N/P reducing pellets (solid vodka dosing)

[rs1831]

Yesterday I received my NextReef SMR1 NP Reactor. First off, VERY well built reactor. I got that along with a Mag 3. The reactor has no sponges to clog, and the new reactor's screen has holes throughout it, not just at 12:00/6:00 like "pfy333" stated. It couldnt have been easier to setup(except for the fact I forgot to get tubing). It uses 5/8" tubing. I used 500 ml on my 130G(net volume) tank. The pellets tumble as if a light to medium boil. They did not clump or go to the top at all. The output exits right in front my my ATB 840. As far as any results, I did not get ANY cloudiness in the water, but, I did rinse them in RO water for 10 miuntes before using them. This morning, although my lights aren't on yet the water defintely looked clearer, almost as if I put carbon in the night before. I will report back when/if I start seeing results. Keep in mind my tank is a new setup(3 months old), with just a few small SPS frags in it; so the decrease in algae or decrease in Nitrate or Phosphate will be non-existent because I wasn't really having issues with this to begin with. The reason I did this was to allow me to feed my fish more, while creating a stable, low nutrient enviroment. I didn't want to wait until I had a nitrate or phosphate issue to correct it, rather take a pro-active approach.

I just got the same setup. Did you use a ball valve at all? The reactor is pretty big so it must be able to handle 1000ml of pellets so I'm wondering if 500ml would tumble too fast with that size pump.

Thanks.

 

[ChuckG]

Here's a video of the flow in my reactor, does anyone know if this is adequate?

That is about how they flow me.. This might be something that varies with each tank. IME seeding bacteria speeds up capabilty and may help to keep things going efficiently.

 

[rutz81]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17092828&postcount=1240

DJ

So, you're saying the flow doesnt matter as long as they are tumbling?

 

[rutz81]

I just got the same setup. Did you use a ball valve at all? The reactor is pretty big so it must be able to handle 1000ml of pellets so I'm wondering if 500ml would tumble too fast with that size pump.

Thanks.

I didnt get a ball valve?? Also, I defintely agree that it could handle 1000 ml.

 

[chercm]

can i still dose dio-digest ?

 

[DJREEF]

So, you're saying the flow doesnt matter as long as they are tumbling?

Yes, that is my understanding. The tumbling facilitates the sloughing, the flow facilitates export of the organisms out of the reactor. Like all things though, I'm certain that there is a law of diminishing returns whereby energy expended doesn't yield a statistically higher quantity of output.

DJ

 

[rutz81]

can i still dose dio-digest ?

Not familar with Prodibio, but, if Bio-Digest is the bacteria part of the system you can for the first few weeks of when you start the pellets, but, if it it the "Vodka" or "BioFuel" part of the bacteria system then I'd say no.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[ryanuuy]

i didnt get to read the whole thread but i was wondering do you really need a reactor and the tumbling effect for this to work or could this work in a mesh bag and just place it over a high flow area of the tank?

 

[rutz81]

i didnt get to read the whole thread but i was wondering do you really need a reactor and the tumbling effect for this to work or could this work in a mesh bag and just place it over a high flow area of the tank?

They were designed to be run in a reactor, so in order for them to work properly they should be in a reactor. I'm not saying you defintely wouldnt get any results if you ran them in a mesh bag with high flow, but, you might not.

People are still trying to figure out how to get the correct usage even when using a reactor, so, to add an unknown X factor, might be a waste, IMO.

 

[180+55reef]

I am not getting any results, but aside from that several people have advised that I reduce my flow to find the sweet spot, so maybe there isnt a magical flow rate?

 

[rutz81]

I am not getting any results, but aside from that several people have advised that I reduce my flow to find the sweet spot, so maybe there isnt a magical flow rate?

How are you running them? What reactor? What pump? How much pellets? I am not saying I have any answers for you, because I just started running them myself, and maybe I might be doing something wrong and not even knowing it.

Thanks.
-Dave

 

[tntneon]

can i still dose dio-digest ?

hi cherm ,

You can dose biodigest bioptim and biodigest each every two weeks ,one week bioptim the other biodigest .
The other products of prodibio i all tryed out but i can`t see any benfits in those , especialy reefbooster witch is a skimmerfoam collapser
I did this for 2 month`s but i stopped it now because my system doesn`t need
more than it has too , every thing is fine ... and then i tend to add as little as possible,

greetingzz tntneon

 

[tntneon]

I am not getting any results, but aside from that several people have advised that I reduce my flow to find the sweet spot, so maybe there isnt a magical flow rate?

Can you specify your system parameters ;flow ; lightingschedule;fish and coral load ,skimmer type and setting ; set up of filtering / sump
than maybe somebody can give some advise


greetingzz tntneon

 

[Psionicdragon]

anyone noticed that phosphate doesn't drop as much compare to nitrate?

I think it is because of the N ratio. nitrate is zero, but phosphate is .1 on my Milwaukee

 

[daveonbass]

I have had just the reverse...no phosphates are present now, but my nitrates are the ones that are not going down yet. Been using for about a month and a half.

 

[Psionicdragon]

I have had just the reverse...no phosphates are present now, but my nitrates are the ones that are not going down yet. Been using for about a month and a half.

My phosphate will go up but maintain at a level of 1 when it comes down. I think I am going to try a different brand and see how it goes.

I am not sure why my phosphate will creep up, but nitrate won't move up at all. I even added nitrate to the tank to help with the N ratio...but don't want to add too much.

 

[HighlandReefer]

anyone noticed that phosphate doesn't drop as much compare to nitrate?

I think it is because of the N ratio. nitrate is zero, but phosphate is .1 on my Milwaukee

That's because bacteria and other micro-organisms that utilize the solid carbon source use in the area (changes) of about 16 atoms of nitrogen for every 1 atom of phosphate. There are many variables that can change this ratio.

This article gives you a brief history of the Redfield Ratio:

MARINE BIOGEOCHEMISTRY: ON REDFIELD RATIOS
http://scienceweek.com/2004/sa041119-5.htm

From it:

"ScienceWeek

MARINE BIOGEOCHEMISTRY: ON REDFIELD RATIOS

The following points are made by P.G. Falkowski and C.S. Davis (Nature 2004 431:131):

1) An interesting empirical observation in biology is the relationship between the elemental composition of organisms and ecosystems. All organisms are composed primarily of a mixture of six major elements: hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulphur. But the proportion of these basic ingredients varies between organisms -- and such variations can lead to interesting properties within ecosystems.

2) For example, in the oceans most of the biomass comprises small drifting organisms (plankton) that are rich in nitrogen. These organisms are essentially functionally similar ensembles of metabolites, often encased in a shell formed from the most readily available ingredients. Much plankton is consumed by other plankton with similar chemical compositions. The result is that on average, the nitrogenhosphorus (N) ratios of plankton in the oceans are remarkably similar throughout the world, averaging approximately 16:1 by atoms. When these organisms or their body parts sink into the ocean interior, their energy-rich bodies are consumed by bacteria which, in aerobic conditions, oxidize the organic matter to form dissolved inorganic nutrients, especially CO2, NO3(-) and PO4(3-).

3) In 1934, Alfred Redfield (1890-1983) wrote a now classic paper in which he proposed that the N ratio of plankton (16:1) causes the ocean to have a remarkably similar ratio of dissolved NO3(-) and PO4(3-). This hypothesis suggested that, devoid of life, the chemical composition of the oceans would be markedly different. The concept of Redfield ratios has been fundamental to our understanding of the biogeochemistry of the oceans ever since."

 

[chercm]

hi cherm ,

You can dose biodigest bioptim and biodigest each every two weeks ,one week bioptim the other biodigest .
The other products of prodibio i all tryed out but i can`t see any benfits in those , especialy reefbooster witch is a skimmerfoam collapser
I did this for 2 month`s but i stopped it now because my system doesn`t need
more than it has too , every thing is fine ... and then i tend to add as little as possible,

greetingzz tntneon

u mean i can forget about the dosing of bio digest as it does not work ?

 

[tntneon]

u mean i can forget about the dosing of bio digest as it does not work ?

It does work , and it will clear out cloudy water.
But now my water stays cristal clear now so why should i dose anything extra , but adding now and then some fresh strains of bacteria couldn't harm.
And if i had some cyano issues again i would definitly dose it again.
But less is sometimes more ...

greetingzz tntneon

 

[chippypah]

How long after starting can you stop dosing vodka ?.
Cheers
Pete