N/P reducing pellets (solid vodka dosing)

[daveonbass]

I don't remember, but did you "seed" your tank with and zeo when you first had success?

 

[bluereefs]

I am not quite sure are you asking me or Simon, but in case you asking me, no I dont used zeo or bacterial aditives, I used vodka, first without bp and then together, once I get so angry to nitrates (lol) that I used 11-12 ml of vodka daily together with 2500 ml of bp on 150 gallons aquarium without significant nitrates drop. That was weird too, that I do not have succes with nitrate reduction with high vodka dosage.

 

[SimonSKL]

Prior to using BP my PO4 was about 0.03-0.1ppm (Salifert) and very low to zero nitrate. I was running GFO and ATS at the time and just started, about 10 days into it, dosing vodka/vinegar/sugar. So I really didn't have high PO4 and NO3 to begin with but I had GHA problem which really bothered me.

I remembered right after starting BP, the water did get a little cloudy but cleared up quickly like within a day and the water remain crystal clear.

Now that I am running BP, GFO and ATS, my PO4 is zero per Hanna Phosphate Checker and NO3 is zero per Salifert test. I will keep running all 3 until all GHA are gone. I do want to discontinue GFO and ATS if possible. I really would like to find a way to "ignite" the BP to get more bacterial growth.

 

[DJREEF]

Prior to using BP my PO4 was about 0.03-0.1ppm (Salifert) and very low to zero nitrate. I was running GFO and ATS at the time and just started, about 10 days into it, dosing vodka/vinegar/sugar. So I really didn't have high PO4 and NO3 to begin with but I had GHA problem which really bothered me.

I remembered right after starting BP, the water did get a little cloudy but cleared up quickly like within a day and the water remain crystal clear.

Now that I am running BP, GFO and ATS, my PO4 is zero per Hanna Phosphate Checker and NO3 is zero per Salifert test. I will keep running all 3 until all GHA are gone. I do want to discontinue GFO and ATS if possible. I really would like to find a way to "ignite" the BP to get more bacterial growth.

I wonder if you hit your system with Prodibio or Microbacter7 if that would do it.

DJ

 

[wizzbane15]

have been following this thread for some time and I too have been tinkering with adding BP to my system. I am thinking about putting them in a precision marine(PM) reverse flow filter with fully adjustable flow as it is part of a closed loop secondary filter system. I have historically had high nitrates(40-50ppm) and PO4 due to a high bioload and subsequent feeding regimen. My existing filtration is this, not including the LR or LS in my main display:
1) Canister filter with 80oz's of Chemi-pure run constantly (8 chemi-pure bags). It draws and returns to the sump.
2) Precision Marine 150 skimmer. It draws and returns to the sump.
3) Lifegard 300 fluidized sand filter
4) 1500 ml of Seachem Purigen run in a reverse flow filter
5) GFO in a TLF Phosban 150. It draws and returns to the sump.
6) custom refugium with DSB. It draws and returns to the sump.

My question is this: If I put the BP in the PM filter I have available, the output will run through a fluidized sand filter then through my refugium before it enters my sump which is where my skimmer is. Based on anyones experiences, does this seem to pose any issues??? I do not have the desire to reroute my plumbing so my situation is all or nothing with this design.

 

[DJREEF]

have been following this thread for some time and I too have been tinkering with adding BP to my system. I am thinking about putting them in a precision marine(PM) reverse flow filter with fully adjustable flow as it is part of a closed loop secondary filter system. I have historically had high nitrates(40-50ppm) and PO4 due to a high bioload and subsequent feeding regimen. My existing filtration is this, not including the LR or LS in my main display:
1) Canister filter with 80oz's of Chemi-pure run constantly (8 chemi-pure bags). It draws and returns to the sump.
2) Precision Marine 150 skimmer. It draws and returns to the sump.
3) Lifegard 300 fluidized sand filter
4) 1500 ml of Seachem Purigen run in a reverse flow filter
5) GFO in a TLF Phosban 150. It draws and returns to the sump.
6) custom refugium with DSB. It draws and returns to the sump.

My question is this: If I put the BP in the PM filter I have available, the output will run through a fluidized sand filter then through my refugium before it enters my sump which is where my skimmer is. Based on anyones experiences, does this seem to pose any issues??? I do not have the desire to reroute my plumbing so my situation is all or nothing with this design.

Are you sure your sand filter isn't adding to your nutrient problems? Any type of fluid filter is going to dump gobs of nitrate back into the bulk water. If it were me, I'd consider putting the bp there in place of the sand instead, or take it off line altogether.

DJ

 

[DreamMachine]

have been following this thread for some time and I too have been tinkering with adding BP to my system. I am thinking about putting them in a precision marine(PM) reverse flow filter with fully adjustable flow as it is part of a closed loop secondary filter system. I have historically had high nitrates(40-50ppm) and PO4 due to a high bioload and subsequent feeding regimen. My existing filtration is this, not including the LR or LS in my main display:
1) Canister filter with 80oz's of Chemi-pure run constantly (8 chemi-pure bags). It draws and returns to the sump.
2) Precision Marine 150 skimmer. It draws and returns to the sump.
3) Lifegard 300 fluidized sand filter
4) 1500 ml of Seachem Purigen run in a reverse flow filter
5) GFO in a TLF Phosban 150. It draws and returns to the sump.
6) custom refugium with DSB. It draws and returns to the sump.

My question is this: If I put the BP in the PM filter I have available, the output will run through a fluidized sand filter then through my refugium before it enters my sump which is where my skimmer is. Based on anyones experiences, does this seem to pose any issues??? I do not have the desire to reroute my plumbing so my situation is all or nothing with this design.

I think the recommended usage of the pellets is to not run a fuge and sandbed filter. But if you do, at least put the pellets after the sandbed and fuge because the reported bacterial bloom (slime) will clog up your filters.

 

[wizzbane15]

ok, so I've seen it reported that the bloom clouds the main tank in most instances. Even if the bloom then clogs the filters, I have it designed where I can easily remove those parts and clean. TO me, that seems better than getting the cloud bloom in my mian display.

 

[bluereefs]

Prior to using BP my PO4 was about 0.03-0.1ppm (Salifert) and very low to zero nitrate. I was running GFO and ATS at the time and just started, about 10 days into it, dosing vodka/vinegar/sugar. So I really didn't have high PO4 and NO3 to begin with but I had GHA problem which really bothered me.

I remembered right after starting BP, the water did get a little cloudy but cleared up quickly like within a day and the water remain crystal clear.

Now that I am running BP, GFO and ATS, my PO4 is zero per Hanna Phosphate Checker and NO3 is zero per Salifert test. I will keep running all 3 until all GHA are gone. I do want to discontinue GFO and ATS if possible. I really would like to find a way to "ignite" the BP to get more bacterial growth.

It is weird that you get bacterial bloom but the GHA did not disapear, well that shows how much each aquarium is diferent. I have 0 phosphates and 100 mg/lit nitrate and barrely no hair algae at all, actually almost any algae or cyano, there was few places with bryopsis mostly in the overflow and return pipe and at the top of reef construction, but that was nothing, few strands. When I had bacterial bloom in that aquarium he wipe out everything, he wipeout I think every organic and nutrients from the tank lol, because not only algae disapear but every trace of organic detritus I saw on the bottom of the tank disapear as well, and my coraline start to act weird, probably they will gone to and I decide to remove the bp from that tank. I have mostly lps corals and I think due to suden nutrients removal some start to bleach and start not to look good, so I feed them heavily next days and almost everything recover. It was funny to me that at almost 0 nitrates my aquarium look bad but after each feeding and nitrate rise they start to look better and better. To suden change are not good, even on the better side.

In second aquarium bacterial bloom also remove most of the algae, wipe out caulerpa as well, most of the algae in second aquarium (on glass panel, pvc pipe, overflow)during and after the bacterial bloom look very very bad. I clean them completly, that was easy because they was not holding strong anymore for the surface and removal was easy with hose during water changes. So far they do not coming back.

Here are my aquariums where I experiment with bp, first from the left is where I get first bacterial bloom, second is with bp reactor who do not wont to ignite lol, and third is not visible on the picture but is few meter right from the last aquarium. Is nothing spectacular but they are ok for me.

 

[bluereefs]

have been following this thread for some time and I too have been tinkering with adding BP to my system. I am thinking about putting them in a precision marine(PM) reverse flow filter with fully adjustable flow as it is part of a closed loop secondary filter system. I have historically had high nitrates(40-50ppm) and PO4 due to a high bioload and subsequent feeding regimen. My existing filtration is this, not including the LR or LS in my main display:
1) Canister filter with 80oz's of Chemi-pure run constantly (8 chemi-pure bags). It draws and returns to the sump.
2) Precision Marine 150 skimmer. It draws and returns to the sump.
3) Lifegard 300 fluidized sand filter
4) 1500 ml of Seachem Purigen run in a reverse flow filter
5) GFO in a TLF Phosban 150. It draws and returns to the sump.
6) custom refugium with DSB. It draws and returns to the sump.

My question is this: If I put the BP in the PM filter I have available, the output will run through a fluidized sand filter then through my refugium before it enters my sump which is where my skimmer is. Based on anyones experiences, does this seem to pose any issues??? I do not have the desire to reroute my plumbing so my situation is all or nothing with this design.

I dont know is that worth of the experiment, acording to your signature you have very high bio load, loots of big valuable fishes in relatively small aquarium, in case of a big bacterial bloom there is a chance that you can get serious problem with a fishes and in case of chain reaction complete aquarium can get in serious trouble. I will rather try with very small quantity of bp in some reactor who can easyly be completly removed in case of trouble. You have loot of filters (dsb,refugium, fluidized, canister filter...) loaded with bacteria, I dont know how will bacterial bloom afect all those bacteria and particulary posible danger from oxygen depletion and ph drop.

 

[j-dizzle]

great info! i might have to jump on this train.

 

[SimonSKL]

Before and After

Before and After

I thought I would post some before and after pictures of my tank. Started out with 500ml of BP on 3/22/10. Increased to 750ml on 4/28/10

3/1/10.

6/16/10. Notice I have moved things around. I also changed from 400W of MH to 230W of LED on 3/19/10. The SPS are doing quite well. The new light could be a contributing factor to the difference.

 

[jh2pizza]

I started out with 500Ml with a water volume of around 280G. after two weeks, I added another 250ML waited for another two weeks and put in the rest for a total of 1000ML. I have a 48" Geo beckett skimmer and to be totaly honest, I see no change in anything with the exception of my filter socks plugging up quickly. The skimmer has to be readjusted when the flow of the reactor is is near to input. I did notice after the first 3 days, the Cyno did release off the side of one of the grow out tanks. I have also had issues with maintaining PH after bumping them up to 1000ML but could be total coincidence.


I have decided to no longer run the output of the reactor into the skimmer and see what happens. I have never seen anything different with the tank than that.

A expensive disappointment.

 

[bluereefs]

SimonSKL very beautiful aquarium, those maxpect fixture give very nice grow from sps corals and overall aquarium look.

One thing just cross my mind, so far the best looking and sucesfull aquarium with bp are Lunar aquarium, I wonder does he get bacterial bloom when he start to use bp? Does he ever write something about that in RC, maybe in his TOTM thread? Anybody know? Maybe he will jump here and explain.

 

[takayan]

I am doing small experiment with small tank. One tank has just aeration. Other tank is aeration and 4ml of BioPellets. Water volume for both tank is 2Gal.

Initial NO3=20ppm and PO4=0.32ppm. After 10 days experiment, PO4 gets 0ppm, but NO3 stays the same level. My friend had the same result. How does it work to reduce the NO3 level?
By the way, I do not see any bacteria film at all.
Here is my HP, but it is in Japanese. =(
http://www.taka-tech.net/2010/06/biopellets_3.html

 

[bluereefs]

Nice experiment Takayan, result show that bp can drop fosfate faster/more easy then nitrate. Also if I understend corectly you do not use skimmer at all? Maybe to get nitrate removal you need skimmer. Can you get some small nano skimmer and proceed further with eksperiment using skimmer?

 

[DJREEF]

I thought I would post some before and after pictures of my tank. Started out with 500ml of BP on 3/22/10. Increased to 750ml on 4/28/10

3/1/10.

6/16/10. Notice I have moved things around. I also changed from 400W of MH to 230W of LED on 3/19/10. The SPS are doing quite well. The new light could be a contributing factor to the difference.

Evidently Montipora love this stuff.

DJ

 

[SimonSKL]

Evidently Montipora love this stuff.

DJ

Yeah, now I have so many of them I need to get rid of some or give some away.

 

[TheFishMan65]

My understanding is that a skimmer is essential. The nitrate, phosphate and carbon produce a bactera. Three things can happens to this bacteria
1) It is eaten (good)
2) It is skimmed out (good)
3) None of the above so it breaks down for lack of food and returns the three chemical into the water. (bad)

 

[SimonSKL]

My understanding is that a skimmer is essential. The nitrate, phosphate and carbon produce a bactera. Three things can happens to this bacteria
1) It is eaten (good)
2) It is skimmed out (good)
3) None of the above so it breaks down for lack of food and returns the three chemical into the water. (bad)

+1 on the above!

That's why I think the effluent from the BP reactor should be directed right to the skimmer so as much as the bacteria can be skimmed out immediately and not allowed to enter the DT. The bacteria are the nutrient export. Similar to ATS you remove the tuff algae periodically so they don't enter the DT.