mb bio pellets vs mb7 and biofule vz zeo

[anthony27]

Well I thought I would start this and see were it goes from there. I am dosing mb7 and bio fule and I see amazing results. Low range trates and po4s you cant beat that.


Now mb bio pellets, I have heard they make the tank smell and most of all you have no control over the bacteria out put into the tank so in theory you have a over flow of bacteria in the tank as opposed to dosing.

Now zeo, I am going to start dosing zeo the first week of Nov. I know enough about zeo to know you have the change out the media every 6 months and also shake the cainster 2 times a day to release the bacteria into the water. Yes you can also add other additives in the tank to make the coral pop like zeo food and coral amino.

Now here is the thing how are these bio pellets and do you realy have control, in the words of a member on this site " it is a idiot proof way to vodka dose".

 

[Staaan]

Just get some Blue LEDs and you colors will "pop" lmao :bablefish

 

[batt600]

Ok i been doing alot of research on NP Pellets and this is what i got . The pellets deplete Co2 even being placed before the skimmer witch causes ph to drop . Thats one . There is no control over carbon dosing with this method I under stand that the pellet dissolve and release bacteria and also absorb N03 and p04 but how is it controlled ?.I have read several post on RC about thesis pellets and some are good but alot are bad . From a foul odor to tank crashing and cyana problem. I would like to try this but to many bads from this . Mshur also tryed the pellets and the end result was almost a tank crash . So i will stick with zoevit.

 

[anthony27]

you know I read the same stuff about them, I am very supprised that Dr harry did not chime in on this.

I agree there is no control over these pellets but with carbon dosing you have control.

Thank you Bat for the information, I take is also that control is when you shake the zeo canister and release the bacteria in the system

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

Just get some Blue LEDs and you colors will "pop" lmao :bablefish

lmao

 

[greenstreet.1]

dose B7,Bio fuel and also run neo zeo in a reactor. p=0 , n=0.5

 

[THEDLO]

im tagging along as a side note; to try either of these methods u need to have quite the powerful skimmer right?

 

[E.intheC]

batt, do you have links to this on RC? I haven't read enough of the 'bad' stories on RC (or anywhere else) to make me think it's the pellet itself. From what I can remember, it was due to user error, IE: not enough flow with the larger pellets. Further, the newer Warner Marine and Vertex pellets are smaller so they don't require as much flow.

Zeovit is risky as well. Lots of people have tank crashes w/ Zeovit. I'm not knocking Zeo.. Nor saying one way is better or worse than the other. All these methods, including Zeo, "Biopellets", Vodka/MB7, etc. have risks. Ultimately, if you don't have an excellent understanding of general reefkeeping practices, a consistent maintenance regimen, and persistence, any method you use will fail.

 

[devilreefing]

I have try the bio pellet in my thank for 4 days and I get tank carsh all my sps is done some of my limited edition chalice, zoa, sps is not in my tank anymore i will never put the bio pellet in my thank anymore suck.

 

[NL146]

I have try the bio pellet in my thank for 4 days and I get tank carsh all my sps is done some of my limited edition chalice, zoa, sps is not in my tank anymore i will never put the bio pellet in my thank anymore suck.

Could you explain what happened?

 

[anthony27]

see this is the responce I was looking for it is nice to see how we all come together to dicuess this issue, as I look on other reef sites they have serious issues comming abroad like this one.


Now devil can you please explain to use what happened with the pellets and give system specs.

thedlo- you do not need a super skimmer for this but it will actually aid the skimmer I right now dosed 3 ml each of the mb7 and biofule and already ( no lights on) sps are fully out and brain coral swelled up 2 the normal size when lights are off.

 

[THEDLO]

thedlo- you do not need a super skimmer for this but it will actually aid the skimmer I right now dosed 3 ml each of the mb7 and biofule and already ( no lights on) sps are fully out and brain coral swelled up 2 the normal size when lights are off.

u need to come over already doc lol

 

[DrHarryLopez]

Now mb bio pellets, I have heard they make the tank smell and most of all you have no control over the bacteria out put into the tank so in theory you have a over flow of bacteria in the tank as opposed to dosing.

I've had the bio-pellets in play now since 8/22/10
no foul smell
no harm
no overflow of bacteria in the tank (however that may look like)

Control? do we have any real control of any bacteria carbon based or other in our tanks?

My phosphates are constant 0.03-0.02, Nitrates zero, water is crystal crystal crystal clear. The coral have begun a growth spurt and consumption of Ca, Alk, n Mg like one I never seen before in any of my tanks. The coral continue to do well and appear healthy. The brightness of their colors are stunning! Enough said...

I keep a tight reef with all my parameters. I'm meticulous about everything temp control, salinity, pH, ORP, flow, lighting, detritus on rocks, to what i feed the fish. I don't know how other people manage their tanks that failed/crash while using bio-pellets, but i can't see how pellets could harm a reef. hmmm, seems pretty straight forwad to me. The pellets that is.

 

[batt600]

I've had the bio-pellets in play now since 8/22/10
no foul smell
no harm
no overflow of bacteria in the tank (however that may look like)

Control? do we have any real control of any bacteria carbon based or other in our tanks?

My phosphates are constant 0.03-0.02, Nitrates zero, water is crystal crystal crystal clear. The coral have begun a growth spurt and consumption of Ca, Alk, n Mg like one I never seen before in any of my tanks. The coral continue to do well and appear healthy. The brightness of their colors are stunning! Enough said...

I keep a tight reef with all my parameters. I'm meticulous about everything temp control, salinity, pH, ORP, flow, lighting, detritus on rocks, to what i feed the fish. I don't know how other people manage their tanks that failed/crash while using bio-pellets, but i can't see how pellets could harm a reef. hmmm, seems pretty straight forwad to me. The pellets that is.

Yes your right it is straight forward . Like i said some people has great results from this but alot have tried the pellets and bad results came from it . Like i said i would love to try it but have to many sps to take that risk right now.

 

[batt600]

batt, do you have links to this on RC? I haven't read enough of the 'bad' stories on RC (or anywhere else) to make me think it's the pellet itself. From what I can remember, it was due to user error, IE: not enough flow with the larger pellets. Further, the newer Warner Marine and Vertex pellets are smaller so they don't require as much flow.

Zeovit is risky as well. Lots of people have tank crashes w/ Zeovit. I'm not knocking Zeo.. Nor saying one way is better or worse than the other. All these methods, including Zeo, "Biopellets", Vodka/MB7, etc. have risks. Ultimately, if you don't have an excellent understanding of general reefkeeping practices, a consistent maintenance regimen, and persistence, any method you use will fail.

On RC theres alot of post of people wanting to start pellet and people reply to the post of there bad experiance with it but on zoevit to alot did the switch to pellets and didnt like the results . But i did read that if you have a nitrate and phos problem and you start the pellets it will increase they levels first before they go down . This could be the problem why people tank were crashing . It did say to try to get your level down enuff before starting the pellets

 

[anthony27]

Control? do we have any real control of any bacteria carbon based or other in our tanks?

I would have to say yes we do to a point we can control the bacterial imput in my tank but watching the dosing of the mb7 and bio fule. I do know that zeo is the next step for me and even then I will have control by shaking the reactor 2 times a day.

I do not know a lot about the pellets but I do know that they increase the levels of po4 and then it starts to decrease.

In my own tank, and I think all of our tanks when we use the bio pellets or the dosing we see algie on the sand,, which I am not complaing about this but cleaning is annoying.


As for the colors, since you are running a trate and po4 free zone for the sps and lps you will def have high color in the tank. Rember the trates and po4 burn the film (zoanthilie) over the sps which is the main cause of color less sps and lps in the tank. You are also haveing a constant source of bacterial food for the sps and lps to feed off of in the tank which causes constant growth.

 

[Staaan]

I thought the more bacteria = the lower ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates in the tank..

So is that something you'd even want to control?


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[AlohaTropics]

I'd like to explain a few things with the pellets:

1. Most tank crashes occur because people just swap out whatever nutrient reduction they are using at the time with pellets (ie phosban, sulfur). You MUST continue your regular methods of reduction while introducing the pellets to the system. It takes 3-4 weeks for the bacteria to properly populate in the reactor. Then you can SLOWLY remove the media a little at a time.

2. Bacteria population control. In theory, the pellets actually give you more control. First, the bacteria is localized in the reactor unlike zeo or mb7 where you dose directly into the tank. It will minimize the bacteria that is actually in the display. Not eliminate, minimize. Also, the pellets do not dissolve in the water, they are slowly consumed by bacteria. That means only the carbon that is consumed is dissolving. Again, more control than just dosing into the system. This is why the pellets will shrink at different paces in different systems depending on bacteria population (which is also dependent on how much excess nutrients your system produces). The bacteria consume N,C, and P at correct ratios.

3. If you dose mb7 or zeobak, it may help increase and speed up the initial population, but after that, it is recommended to let the pellets and bacteria run it's own course. The addition of more bacteria will blindly change the ratio of what is NECESSARY. Remember, the whole theory is that nature will do it's thing. The bacteria should always populate dependent on how much P, N, and C are available. Because the pellets do not not truly dissolve rather are consumed as needed, the bacteria will control how much Pellet is used up based on the population necessary to consume all excess P and N.

4. Most problems also arise because either too little or too much flow. The pellets must be churning. Enough to keep ALL of them movine (no dead zones) but slow enough to keep the bacteria populated ON the pellets without blowing it off. Dead zones produce anaerobic bacteria which is devastating.

5. The bacteria will definitely lower your O2 ratio. This is why strong skimming with high air injection is recommended. Strong skimming placed AFTER the pellets reactor is recommended too keep the colonization localized within the reactor.

6. Choice of reactor is essential. Vertex UFs give the best results because virtually all other reactors have small 3/8" intlets and outlets. The UF has 1/2" which creates a much broader flow without high head pressure (which can hinder the populating).

7. Like any other ULNS method, good husbandry is absolutely key because there is a smaller margin for error. But IMO, pellets when started off properly, become the most automated of method of any of them.


I hope this helped!


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[AlohaTropics]

PS- the necessary quantity of pellets is also needed. The recommended quantity is just a guideline. Because the bacteria colonize on the pellets to directly consume the C, if you do not provide enough surface area for enough bacteria to grow, the N & P may rise because the not enough bacteria is present to consume it at equal levels with C. Conversely, if you have too much pellets, your bacteria will grow until all available N & P have been consumed. Then excess bacteria will die off and it may affect your natural cycle. The amount of pellets can change from system to system based on how much you feed and how much excess organics are in your water column.


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[anthony27]

But with the pellets is there not a constant flow of bacteria in the tank