.
When I started my pellets on a 300g system that housed a total of 40+ fish, I had a serious bacterial bloom and the tanks clouded up severely but they all came through fine. It took about 4-5 days for the water to clear up and none of the fish were breathing rapidly during the bloom.
I didn't use an airstone but just made sure my large skimmer was in working condition.
bluereefs
New member
If you get 5 reefers all using the same reactor you are *not* going to get the same results because each one putting different amount of media....each one using different flow, each one using different pump, each one water parameters different, each have different size tank etc etc.....>
Same reactor model with same pump, same amount of bp, heck one was literally the same reactor in one aquarium was uselles in another aquarium create bacterial bloom all the time. And please when I talking about results I talking about results after 5 + months, not that bp is used for few weeks and then droped. Actually in my case many will be drop bp if I do not prove that they can work, in my diy reactor, so people see that they work but not as advertised, not so simple. After months of usage we come to some solutions, if your bp do not work in standard fluid reactor use them in diy reactor or in mesh, bag, breeding boxes, internal filters... whatsoever and it actually worked. Other who can get them to work in standard fluid reactor but with the constant bacterial bloom now cut the amount until they find proper amount for their aquarium, extreme example are using of 200 ml at 200 gallons reef aquarium, 300 ml create bacteria bloom on 200 gallons aquarium, we will see if 200 ml will create bacterial bloom??. Or if they started from the begining they are adviced to start with very small amount and ading 100 ml of bp each week until desired results are get, asuming their method of usage will get the results at all, otherwise they will need to change him.
BTW I get different results in my 3 home aquarium with 4 diferent reactors, water chemistry and aquarium are the same, only what is changed are reactors so that for sure dont have any relationship with parameters, mother nature or other factors. And results from my bp are the same as are results what other people post here (working, not working, bacterial bloom not bacterial bloom...) so I am not isolated case, only have more aquarium, more reactors and will to eksperiment.
Your friend start to use bp last 7 week, now many things are more clearer then they was before 9 + months when we start to use bp and when this thread start. Heck even the bp are not the same but are second generation now. Diy mesh advise and many more advice come from this thread.
I just dont see relation with the bp efects or not efects with nitrate/phosphate concetration, sand, refugium... that was my point not a bashing NP bio pellets, I use them, Jptenklooster sure need to be rewarded because he start first with this new novel system. But many things are not jet clear, IMO related with carbon filtration and bacteria not because of bio pellets.
BTW Tim what conclusion and advice regarding bio pellets usage will you give to other if you have this expirience:
-150 gallons aquarium, nitrate 100 mg , fosfate 0 , small fluid reactor with 500 ml of bp, not efect after few months of usage, no bacterial bloom, no nitrate drop
-200 gallons aquarium, nitrate and fosfate 0, same (literally the same, sold to him) small fluid reactor started with 500 ml of bp, also aquarium are almost literaly the same- same equipment, same aditives, same natural sea, only is newest few months old aquarium- bacterial bloom 24 hours after the start, cuting down to 400 ml, bacterial bloom, cuting down to 300 ml bacterial bloom, now 200 ml are in reactor....
- 100 gallons aquarium , nitrate 50 mg, fosfate 0, same reactor model, 500 ml of bio pellets, no efects after few months
-100 gallons , no nitrates no fosfates, same reactor same model, 500 ml of bio pellets, bacterial bloom, cuting down to 300 ml , no efect, phosphates and nitrate rised but now bp do not work anymore.
What conclusion you will made from this 4 examples, please keep in mind bp was used for months on those 2 aquariums without succes, there was no sponge in reactor, bp was tumbling nicely, flow was adequate? That bp do not work in aquarium with high nitrates and cause bacterial bloom in aquarium with undetectable nitrates and fosfates?
200 g and 100 g aquarium who do not have succes with original fluid reactor made diy reactor, now both with the same bio pellets remove nitrates very fast.
Same reactor model with same pump, same amount of bp, heck one was literally the same reactor in one aquarium was uselles in another aquarium create bacterial bloom all the time. And please when I talking about results I talking about results after 5 + months, not that bp is used for few weeks and then droped. Actually in my case many will be drop bp if I do not prove that they can work, in my diy reactor, so people see that they work but not as advertised, not so simple. After months of usage we come to some solutions, if your bp do not work in standard fluid reactor use them in diy reactor or in mesh, bag, breeding boxes, internal filters... whatsoever and it actually worked. Other who can get them to work in standard fluid reactor but with the constant bacterial bloom now cut the amount until they find proper amount for their aquarium, extreme example are using of 200 ml at 200 gallons reef aquarium, 300 ml create bacteria bloom on 200 gallons aquarium, we will see if 200 ml will create bacterial bloom??. Or if they started from the begining they are adviced to start with very small amount and ading 100 ml of bp each week until desired results are get, asuming their method of usage will get the results at all, otherwise they will need to change him.
BTW I get different results in my 3 home aquarium with 4 diferent reactors, water chemistry and aquarium are the same, only what is changed are reactors so that for sure dont have any relationship with parameters, mother nature or other factors. And results from my bp are the same as are results what other people post here (working, not working, bacterial bloom not bacterial bloom...) so I am not isolated case, only have more aquarium, more reactors and will to eksperiment.
Your friend start to use bp last 7 week, now many things are more clearer then they was before 9 + months when we start to use bp and when this thread start. Heck even the bp are not the same but are second generation now. Diy mesh advise and many more advice come from this thread.
I just dont see relation with the bp efects or not efects with nitrate/phosphate concetration, sand, refugium... that was my point not a bashing NP bio pellets, I use them, Jptenklooster sure need to be rewarded because he start first with this new novel system. But many things are not jet clear, IMO related with carbon filtration and bacteria not because of bio pellets.
BTW Tim what conclusion and advice regarding bio pellets usage will you give to other if you have this expirience:
-150 gallons aquarium, nitrate 100 mg , fosfate 0 , small fluid reactor with 500 ml of bp, not efect after few months of usage, no bacterial bloom, no nitrate drop
-200 gallons aquarium, nitrate and fosfate 0, same (literally the same, sold to him) small fluid reactor started with 500 ml of bp, also aquarium are almost literaly the same- same equipment, same aditives, same natural sea, only is newest few months old aquarium- bacterial bloom 24 hours after the start, cuting down to 400 ml, bacterial bloom, cuting down to 300 ml bacterial bloom, now 200 ml are in reactor....
- 100 gallons aquarium , nitrate 50 mg, fosfate 0, same reactor model, 500 ml of bio pellets, no efects after few months
-100 gallons , no nitrates no fosfates, same reactor same model, 500 ml of bio pellets, bacterial bloom, cuting down to 300 ml , no efect, phosphates and nitrate rised but now bp do not work anymore.
What conclusion you will made from this 4 examples, please keep in mind bp was used for months on those 2 aquariums without succes, there was no sponge in reactor, bp was tumbling nicely, flow was adequate? That bp do not work in aquarium with high nitrates and cause bacterial bloom in aquarium with undetectable nitrates and fosfates?
200 g and 100 g aquarium who do not have succes with original fluid reactor made diy reactor, now both with the same bio pellets remove nitrates very fast.
holdyourlight
New member
Thanks
That makes me feel better
Tank is clouded pretty bad, can't see past about 1 ft from the side
Fish all look great and are eating and breathing normally
Skimmer is working triple time! I'm going to hold off on a water change because i am replacing so much water from what the skimmer is pulling....
holdyourlight,
With a big enough skimmer you will be fine without a water change. It will slowly clear in a few days.
I never got much of a bloom but I was dosing vodka. My nitrates and phosphate were always extremely low, but I think that was from the GHA using it all. I never got a bloom with the vodka either but the GHA sure did make a quick exit. I have been slowly reducing the vodka dose giving the pellets time to colonize and catch up with demand.
With a big enough skimmer you will be fine without a water change. It will slowly clear in a few days.
I never got much of a bloom but I was dosing vodka. My nitrates and phosphate were always extremely low, but I think that was from the GHA using it all. I never got a bloom with the vodka either but the GHA sure did make a quick exit. I have been slowly reducing the vodka dose giving the pellets time to colonize and catch up with demand.
Sohal Tang Tim
Member
ouch
ouch
Ouch I don;'t know what to say bluereefs with the examples you have given I do not think I would be happy with NP Pellets...
Have you spoken to the MFG about those results? If so...what was their response... I am sure they will be very interested in hearing your stories?
In any case....I am nottttttttttttt an authority on NP pellets thats for sure...nobody is ...they are just too new on the market in my opinion.
I would speak to the MFG and either get satisfaction from them or perhaps
even ask for a partial refund.
Best of luck,
Tim
ouch
Ouch I don;'t know what to say bluereefs with the examples you have given I do not think I would be happy with NP Pellets...
Have you spoken to the MFG about those results? If so...what was their response... I am sure they will be very interested in hearing your stories?
In any case....I am nottttttttttttt an authority on NP pellets thats for sure...nobody is ...they are just too new on the market in my opinion.
I would speak to the MFG and either get satisfaction from them or perhaps
even ask for a partial refund.
Best of luck,
Tim
Runfrumu
Hi
2 weeks in, and I've noticed a difference in algea growth on my sand. By the end of everyday, i had a light dusting of brown algea on the sand, even though my Nitrate and Phosphate levels were low. I'm not sure of the exact levels as the Sera kit I used for both test didn't register any but I know I have to have some or I wouldn't be getting the dusting on the sand.
After using the NP pellets for 2 weeks, I've noticed the dusting isn't on the sand anymore in the afternoons. I have been running 250ml in a phosban reactor for a 125 gallon tank. I've not made any changes other than adding the pellets. still do water changes every 2 weeks, still feed the same.
I don't plan on upping the dosage past 250ml unless I notice that the algea is making a return.
Prior to the pellets, I had been dosing prodibo's biodigest and bioclean. I'm assuming that maybe it helped the bacteria start off on the pellets fairly quick since I noticed the slime from the bacteria building in the reactor after only a couple of day.
I had planned on slowing phasing out the Prodibio, but I may still use it, just not at the 15 day intervals I was before, maybe once a month.
After using the NP pellets for 2 weeks, I've noticed the dusting isn't on the sand anymore in the afternoons. I have been running 250ml in a phosban reactor for a 125 gallon tank. I've not made any changes other than adding the pellets. still do water changes every 2 weeks, still feed the same.
I don't plan on upping the dosage past 250ml unless I notice that the algea is making a return.
Prior to the pellets, I had been dosing prodibo's biodigest and bioclean. I'm assuming that maybe it helped the bacteria start off on the pellets fairly quick since I noticed the slime from the bacteria building in the reactor after only a couple of day.
I had planned on slowing phasing out the Prodibio, but I may still use it, just not at the 15 day intervals I was before, maybe once a month.
Sohal Tang Tim
Member
seed with bacteria
seed with bacteria
Blue Reefs what did you SEED the NP pellets with for bacteria????
Did they all get SEEDED with the same thing and the same amount?
Tim
seed with bacteria
Blue Reefs what did you SEED the NP pellets with for bacteria????
Did they all get SEEDED with the same thing and the same amount?
Tim
HighlandReefer
Team RC
All sand beds collect organic matter added to your tank. Shallow sand beds can become nitrate factories if not regularly cleaned to remove the debris. If you wait too long to clean them, then lots of nitrate can be released each time you clean them. Deep sand beds will brake the nitrate down using anaerobic bacteria which is normally a slow process. Kinda of a loosing battle no matter how you look at it except for a couple of options IMHO.
When you use shallow sand beds or go bare bottom, you need to maintain a proper cleaning schedule of your sand bed and not let the debris build-up which results in high nitrate and phosphate production. At that point it will take a long period of time to catch-up with the built-up nitrates in the sand bed when using solid or liquid carbon sources. Perhaps cracking down on a shallow sand bed & doing intensive siphoning cleaning plus more water changes can help reduce the nitrate level quicker, since every time you clean the bed until it is clean, large amounts of nitrate & phosphate will be released.
If you go the deep sand bed method, then mixing the BP Pellets into the deep sand bed every 6 months to increase the anaerobic bacterial growth has been demonstrated in research completed for the PCL patent to reduce nitrate & phosphate much quicker. Adding these pellets to a reactor is not going to have much effect on bacterial growth in deep sand beds IMHO. It will slowly reduce nitrate & phosphate in the water column, but this is a slow process. I would use the pellets both in a reactor and deep sand bed for best results regarding nitrate and phosphate reduction. My two cents.
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HighlandReefer
Team RC
FWIW, there is a big difference when using any carbon source to reduce nitrate compared to maintaining nitrate levels in a tank.
These biopellets and other solid carbon sources seem to do a good job in maintaining the nitrate & phosphate level, but when it comes to reducing nitrate levels there seems to be some problems. Perhaps a better solution would be to incorporate liquid carbon sources like vinegar or vodka with these solid carbon sources to reduce nitrate levels quicker. Then once the nitrate level is under control, just use the solid carbon source. Again, my two cents.
These biopellets and other solid carbon sources seem to do a good job in maintaining the nitrate & phosphate level, but when it comes to reducing nitrate levels there seems to be some problems. Perhaps a better solution would be to incorporate liquid carbon sources like vinegar or vodka with these solid carbon sources to reduce nitrate levels quicker. Then once the nitrate level is under control, just use the solid carbon source. Again, my two cents.
drummereef
Team RC
++2. Thank you Cliff. 
To me, it's a matter of chemistry as to why they work or don't - and in general to what works and doesn't in this hobby. :thumbsup:
To me, it's a matter of chemistry as to why they work or don't - and in general to what works and doesn't in this hobby. :thumbsup:
bluereefs
New member
Before I jumped in bp bandwagons I used vodka, again without succes, after few months of usage I come to 12 ml of vodka daily on 150 gallons, no efect and corals start to show negative response so I give up, once I even use vodka together with bp still no efect on nitrate.
That all is changed with my diy reactor, my diy reactor with bp only (without bacteria aditives and liquid carbon) can reduce nitrate extremly well, actually too extreme because he lower nitrate in week from 100 to 0,2, that is of course not good in most of situation but can be good if you cook the live rock or really wont to destroy every single nuisance algae from aquarium.
In last months with bp I had 2 totally oponent situation, standard fluid filters dont work at all and my diy reactor work to extreme, lol.
Is also strange because there is no drastical difference betwen standard fluid reactor and diy reactor, when I measure the flow he was almost the same on both reactor with very litlle diference, diameter of reactor are same, bp tumbling nicely in both reactors, both receive water from the bottom, diference are so small that is hard to beleive that they produce such a diferent reaction. My diy reactor have open top but I dont think this detail have impact on bp, bp receive the water from the bottom, tested with old salifert oxygen test kit both reactor have oxygen saturated efluent ( almost all reef aquarium are saturated with oxygen anyway) so in both reactor bp receive oxygenated water. What ever is the diference is so small but jet have giant efect on results with bp in my aquariums.
No, I do not seed them with bacteria, they are not needed IMO. I do experimented with some bacteria very similar to brithwell (only visual similarity) but efect was the same, experiment was done in experimental tank. No influence in bp eficience. Latelly I seed my non functional reactor with bacteria from functional diy reactor, washing the sponge/filter sock loaded with bacteria in aquarium with non functional reactor, no changes at all, I ad 100 ml of bp from functional reactor to non functional and again no channges, whatever I done I could not get bp to work in standard fluid reactors. Then I sold them (some of them) and next owner get bacterial boom in one day, lol, go figoure.
I do not think that is related with NP pellets, Dave for example have same situation with NP and SWC, I also read in other bp threads same issue what I had, or what some had/have with bio pellets, that is some strange situation very much unexplained, future will posibly bring the answer. I also could not lower nitrates with vodka too so that is also proof that my issue are related with carbon filtration not with the bp itself.
I am happy with my NP bio pellets now, after I made diy reactor he become bacterial maschine, producing enormous amount of bacteria and cuting down nitrates, so far he keep them down. Now I can keep nitrates with very small amount of bp, 3000 ml of bp what I have now will last few years, that is great. After months of testing and experimenting with many bacterial bloom I find how to use my NP bio pellets, if they require diy reactor that is fine with me. I never saw such a drastic elimination of nutrients and algae with any other method I used before, bp have a great potentional but we need to define best method to use them. And it looks that best method for use are different for each of us, probably some will never have luck with them.
HighlandReefer
Team RC
A few comments when reducing nitrate levels, especially when they are high:
1) All the carbon sources used for reducing nitrate work basically the same way. They provide bacterial the extra carbon source, which is apparently limited in many tanks, which allows the bacteria to grow and multiply quicker. Then its up to the hobbyists equipment, such as skimmers and filter bags, to remove these bacteria as quickly as they multiply to export the nitrate. All hobbyists" skimmers and other equipment are not equal. This can play a big role in nitrate reduction.
2) Hobby grade nitrate test kits and meters are not reliable IMHO for distinguishing nitrate drops over short periods of time. Nitrate reduction is normally less than 1 ppm or even less then 0.5 ppm per day. So if your level is at 50 ppm, after 30 days you may only see a drop of 10 - 15 ppm. This can be hard to see using hobby grade equipment.
3) If you have a sand bed with high nitrate levels, it will continue producing nitrate which dosing any carbon source can only keep up with until the nitrate is removed from the sand bed. This could take several months before you see a nitrate drop. Adding carbon sources is limited by the amount you use before problems occur with coral & other organisms. So in many cases you will not see results for several months until the sand bed is clean. If your skimmer is pulling out bacteria then you are removing nitrate. In these cases, taking other actions such as reduced feeding, throughly cleaning shallow sand beds, removing all organic debris from rock, equipment & removing the dissolved organics both suspended and dissolved in the water will help a lot. If hobbyists are running GAC with proper water changes this will help to reduce nitrate quicker.
So when you experiment with all these different carbon sources and then achieve results after 3 - 6 months, you don't know what really worked best at reducing your nitrate level in the end. The final device you experiment with may get all the credit for your prior hard work.
1) All the carbon sources used for reducing nitrate work basically the same way. They provide bacterial the extra carbon source, which is apparently limited in many tanks, which allows the bacteria to grow and multiply quicker. Then its up to the hobbyists equipment, such as skimmers and filter bags, to remove these bacteria as quickly as they multiply to export the nitrate. All hobbyists" skimmers and other equipment are not equal. This can play a big role in nitrate reduction.
2) Hobby grade nitrate test kits and meters are not reliable IMHO for distinguishing nitrate drops over short periods of time. Nitrate reduction is normally less than 1 ppm or even less then 0.5 ppm per day. So if your level is at 50 ppm, after 30 days you may only see a drop of 10 - 15 ppm. This can be hard to see using hobby grade equipment.
3) If you have a sand bed with high nitrate levels, it will continue producing nitrate which dosing any carbon source can only keep up with until the nitrate is removed from the sand bed. This could take several months before you see a nitrate drop. Adding carbon sources is limited by the amount you use before problems occur with coral & other organisms. So in many cases you will not see results for several months until the sand bed is clean. If your skimmer is pulling out bacteria then you are removing nitrate. In these cases, taking other actions such as reduced feeding, throughly cleaning shallow sand beds, removing all organic debris from rock, equipment & removing the dissolved organics both suspended and dissolved in the water will help a lot. If hobbyists are running GAC with proper water changes this will help to reduce nitrate quicker.
So when you experiment with all these different carbon sources and then achieve results after 3 - 6 months, you don't know what really worked best at reducing your nitrate level in the end. The final device you experiment with may get all the credit for your prior hard work.
bluereefs
New member
No deep sand bed, shallow bed 2-3 cm high, skimmer super reef octopus 5000 and 6000 on 150 g and 100 g aquarium (more then adequate for carbon dosing IMO) , GAC are used
Vodka dosing aprox 5 months, after that bio pellets aprox 7-8 months till today. No nitrate drop, actualy nitrates rised up to 100 mg due to colagen, joghurt, heavy feeding until I made diy reactor with bp aprox 3 months ago28.05.2010 , few days latter diy reactor create bacterial bloom and drop nitrate from 100 to 0,25 in few days. More or less I play with carbon filtration 12-13 months, sucesfully only last 3 months. In last 3 months after many bacterial bloom I find, hopefully, how to use bp in my aquariums in my diy reactor with slow adition of bio pellets each week until I get maximum bacteria production and nitrate reduction but without bacterial bloom.
Vodka dosing aprox 5 months, after that bio pellets aprox 7-8 months till today. No nitrate drop, actualy nitrates rised up to 100 mg due to colagen, joghurt, heavy feeding until I made diy reactor with bp aprox 3 months ago28.05.2010 , few days latter diy reactor create bacterial bloom and drop nitrate from 100 to 0,25 in few days. More or less I play with carbon filtration 12-13 months, sucesfully only last 3 months. In last 3 months after many bacterial bloom I find, hopefully, how to use bp in my aquariums in my diy reactor with slow adition of bio pellets each week until I get maximum bacteria production and nitrate reduction but without bacterial bloom.
HighlandReefer
Team RC
" few days latter diy reactor create bacterial bloom and drop nitrate from 100 to 0,25 in few days"
I can see where a bacterial bloom would reduce nitrate quickly. I don't believe this is a safe practice IMHO, even though many hobbyists have experienced bacterial blooms while using these pellets without problems. The number of hobbyists' reports of bacterial blooms while using these products is alarming IMHO.
All bacteria do produce toxins as they grow and multiply. Some of these bacterial toxins are much more toxic than other bacterial toxins. If the bacterial specie that blooms in the water column produces highly toxic byproducts, then this could have drastic effects on your other organisms. The blooms rob oxygen from the water column. The effects on the coral symbionts could be negative and result in bleaching (expulsion) or worse yet cause changes in symbiont population species in the coral (some produce toxins which kill coral tissue). Just because this does not occur with the species of bacteria you have in your tank, it don't necessarily mean it can't occur for other hobbyists.
Exactly what the effects on coral symbionts the organic chemicals released in the water column from these pellets is unknown. Obviously for a bacterial boom to occur in the water column, the reactor is releasing the pellet material into the tank water IMHO. I thought the major purpose for using solid pellets is to prevent this from occurring like when using liquid carbon sources?
I can see where a bacterial bloom would reduce nitrate quickly. I don't believe this is a safe practice IMHO, even though many hobbyists have experienced bacterial blooms while using these pellets without problems. The number of hobbyists' reports of bacterial blooms while using these products is alarming IMHO.
All bacteria do produce toxins as they grow and multiply. Some of these bacterial toxins are much more toxic than other bacterial toxins. If the bacterial specie that blooms in the water column produces highly toxic byproducts, then this could have drastic effects on your other organisms. The blooms rob oxygen from the water column. The effects on the coral symbionts could be negative and result in bleaching (expulsion) or worse yet cause changes in symbiont population species in the coral (some produce toxins which kill coral tissue). Just because this does not occur with the species of bacteria you have in your tank, it don't necessarily mean it can't occur for other hobbyists.
Exactly what the effects on coral symbionts the organic chemicals released in the water column from these pellets is unknown. Obviously for a bacterial boom to occur in the water column, the reactor is releasing the pellet material into the tank water IMHO. I thought the major purpose for using solid pellets is to prevent this from occurring like when using liquid carbon sources?
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daveonbass
New member
I agree wit cliff's last point the most. Which is why I'm trying to limit the variables in my tank. Once and for all...im not changing my tank: rock, sand, etc. I've had guge success in the past and still am now, just wanted to see if BP's would help. I HAVE run the pellets in a BB tank that was also phosphate limited, and had the same lack of results. So I feel that is further proof that it's not a sand bed issue. Also on the sand issue, I did stop using BP for a while and my NO3 never went up, so if it were the sand releasing nitrate, then why wouldn't I see an increse during the time that I didn't use a BP reactor (assuming the pellets were holding the NO3 steady)?
why I started BP's? Cause I DID have high NO3, 80+ppm. And my sps were dying off. Only through WC's has the NO3 ever come down.
But that's why I began to use them in the first place.
I do NOT claim to have "zero" PO4, I now make it a point to always try to say that PO4 is "undetectable" because it doesn't register on my test kits...BUT that also means that it's not going up at all. So there is no negative change on the PO4 issue...but my NO3 has been constantly changing, but not from the use of the BP.
so there is still much to discover about these BP...and yes to whomever asked, I would like to add more BP to see if that helps/works, but I only have the amount that SWC gave me, and I'm using it all at this point.
why I started BP's? Cause I DID have high NO3, 80+ppm. And my sps were dying off. Only through WC's has the NO3 ever come down.
But that's why I began to use them in the first place. I do NOT claim to have "zero" PO4, I now make it a point to always try to say that PO4 is "undetectable" because it doesn't register on my test kits...BUT that also means that it's not going up at all. So there is no negative change on the PO4 issue...but my NO3 has been constantly changing, but not from the use of the BP.
so there is still much to discover about these BP...and yes to whomever asked, I would like to add more BP to see if that helps/works, but I only have the amount that SWC gave me, and I'm using it all at this point.
drummereef
Team RC
It was me. How many ml's are you running right now?
bluereefs
New member
BP can reduce nitrate quickly without bacterial bloom as well, before few weeks I start to use bp slowly in my diy reactor, starting with 100 ml and ading each week or two another 100 - 200 ml, until I come to 500 ml in reactor, first weeks nitrate did not drop but I was seing great bacterial production in my sponge, prefilter sock and skimmer (skimming was much stronger) then in one week nitrate drop from 50 to 5, few days latter actually yesterday I tested nitrate and they are 2,5 mg/lit, all proces last aprox 40 days, suden nitrate drop was measured in last 10 days. No bacterial bloom at all during complete proces. As I wrote I learned a loot last few months from many bacterial bloom.
IMO bacterial bloom come from way to much bacteria in water column in short period of time, reason for my opinion is because in the past when I will start my diy reactor with higher amount of bio pellets, with 500 ml for example from the start I will get bacterial bloom next day but if I ad small amount of bp during weeks then I do not get bacterial bloom with 500 ml, is the same reactor so if there are carbon/pellets release in aquarium I should get bacterial bloom both time. Also people who use them in the bag and not in the reactor will get bacterial bloom all the time, siting in bag in the sump are actually pellets materials in tank water, not separated in the reactor.
davyr
New member
I agree wit cliff's last point the most. Which is why I'm trying to limit the variables in my tank. Once and for all...im not changing my tank: rock, sand, etc. I've had guge success in the past and still am now, just wanted to see if BP's would help. I HAVE run the pellets in a BB tank that was also phosphate limited, and had the same lack of results. So I feel that is further proof that it's not a sand bed issue. Also on the sand issue, I did stop using BP for a while and my NO3 never went up, so if it were the sand releasing nitrate, then why wouldn't I see an increse during the time that I didn't use a BP reactor (assuming the pellets were holding the NO3 steady)?
why I started BP's? Cause I DID have high NO3, 80+ppm. And my sps were dying off. Only through WC's has the NO3 ever come down.
I do NOT claim to have "zero" PO4, I now make it a point to always try to say that PO4 is "undetectable" because it doesn't register on my test kits...BUT that also means that it's not going up at all. So there is no negative change on the PO4 issue...but my NO3 has been constantly changing, but not from the use of the BP.
so there is still much to discover about these BP...and yes to whomever asked, I would like to add more BP to see if that helps/works, but I only have the amount that SWC gave me, and I'm using it all at this point.
Just dropped you a pm Dave and by the way i am running a 50 gallon tank with a 23 gallon sump with no DSB.
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