N/P reducing pellets (solid vodka dosing)

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migas_01 said:
Hi, I`ve placed 2 days ago 1liter of biopellets in my 105 gallon tank in a Shuran multifilter 100 (has a feed pump aquabee up1000). the pellets move very slowly at the bottom but there is hardly any movment on top.
rsz1multifilter100.jpg


The skimmer went crazzy the first 24hrs it looks to be stabilizing now. What I am conserned is that my water today is a bit clowdy. Kind of milky looking.

I had the water looking realy clear a couple of hours after introducing the pellets. I am a bit conserned about this sudent change.

Did anyone have a simmilar problem?

Another doubt is can some of these pellets be removed and dried and reused latter?
Click to expand...


Good question because I had to remove some of my pellets and did not want to throw the away:idea:
 
migas_01 said:
Hi, I`ve placed 2 days ago 1liter of biopellets in my 105 gallon tank in a Shuran multifilter 100 (has a feed pump aquabee up1000). the pellets move very slowly at the bottom but there is hardly any movment on top.
rsz1multifilter100.jpg


The skimmer went crazzy the first 24hrs it looks to be stabilizing now. What I am conserned is that my water today is a bit clowdy. Kind of milky looking.

I had the water looking realy clear a couple of hours after introducing the pellets. I am a bit conserned about this sudent change.

Did anyone have a simmilar problem?

Another doubt is can some of these pellets be removed and dried and reused latter?
Click to expand...

Read through the first few pages of this thread. You are experiencing a bacteria bloom. You need to watch for fish stress and ph swings.
 
rbonick said:
Read through the first few pages of this thread. You are experiencing a bacteria bloom. You need to watch for fish stress and ph swings.
Click to expand...

I thought you should not experience a bacteria bloom with this product as it is confined to a chamber (reactor or filter) and the carbon source is only released as bacteria starts to setle in the reactor "eating" up the pellets.

I think this is why people say you can`t overdose these pellets.
 
Eventually that will be the case.
The manufacturer posted this as a known issue under specific conditions. If I recall correctly, it was attributed to higher nitrate levels when starting to use the pellets.
 
i thought it was from not rinsing them off first. I have extremely high nitrates 80+ppm (no phos though?), and I never had a single bacteria bloom, I've had them for just over a week...and my corals are showing PE like I've never seen. Plus this guy is saying that he's only had them in for 2 days...that seems a little fast since most people experience a change in around a week. (though it's not impossible either) I wouls wonder if something else is at work there...but I'm not an expert...I've only had them running a week.

(oh p.s... I did rinse mine first.)
 
The higher your nutrient level the more likely you are to encounter a bacterial bloom when the pellets are first introduce to your system. Make sure your out-put from your reactor is placed directly in front of your skimmer inlet.
 
soulsigma said:
The higher your nutrient level the more likely you are to encounter a bacterial bloom when the pellets are first introduce to your system. Make sure your out-put from your reactor is placed directly in front of your skimmer inlet.
Click to expand...

Yes I think I´m having a bacterial bloom. I do have the output of the reactor in front of my skimmer inlet and I am using a mini BK on my 105gal with really low bioload.

My No3 readings are 10ppm

PO4 are 0,1ppm

PH 8.0

KH 10,9

Ca 430

Mg 1300
 
I think I forgot to mention I didn`t rinse my pellets but aprox 2hrs of introducing them in the system the water became clear crystal. Only after about 48h the clowdy milky look started.
 
migas_01 said:
I think I forgot to mention I didn`t rinse my pellets but aprox 2hrs of introducing them in the system the water became clear crystal. Only after about 48h the clowdy milky look started.
Click to expand...

I also should mention that I had never dosed any Vodka, shugar or vinegar, etc to my reef tank.
 
The tank water is almost clear now! I removed about 400mg of pellets last night and set my skimmer to skimm very wet increased water circulation also at surface for better aeration. All tank live stock looks well and happy.

I will add the extra pellets in about 2 weeks.
 
ace0007 said:
Can you switch Ozone back on once bacteria are established?
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Ozone in principle should be fine, however, bacteria which are released from the pellets and come in contact with ozone will die and release nitrogen. If not skimmed of directly this will negatively affect the efficiency of the pellets, although not to its full extent. The total decrease will largely depend on skimmer size and ozone input. For this reason we do not recommend it, but when ozone is required for some reason it can temporarily be switched on.
 
I have noticed a fair amount of algae growing in my pellet chamber (up and running 2 months now)( i have 400 grams running for 600 gal(approx)), i want to clean the chamber.. do i rinse the pellets? or just everything else? Am i trying to maintain the water in the chamber ?

I have also noticed, 2 months into this, that my tank needs the glass cleaned almost every day, where before i was doing it every few days.
My corals do look happier, but i have had algae blooms in all my tanks..

I have shut off my ozone completely... would really like to have it running, it is pumped into my skimmer, (Thoughts?)
 
salinity said:
Our local LFS is now carrying a new brand of pellets "npx-biobeads", supposedly they are made by the same manufcturer.........
Click to expand...

Is this only available in Canada? According to this Canadian Reef forum, pricing is almost 20% cheaper (in Canadian dollar) than NP Reducing Biopellets and with a larger quantity! I like competition:)
 
SimonSKL said:
Is this only available in Canada? According to this Canadian Reef forum, pricing is almost 20% cheaper (in Canadian dollar) than NP Reducing Biopellets and with a larger quantity! I like competition:)
Click to expand...

Not sure! :spin2: I am going to try a bag though.

I like the pellets but the only thing that is driving me crazy is the smell from my skimmer, it smells so bad now that my wife complains, anyone experiencing this to this extent too?
 
Last edited:
I am considering using these on my tank. I am looking to achieve ULNS state, will these get me to that level or should I look into other bacterial driven methods?
 
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