N/P reducing pellets (solid vodka dosing)
- Thread starter tntneon
- Start date
- Status
Yep, they are glued but come off easy. I cut the middle of the disks out to make it fit over the hump in the bottom of the cartridge. The top of the cartridge is wide open. I soaked my Vertex pellets overnight in RO water to prevent them from blowing out of the unit.
SERVO
New member
Sorry for my inability to read thru the thread but could some one tell me if they are using the BRS Jumbo Reactor? If so, how much volume can the canister hold and are you using a Mag 3 pump or some other method of flow.
I was using an old Ca reactor but ran into an equipment malfunction. I think that the BRS Jumbo will work for me, but I would like to confirm with someone who knows the exact volume.
Thank you.
I was using an old Ca reactor but ran into an equipment malfunction. I think that the BRS Jumbo will work for me, but I would like to confirm with someone who knows the exact volume.
Thank you.
Sohal Tang Tim
Member
NP Pellet reactor
NP Pellet reactor
Aquarium Specialty carries a reactor that is BLUE (helps prevent algae
as blocks light) and they have in XL size...but they are two weeks from having stock...
From what I have seen it is one of the most ideal reactors for NP pellets...it might
have even been designed specifically for that application.....
I believe it will hold up to 2 litres of NP pellets but unsure you would have to check
best of luck
NP Pellet reactor
Aquarium Specialty carries a reactor that is BLUE (helps prevent algae
as blocks light) and they have in XL size...but they are two weeks from having stock...
From what I have seen it is one of the most ideal reactors for NP pellets...it might
have even been designed specifically for that application.....
I believe it will hold up to 2 litres of NP pellets but unsure you would have to check
best of luck
drummereef
Team RC
Those would be the NextReef Reactors you speak of. I run the standard size SMR1 and it will easily accomodate 1.5 Liters of pellets. I run WM ecoBAK but would presume it would hold the same amount of other brand pellets as well. I believe it was originally designed for NP Pellets, as stated on NextReef's website.
<object width="400" height="533"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=14631435&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=14631435&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="533"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/14631435">750 ml ecoBAK NextReef SMR1</a><a href="http://vimeo.com/user3881098"></a><a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a></p>
daveonbass
New member
coming up on three weeks with the SWC pellets. I had done a water change to bring the NO3 down to 5ppm, now they are back up to 10ppm. 
PO4 is still undetectable...i just don't know why nothing works right in my system, the only way I can reduce NO3 is by doing water changes. Lame. Maybe in another week or two they will respond finally. :/
as far as pellet origin, the np diatribe that was posted said it clearly, just as I had stated, they "import" them to the netherlands, (from america I've been told) package them, and resell them internationally. So till I have irrefutable proof, I'm going to just assume that I'm using the same product as most of you...since I've been informed that np, and swc (and a third confirmed) all use the same manufacturer of the pellets, and have the same formula. As far as "toxic" batches...i agreee that they should be named and outed.
PO4 is still undetectable...i just don't know why nothing works right in my system, the only way I can reduce NO3 is by doing water changes. Lame. Maybe in another week or two they will respond finally. :/as far as pellet origin, the np diatribe that was posted said it clearly, just as I had stated, they "import" them to the netherlands, (from america I've been told) package them, and resell them internationally. So till I have irrefutable proof, I'm going to just assume that I'm using the same product as most of you...since I've been informed that np, and swc (and a third confirmed) all use the same manufacturer of the pellets, and have the same formula. As far as "toxic" batches...i agreee that they should be named and outed.
drummereef
Team RC
coming up on three weeks with the SWC pellets. I had done a water change to bring the NO3 down to 5ppm, now they are back up to 10ppm.
as far as pellet origin, the np diatribe that was posted said it clearly, just as I had stated, they "import" them to the netherlands, (from america I've been told) package them, and resell them internationally. So till I have irrefutable proof, I'm going to just assume that I'm using the same product as most of you...since I've been informed that np, and swc (and a third confirmed) all use the same manufacturer of the pellets, and have the same formula. As far as "toxic" batches...i agreee that they should be named and outed.
Don't know if you've said before, but how deep is your sand bed?
daveonbass
New member
I have, it's a fairly uniform 3 inches now. Been that deep for a few months now. But seeing as how people have had these work in all manner of different depth sandbeds I don't see how this question is relevant.
Sohal Tang Tim
Member
question is relevant
question is relevant
The question is surely relevant because my first reaction was wondering
the exact same thing. " I wonder what he has for substrate?"
Do you have a refugium? If you do not it would be a super idea to
set one up and set it up with 6 inch sugar grade sandbed.... that will
take about 2 months to really kick in nicely and it will definitely assist
your nitrate problem.....
Look up the term REMOTE DSB... ( Remote deep sand bed )
People are using those...some of them just fill a 5 gallon pail with sugar
grade sand and pass flow over top of them into sump and voila...their
nitrate problems seem to disappear.....again...once they kick in.....
Read up on REMOTE DSB you will be amazed.
NP pellets are not the begin all and end all of nitrate problems I dont believe.
I believe it is a combination of good set up and ... sand bed being no less
then 4 inches deep would have surely helped your set up... but.... an article I recently read which is amazing clearly states that 6 inch is the IDEAL
thickness because the top 1 or 2 inches always gets disturbed so that would bring down to the 4 inch minimum for proper denitrification to occur...anything under 4 inch then proper denitrification CANNOT OCCUR or WILL NOT occur therefore nitrate problems etc....Sand beds under 4 inch can actually become a trap for future problems with tank.....
I am not expert but I know the article I read on the sand bed was the best I have ever read and it was bang on with the above advice I believe.
Best of luck...this is only my opinion and I am not saying I am right.
Tim
question is relevant
The question is surely relevant because my first reaction was wondering
the exact same thing. " I wonder what he has for substrate?"
Do you have a refugium? If you do not it would be a super idea to
set one up and set it up with 6 inch sugar grade sandbed.... that will
take about 2 months to really kick in nicely and it will definitely assist
your nitrate problem.....
Look up the term REMOTE DSB... ( Remote deep sand bed )
People are using those...some of them just fill a 5 gallon pail with sugar
grade sand and pass flow over top of them into sump and voila...their
nitrate problems seem to disappear.....again...once they kick in.....
Read up on REMOTE DSB you will be amazed.
NP pellets are not the begin all and end all of nitrate problems I dont believe.
I believe it is a combination of good set up and ... sand bed being no less
then 4 inches deep would have surely helped your set up... but.... an article I recently read which is amazing clearly states that 6 inch is the IDEAL
thickness because the top 1 or 2 inches always gets disturbed so that would bring down to the 4 inch minimum for proper denitrification to occur...anything under 4 inch then proper denitrification CANNOT OCCUR or WILL NOT occur therefore nitrate problems etc....Sand beds under 4 inch can actually become a trap for future problems with tank.....
I am not expert but I know the article I read on the sand bed was the best I have ever read and it was bang on with the above advice I believe.
Best of luck...this is only my opinion and I am not saying I am right.
Tim
DingDong128
New member
Tim can you post a link or provide direction to that article?
Very interested as well.
It sounds like the original RDSB publication from many years ago from Calfo. There is a long thread on it, and there is also one from farther back about the DSB concept and why it works.
The Calfo discussion, big bag of popcorn needed to read this...
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=595109
The Calfo discussion, big bag of popcorn needed to read this...
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=595109
DingDong128
New member
Thanks Jack!
Sometimes it helps being old when your memory works. FWIW it does not have to be a 5 gallon bucket to work. Sand does offer benefits other than denitrification, such as fauna and microbial diversity and planktonic production. Even a shallow sand bed can and will provide benefits, even if not deep enough for denitrification. The Formosa Forest thread from a few years back was interesting, a bare bottom tank but sand in a container in the fuge. That tank grew like crazy.
I have a shallow sand bed, every tank I have ever had did, but I am liking the solid carbon for denitrification, it is so much easier than VSV.
I have a shallow sand bed, every tank I have ever had did, but I am liking the solid carbon for denitrification, it is so much easier than VSV.
drummereef
Team RC
It can be quite relevant Dave. I have run both DSB and SSB, currently a SSB on my 180g. I have found in my own experience and research from other problematic tanks that DSBs only work of they are a minimum of 5-6" or more. 5" being on the borderline of efficiency. Any less depth and you don't have enough anerobic areas to get any decent amount of denitrification. It's the gray area, 2-4" that become a nutrient sink where NO3 tends to flourish. I had a properly running DSB on my 40g for years but kept it at a depth of around 6". I would suggest either adding more sand or slowly siphon some out and do a proper SSB. If you do a SSB then you have the ability to vacuum it at water changes which can really help with NO3 issues. Not advisable or practical for a sand bed of your depth.
jlinzmaier
Premium Member
How to find the original NP biopellets that krzystzof used???
How to find the original NP biopellets that krzystzof used???
I started doing some looking into how I find the biopellets that Krzyystzof has used and now I'm really confused. I think these are the original NP biopellets that krzystzof has used but I'm getting very mixed messages.
http://premiumaquatics.com/store/me..._Code=PA&Product_Code=NP-B1000&Category_Code=
I e-mailed premium aquatics with this message.
This is the reply that Jason Frey sent back.
This is the picture he sent me.
I don't know how to get the original NP biopellets. I have no idea what I'd be buying to be honest with you.
On the Marine Depot site the picture is able to be enlarged and you can see in the bottom left corner of the bag that the label has this info (an indication from the NP link posted earlier to indicate their original product).
However, if they're changing the product as Jason says does that mean that the orininal recipe changed (the link to the DVH import info made it sound as if the product hasn't changed and only their original pellets are their true recipe and best NP product with no toxic compounds confirmed by two sources). That DVH info on the package makes me think these are the legit original NP biopellets but I'm not sure since Jason Frey made it sound like the originals have now been changed.
I sent Marine Depot the same e-mail and I'll post what they reply.
Jeremy
How to find the original NP biopellets that krzystzof used???
I started doing some looking into how I find the biopellets that Krzyystzof has used and now I'm really confused. I think these are the original NP biopellets that krzystzof has used but I'm getting very mixed messages.
http://premiumaquatics.com/store/me..._Code=PA&Product_Code=NP-B1000&Category_Code=
I e-mailed premium aquatics with this message.
This is the reply that Jason Frey sent back.
This is the picture he sent me.
I don't know how to get the original NP biopellets. I have no idea what I'd be buying to be honest with you.
On the Marine Depot site the picture is able to be enlarged and you can see in the bottom left corner of the bag that the label has this info (an indication from the NP link posted earlier to indicate their original product).
However, if they're changing the product as Jason says does that mean that the orininal recipe changed (the link to the DVH import info made it sound as if the product hasn't changed and only their original pellets are their true recipe and best NP product with no toxic compounds confirmed by two sources). That DVH info on the package makes me think these are the legit original NP biopellets but I'm not sure since Jason Frey made it sound like the originals have now been changed.
I sent Marine Depot the same e-mail and I'll post what they reply.
Jeremy
bluereefs
New member
It get even better, now D&D in cooperation with Bio aquatek have new Marine bio pellets version and acording to their advertising they have "new best formula" without parafin, starches and other polymers what are used as a binders in "other" bio pellets
Pasted from article
Developed in the UK, the major differentiator with the Marine Bio Pearls is the lack of foreign binders you’ll find in other similar products on the market. So what are these elusive fillers? Most likely many biopellets are utilizing paraffin, starches and other polymers as a binding agent in the production of the product. In the Marine Bio Pearls the only thing besides the base food for the nutrient-reducing bacteria is a buffer agent to help counterbalance the effects of the extra CO2 introduced to your system as a byproduct of the bacterial process.
The small spheres are pretty solid and will work quite well in any fluidized reactor and can take a bit more flow without breaking up into smaller pieces. Another nice thing about these biopellets is without the extra stuff hopefully we’ll see more efficient skimmer and less cloudiness with the pellets. All the other stuff in pellets can have an impact on the protein skimmer’s production causing havoc with foam production possibly collapsing the foam column too soon or changing the surface tension of the water causing the skimmer to overflow.
go figoure
Pasted from article
Developed in the UK, the major differentiator with the Marine Bio Pearls is the lack of foreign binders you’ll find in other similar products on the market. So what are these elusive fillers? Most likely many biopellets are utilizing paraffin, starches and other polymers as a binding agent in the production of the product. In the Marine Bio Pearls the only thing besides the base food for the nutrient-reducing bacteria is a buffer agent to help counterbalance the effects of the extra CO2 introduced to your system as a byproduct of the bacterial process.
The small spheres are pretty solid and will work quite well in any fluidized reactor and can take a bit more flow without breaking up into smaller pieces. Another nice thing about these biopellets is without the extra stuff hopefully we’ll see more efficient skimmer and less cloudiness with the pellets. All the other stuff in pellets can have an impact on the protein skimmer’s production causing havoc with foam production possibly collapsing the foam column too soon or changing the surface tension of the water causing the skimmer to overflow.
go figoure
daveonbass
New member
I still disagree about the sand bed. Over the years I've read too many time how the sand bed has to be "x" amount of inches, and there is no right answer. People have success with all kinds of sand bed depth.
I DO have a deep and bed in my sump, it's never really done anything special either (for or against) to the nutrient level. I've had a rdsb in older tanks, and again, not that big a difference either way...sometimes things just happen in the tank to change the water chemistry.
currently, I still say it's a moot point. If the BP worked, then none of this would ever be an issue. I have run a successful tank like this for years, without bp, and now that I add then, the params get all wacky. If my pellets worked the way any number of peoples bio pellets worked on here, then even a slow build up of NO3 (and NO3 only) would/should be taken care of by the BP. But...again this is my point...they still don't work. That is the main issue here.
I DO have a deep and bed in my sump, it's never really done anything special either (for or against) to the nutrient level. I've had a rdsb in older tanks, and again, not that big a difference either way...sometimes things just happen in the tank to change the water chemistry.
currently, I still say it's a moot point. If the BP worked, then none of this would ever be an issue. I have run a successful tank like this for years, without bp, and now that I add then, the params get all wacky. If my pellets worked the way any number of peoples bio pellets worked on here, then even a slow build up of NO3 (and NO3 only) would/should be taken care of by the BP. But...again this is my point...they still don't work. That is the main issue here.
drummereef
Team RC
The DSB in your sump is probably too small to support denitrification of your entire system. I'm not a supporter of DSBs in sumps for a variety of reasons and honestly they can become part of the problem. That on top of the moderate sand bed I still think is a big factor. But, do what floats your boat - just trying to help you get those nitrates down.
If you take a look around at the successful low nutrient systems out there, many of them have SSBs (or no sand) and no refugium. To me if you are going to do the bio pellets you have to eliminate the "x" factors for them to be most effective. 
- Status
Similar threads
