N/P reducing pellets (solid vodka dosing)

[plankton99]

plankton99

Thanks Gary.

Nice tank. I like the way you have a shelf for the frags to grow out on. In the vid. I noticed that the pellets are really moving, might want to slow them down to a slow boil, if you know what I mean.

Is it bad to have a fast boil like I have? Will the bacteria grow better on a slower boil? I didnt want to put a valve on the Maxijet 1200 due to limited space but if there is significant benefit for a slower boil, I'll Do it!

 

[bazineta]

The point is to keep the pellets moving in order to prevent them from clumping up and developing anoxic regions, but not to have them moving so much that the bacteria is constantly being blown off of them, rather than developing on them.

So in short, yes, I'd go with a lot less movement than you appear to have at present.

 

[Tony Romano]

1. never used this type of reactor;

2. most cases, maxi-jet nozzles are up-sized using pieces of flex hose.. i.e. I think the 1/2" (13mm/15mm eheim tubing) fits the nozzle, then a 16/19 or 19/22 ehiem hose can can be fit over top of that; may also benefit from using cable-ties... but to answer your question: work it out with flex tubing.

SJ

Item 1 -- Why not?

 

[Scej12]

never needed to... have my own as part of a filtration (interchangeable reactor) system I've designed.... nothing against any other reactors though ... just prototyping my own is all..

Sheldon

 

[Dream2aReef]

We've been looking into getting one of these but we're still researching and trying to figure out what will work best with our system. We're over run with HA in one of our tanks and hopeing this might help with the problem.

 

[Scej12]

p.s. trying to get my patent done right now... can never seem to sit down long enough to respond to WIPO's correspondence..!!

 

[NyReefNoob]

i use the vertex uf-15 and a mj1200 for the feed pump, and have it dialed halfway back

 

[evoi19]

Hey i just wanted to give an update:

I started pellets last week (from my earlier posts) and for some reason my skimmer just wasn't skimming anymore. Well it's been finally resolved and on Monday it started to pull in the dark green/black gunk. Yay! Going to add the rest of the pellets in another week.

 

[gary faulkner]

Hey i just wanted to give an update:

I started pellets last week (from my earlier posts) and for some reason my skimmer just wasn't skimming anymore. Well it's been finally resolved and on Monday it started to pull in the dark green/black gunk. Yay! Going to add the rest of the pellets in another week.

Congrats, now you're cooking!

 

[Rhodes19]

I'm using a Reef Octopus BR 140 and I'm feeding it off of my return pump. The problem I'm having is that only half or one side of the reactor has the pellets tumbling the other half just sits there. Is anyone else having the same issue? I've played with the flow but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference.

 

[SimonSKL]

I came across this new biopellet reactor. It is quite an innovative and compact design with the pump built right underneath the reactor chamber saving a lot of connecting hoses. The pellet movement is just awesome. I understand the flow rate can be adjusted also.

You can watch how well the pellets are agitated in this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ulsDpAzeW8&feature=player_embedded

 

[gary faulkner]

I'm using a Reef Octopus BR 140 and I'm feeding it off of my return pump. The problem I'm having is that only half or one side of the reactor has the pellets tumbling the other half just sits there. Is anyone else having the same issue? I've played with the flow but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference.

Make sure the reactor is perfectly level. I had the same problem untill I got it level.

HTH

 

[Sohal Tang Tim]

Br-140

Br-140

my br-140 is tumbling the pellets, 1000ml, absolutely perfectly with a mag5
pump backed off to almost half... I know...that will eventually damage the pump so I may have to run a bypass instead of the valve....

If your pellets on one side are not tumbling it may be because they are covered with air (assuming they are brand new) and they have clumped....
I would shake the unit slightly side to side occassionally and it will likely
free them up into the normal tumble... Also..yes...make sure it is level.


Mine tumbling slow and perfectly consistent....

You should notttttttt be having that problem.

Perhaps you do not have enough flow????

Tim

 

[Scej12]

Nice reactor...

Nice reactor...

I came across this new biopellet reactor. It is quite an innovative and compact design with the pump built right underneath the reactor chamber saving a lot of connecting hoses. The pellet movement is just awesome. I understand the flow rate can be adjusted also.

You can watch how well the pellets are agitated in this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ulsDpAzeW8&feature=player_embedded

I did come across these a few weeks back while poking around for kool stuff. It's quite a nice concept and I would think should work great - preventing a lot of the clumping issues possibly...

SJ

 

[Rhodes19]

Make sure the reactor is perfectly level. I had the same problem untill I got it level.

HTH

Hi Gary,

Thanks. That was my first thought but its sitting on the floor.

 

[Sohal Tang Tim]

air on pellets

air on pellets

When you first put the pellets in the reactor for the first couple of days
they have air attached to them...this buggers up their ability to tumble properly... You probably have a batch of air covered pellets in a single
area in the reactor and that is why they are not tumbling possibly....
or you do not have enough flow....or unlevel floor.

What I did was simply unplug the reactor, shake it side to side gently
and when I did that floating pellets from the top sunk into the collection
of them at the bottom of the reactor and then when turned unit back
on they tumbled fine. I had to do this about 10 times over 2 or 3 days
before all beads were finally saturated with water, air removed, and with
the batch tumbling....


I dont know if this is whats goin on with your's but...you might want to try that.....

you sure you have enough flow through the unit? They should easily
tumble...

the first few days with the beads in the unit they do not tumble 100percent...some do..some don't but...in a few days they all mix together
beautifully is what I have found.

Good luck,

Tim

 

[Rhodes19]

my br-140 is tumbling the pellets, 1000ml, absolutely perfectly with a mag5
pump backed off to almost half... I know...that will eventually damage the pump so I may have to run a bypass instead of the valve....

If your pellets on one side are not tumbling it may be because they are covered with air (assuming they are brand new) and they have clumped....
I would shake the unit slightly side to side occassionally and it will likely
free them up into the normal tumble... Also..yes...make sure it is level.


Mine tumbling slow and perfectly consistent....

You should notttttttt be having that problem.

Perhaps you do not have enough flow????

Tim

Hi Tim,

Thanks. I have 3 cups (750 ml?) of pellets in there now. They've in in there for about 5 weeks now. I did have some clumping problemes when I first started but after about a week, the clumping stopped. I've shaken it several times and the pellets will move around but when I set ti back down, the just settle to the bottom. I'm beginning to wonder if the tube in the middle is not sitting directly over the triangular piece that diverts the flow on the bottom. I can't see it because the pellets are covering it. Maybe if I tilt the reactor on the side if I will get a better view.

 

[Rhodes19]

Hi Tim,

I did have some floaters and with some shaking and a few days, most of them sunk back down to the bottom. I think my flow is ok. The side that is tumbling looks like a nice gentle boil, all the pellets are turning over/rotating from the center to the outside and back to the inside. The more I think of it the more I think the center tube may not be centered over the diverter (I guess that's the name). I'll take the reactor off line and tilt it sideways to move the pellets out of the way for a better look.

 

[Sohal Tang Tim]

good idea

good idea

yes I think that is a good idea to inspect the inside of the unit....something is not right thats for sure....

make sure the pellets do not see air or you will immediately kill the bacteria.

Good luck

Tim

 

[Rhodes19]

make sure the pellets do not see air or you will immediately kill the bacteria.

Good luck

Tim

Thanks time, I didn't think of that. I am seeing some good results and I don't want to mess it up.