N/P reducing pellets (solid vodka dosing)
- Thread starter tntneon
- Start date
- Status
Thats precisely what i was wondering since im really considering removing my dsb if it in fact only removes nitrates so that there will be more nitrates for the BP to remove and therefore will be able to remove more PO4.
Does anyone else run their BP with a DSB in their systems here?
SimonSKL
New member
I am in the process of adding biopellets to my 125 gallon reef aquarium. As part of a photo contest I got a TLF 550 reactor that will use for this project. I will start with 250ml and will add the rest in the bag until I have the 500ml. I will post the progress of this. I am not going to remove the GFO for the moment. I am planning to use a MaxiJet 1200 I have to see how the pellets move in the reactor.
Here are some photos of the mesh mod to the 550.
Luisgo, I really don't think the bottom mesh is needed. It probably impede the flow. Some of the newer pellet reactors don't have any mesh or screen at the bottom. I removed my bottom screen and mesh from my NextReef MR1 reactor and the flow is much better.
joao junior
New member
anyone have problem with sps after use biopellets???all my parameters are ok,but after two mouth that i running biopellets, i have some of my sps bleaching.
Dave1NC
New member
I am using the Phosban 500 with a mod similar with Luisgo's in a 240g reef w/a 75 sump. I've been running the Biopellets for about a month now. I started dosing about 1/4 of what was recommend and gradually built up to 200 ml. I also added some Mircobacter7 to kick-start the good bacteria growth.
I didn't get the algae bloom like some others, but now after a month I am getting some cyano in my system. I never really had a problem like this before, but I had high Phos and Nitra. I sent email to the manufacturer and the person who developed the pellets. The person who developed them said I should dose vodka and the manufacturer said to add Coral snow and Zeobac together.
What do you recommend I do? So far my nitra and phos have come down down some, but I am about ready to dump these things in the trash...
I didn't get the algae bloom like some others, but now after a month I am getting some cyano in my system. I never really had a problem like this before, but I had high Phos and Nitra. I sent email to the manufacturer and the person who developed the pellets. The person who developed them said I should dose vodka and the manufacturer said to add Coral snow and Zeobac together.
What do you recommend I do? So far my nitra and phos have come down down some, but I am about ready to dump these things in the trash...
SaltyNovice
New member
Six Week Update/Numbers
Six Week Update/Numbers
Ok, here are my numbers for week number 6. I'm still a little disappointed, but I realize anything takes time in this hobby.
Temp 77.0 F
SG 1.024
PH 8.1
Amon 0.0
Nitrites 0.0
Nitrates 80 API 50 Salifert
Phosphates 1.0 API
dKH / ALK 15.0 dKH (keeps going up ???)
CAL 425
MAG 1155
I went ahead and did a 10% WC (15 gallons) - can't wait any longer.
I'm a little concerned there has not been any imporvement that I can see. I still have a little bit of "cloudy" water. I was really expecting some imporvement. The reason why - my skimmer has been going crazy for about a week. I've had to empty my cup three times the past 7 days. Before - I might empty it every two weeks or so. I've always gotten black coffee looking stuff. But now it is more of a light colored "baby poo" color - brownish/yellow and it really smells a whole lot worse than the previous skim mate. I think the colors on all my tests might be changing some or that is just a whole lot of wishing on my part - I'm not sure, but I will check back in with a report in a couple of weeks I guess. How's everybody else's numbers doing ---- getting better?
Six Week Update/Numbers
Ok, here are my numbers for week number 6. I'm still a little disappointed, but I realize anything takes time in this hobby.
Temp 77.0 F
SG 1.024
PH 8.1
Amon 0.0
Nitrites 0.0
Nitrates 80 API 50 Salifert
Phosphates 1.0 API
dKH / ALK 15.0 dKH (keeps going up ???)
CAL 425
MAG 1155
I went ahead and did a 10% WC (15 gallons) - can't wait any longer.
I'm a little concerned there has not been any imporvement that I can see. I still have a little bit of "cloudy" water. I was really expecting some imporvement. The reason why - my skimmer has been going crazy for about a week. I've had to empty my cup three times the past 7 days. Before - I might empty it every two weeks or so. I've always gotten black coffee looking stuff. But now it is more of a light colored "baby poo" color - brownish/yellow and it really smells a whole lot worse than the previous skim mate. I think the colors on all my tests might be changing some or that is just a whole lot of wishing on my part - I'm not sure, but I will check back in with a report in a couple of weeks I guess. How's everybody else's numbers doing ---- getting better?
Coral bleaching and bio-pellets are probably related to a situation with starvation of the corals and depletion of potassium. You have to feed much more when using the pellets.
dKH should be around 7 or close to NSW
http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/content/probiotics-demystified
Nils
dKH should be around 7 or close to NSW
http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/content/probiotics-demystified
Nils
i tried just the plastic canvas at bottom of reactor and it worked ok. this works much better. i made this plate, which is part of a flashlight. i also cut 1/2" pvc pipe and glued on a endcap, which has drilled holes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7g7NcWCgbM&feature=player_profilepage
Attachments
Dont know if this photo will show up, but i have been using Bip Pellets and Tropic Marin Bio salt, for the last 10 months or so.. i have sponge growing of all different colers and shapes and sizes.. My sps are doing well, except where the yellow sponge has over grown my sps from the bottom up, killing the coral..
any ideas what it is or what will eat it?
staggeringwade
New member
I posted earlier on my poor success with ecobak and removed 50% of the pellets.
About three months have passed with about 500ml of ecobak with 140 ish gallons of water in DT tank and sumps. My phosphates are .005 ppm Hanna checker and nitrates are maybe 12ppm if the drip test is accurate at all.
Tank parameters.
Calcium 400, Alk 9, Mag 1350, PH 7.9 because using calcium reactor.
BRS Carbon and GFO 1.5 cups of each.
6 inch DSB fine oolite.
Since my hair algae is getting worse I took Dave's advice and added 1 tsp of organic cane sugar for three days in a row and now I have a bacterial bloom.
My skimmer is going nuts.
I added a big airstone to the aquarium in case the oxygen levels are low, however my ORP meter reading is at 420.
I initially thought that a maxijet 1200 was too much tumbling in the new Next Reef BioPellet reactor so I installed a ball valve to slow the tumbling down. The ball valve itself is actually wide open-the barbed fittings that screw into the ball valve restrict flow just right for now. May have to remove ball valve later.
The DSB kept the nitrates at zero on my system. But I added sugar to get the pellets going.
I have tried dosing MB7 and it did nothing to help.
I did dose 1 tsp of calcium nitrate once a week to add some nitrates to the system.
To get to the point I have questions.
How long does the bacterial bloom last before I should worry? The animals look fine, but the bloom is stinky and I have guests staying at my house.
Since I generally have zero nitrates, should I add 1 tsp of sugar or calcium nitrate a week after the bloom is over for a while or stop now?
Should I do a water change or wait a couple more days?
Thanks,
Wade
About three months have passed with about 500ml of ecobak with 140 ish gallons of water in DT tank and sumps. My phosphates are .005 ppm Hanna checker and nitrates are maybe 12ppm if the drip test is accurate at all.
Tank parameters.
Calcium 400, Alk 9, Mag 1350, PH 7.9 because using calcium reactor.
BRS Carbon and GFO 1.5 cups of each.
6 inch DSB fine oolite.
Since my hair algae is getting worse I took Dave's advice and added 1 tsp of organic cane sugar for three days in a row and now I have a bacterial bloom.
My skimmer is going nuts.
I added a big airstone to the aquarium in case the oxygen levels are low, however my ORP meter reading is at 420.
I initially thought that a maxijet 1200 was too much tumbling in the new Next Reef BioPellet reactor so I installed a ball valve to slow the tumbling down. The ball valve itself is actually wide open-the barbed fittings that screw into the ball valve restrict flow just right for now. May have to remove ball valve later.
The DSB kept the nitrates at zero on my system. But I added sugar to get the pellets going.
I have tried dosing MB7 and it did nothing to help.
I did dose 1 tsp of calcium nitrate once a week to add some nitrates to the system.
To get to the point I have questions.
How long does the bacterial bloom last before I should worry? The animals look fine, but the bloom is stinky and I have guests staying at my house.
Since I generally have zero nitrates, should I add 1 tsp of sugar or calcium nitrate a week after the bloom is over for a while or stop now?
Should I do a water change or wait a couple more days?
Thanks,
Wade
staggeringwade
New member
Just got home from work and bacterial bloom isn't as cloudy as when I left early this morning. This skimmate is just thick foam that lifts the lid of the skimmer up a bit and runs down the outside of the skimmer body.
I don't really want to have any more blooms (this will be my second).
I will wait and see what answers I get to my previous post.
I didn't mention in my previous post that I have had one heck of a cyano break out in my refugium. I have been not treating it with anything because I don't want to risk messing up my biopellets. I have just been sucking out the cyano and doing lights out when DT lights are on. I also added a mj 600 to the refugium to add better flow. There is really no improvement there yet.
Wade
I don't really want to have any more blooms (this will be my second).
I will wait and see what answers I get to my previous post.
I didn't mention in my previous post that I have had one heck of a cyano break out in my refugium. I have been not treating it with anything because I don't want to risk messing up my biopellets. I have just been sucking out the cyano and doing lights out when DT lights are on. I also added a mj 600 to the refugium to add better flow. There is really no improvement there yet.
Wade
FlammySnake
New member
I can't see why people are using the pellets when they have zero nitrate in the first place!
Week 4 of tlf pellets in tlf reactor brought nitrates from 80ppm to 20 ppm! Can't wait for next week!
Week 4 of tlf pellets in tlf reactor brought nitrates from 80ppm to 20 ppm! Can't wait for next week!
Moser
Active member
It's just another method to keep the nutrients low. You would assume that other methods have been stopped, so how would you keep the nitrates at zero if you switch off the pellets?.
Mo
staggeringwade
New member
I have asked myself the same thing multiple times!
I know I need some nitrates for the phosphates to lower.
Personally, I have a huge GHA problem from phosphates that may be leaching out of my live rock.
I also enjoy buying gadgets and new toys for my aquariums, but I feel like I am wasting fun money on things like GFO.
I have brown acro's that should be beautiful, the color has been slowly improving.
I'm starting a 500 gallon FOWLR aquarium in the next few weeks and I do not want a DSB.
So I'm trying to figure out these pellets.
If I can make the pellets work in my 110 gallon nano :lmao: aquarium I will very slowly remove the DSB.
Wade
mm.reefs
Member
Definitely!
If someone has an established tank with near zero nitrates, BP’s will not do any good. IMHO BP’s should be used in a system with a chronic nitrate problem, after trying all basic methods of good maintenance, some bacteria dosing, etc. Also IMO is a waste of money when someone installs BP’s in a near zero nitrates hoping to feed the corals with the extra bacteria it generate. Dosing some amino’s, lipids, etc. will yield much better results.
FlammySnake
New member
Proof I'm not crazy!
How much water to skimmer ratio do you think would be good for a BP system? I heard that x3 your water volume should be the right ammount?
I have a super reef octo xp 3000 ext which is rated for 300g. My total water volume is around 120g (120g display +60 sump).
later this week, i will be adding a 50g fuge to my tank for additional water volume and critters to help feed my sps. I was thinking that after this additional water volume being added, im going to set up my extra skimmer at home thats rated for 150g.
What do you guys think? Will that make my water "too clean" or is there no such thing?
I have a super reef octo xp 3000 ext which is rated for 300g. My total water volume is around 120g (120g display +60 sump).
later this week, i will be adding a 50g fuge to my tank for additional water volume and critters to help feed my sps. I was thinking that after this additional water volume being added, im going to set up my extra skimmer at home thats rated for 150g.
What do you guys think? Will that make my water "too clean" or is there no such thing?
Moser
Active member
Sorry, but that's not true.
Pellets are a different way to keep low nutrients on any system.
If you don't have the space, can you think of a more compact way of doing it?.
Have you seen Krysztof Tryc's TOTM?.... just an example, but a very good one to discredit your theory!.
Mo
- Status
Similar threads
