Bio-Pellet Update

[InfernoST]

i think about 4 weeks some says up to 6 weeks. my gfo has been off line since week 4.... i'm in my 10-11th week. don't know about denitrifier....don't use one.
from what i heard from others, the bio pellets is better at maintaining the phos. and nitrate levels but not as much reducing them....so you should get those levels down first if they are really high.

I thought carbon dosing was to reduce nitrates.

 

[tomtoothdoc]

Cool, could I use my BRS GFO reactor for the pellets with the maxijet 1200 pump that runs the GFO reactor.

what is your total volume? i think the recommended dosage is one bag(550ml)/ 75 gal.
i believe the brs gfo reactor is too small for this purpose.....it has that container inside the chamber and its volume is kinda small.
i started with the mj1200 but it wasn't enough after a few weeks.
i run about 3 3/4 bags in a 3 1/2" x 24" pm reactor with a rio 1100 (~380 gph with 6' max head). my total volume is about 270-290 gal.

 

[InfernoST]

My total volume is about 120-130 gal.

 

[tomtoothdoc]

I thought carbon dosing was to reduce nitrates.

my nitrate was about 10-15 and phos. 0.03 ....after 10 weeks, 10-15 and 0.01 without gfo. the water change schedule was extended from 1-2 weeks to 2-3 weeks.

 

[Staaan]

Starting to like this bio-pellet stuff. Actually sounds really promising.

However.. I see pretty much all of you are slowly switching over to Bio-Pellets, from GFO and the like..

Just wanted to double check, as I'm pretty sure its ok -- is it ok to START a new tank right off the bat with bio-pellets?

 

[tomtoothdoc]

My total volume is about 120-130 gal.

you start with 1/2 the total amount....so about 3/4 bag or so then after about 4 weeks add another 3/4-1 bag.
i think the brs gfo reactor is not large enough to hold that amount with some room for the pellets to tumble.

 

[tomtoothdoc]

Starting to like this bio-pellet stuff. Actually sounds really promising.

However.. I see pretty much all of you are slowly switching over to Bio-Pellets, from GFO and the like..

Just wanted to double check, as I'm pretty sure its ok -- is it ok to START a new tank right off the bat with bio-pellets?

it sounds pretty good and so far either it either works very well or no noticeable change but more importantly no harm done. unlike vodka dosing where many have had some problems.

i don't know how many people are switching but certainly more lately.

don't know about starting off a new tank with the bio pellets. haven't heard any story along that line.....you can be the first documented case....lol.

 

[Widdy]

Start slow... Rapid nutrient reduction in an established tank might have its ill effects. I started it with 1/4 of recommended quantity, and increased 1/4 amount every week after. I also dosed ZeoBak to accelerated the colonization, or you can let it run it's own course. And have the reactor's effluent pointed towards or near your skimmer intake...

 

[Staaan]

Well to start off the new tank I was planning on using Special Blend & Nite Out II by Microbe Lift.

I've used them before, to start my 6g Nanocube, and to start 2 friends freshwater tanks.. and it worked great.

I'm going to google around, and see if I can find anything about starting out with Bio-Pellets.

 

[DrHarryLopez]

Well to start off the new tank I was planning on using Special Blend & Nite Out II by Microbe Lift.

I've used them before, to start my 6g Nanocube, and to start 2 friends freshwater tanks.. and it worked great.

I'm going to google around, and see if I can find anything about starting out with Bio-Pellets.

Hi Stan,
I'd start a new tank off with bio-pellet. I don't see any problem with it.

 

[Staaan]

Alrighty..

I'm just thinking... you know how pretty much almost every new tank has a diatom bloom after it cycles... if I add too much Bio-Pellets (removing a ton of nutrients as Widdy stated), I won't have a diatom bloom...errr unless I'm not getting something?

But regardless.. if I don't have a diatom bloom... how would that necessarily be a bad thing?

I'm going to be using Microbe Lift's Special Blend & Nite Out II to introduce the bacteria into the system.

I'm thinking what if I add the Nite Out II directly to the Bio-Pellets?

For those who don't know..

Special Blend - http://www.microbelift.com/products/home-aquarium/bacterial-products/special-blend/

Nite Out II - http://www.microbelift.com/products/home-aquarium/bacterial-products/nite-out-ii/

 

[Mikei70]

Alrighty..

I'm just thinking... you know how pretty much almost every new tank has a diatom bloom after it cycles... if I add too much Bio-Pellets (removing a ton of nutrients as Widdy stated), I won't have a diatom bloom...errr unless I'm not getting something?

But regardless.. if I don't have a diatom bloom... how would that necessarily be a bad thing?

I'm going to using Microbe Lift's Special Blend & Nite Out II to introduce the bacteria into the system.

I'm think what if I had add the Nite Out II directly to the Bio-Pellets?

For those who don't know..

Special Blend - http://www.microbelift.com/products/home-aquarium/bacterial-products/special-blend/

Nite Out II - http://www.microbelift.com/products/home-aquarium/bacterial-products/nite-out-ii/

Diatoms are from silicates. I don't know that the Bio-Pellets would have any affect on that. Anyone?

 

[Staaan]

I thought that it was a combination of Silicates/Nitrates/Phophates....

The "bloom" normally starts right at the end of the cycle period...when especially Nitrates are high.. thats why I figured.

Plus I remember when setting up my FOWLR, I used to use tap water, and had insane diatom blooms.

 

[Mikei70]

I thought that it was a combination of Silicates/Nitrates/Phophates....

Maybe-- I thought it was just silicates because it usually happens before nitrates or phosphates are present at any kind of high level.

 

[tomtoothdoc]

i've been doing an experiment.....

200 gal. display, 55 gal. 6" dsb fuge, 75 gal. sump. ~ 270 gal. volume. mixed reef....sps dominated. lots of fish ---high bio-load. msx 300 skimmer with 2x sicce pumps.

8/25 started bio pellets (2 x 550 ml) in a pm reactor 3 1/2" x 24" driven by mj1200 - still using gfo in a tlf 150 reactor.

starting parameters
salinity 1.025--refractometer and pinpoint salinity meter
alk. 10--api
cal. 480--api
mag. 1450--salifert
ph 8.0-8.1--pinpoint ph meter
nitrate 15-20--pinpoint nitrate meter
phos. 0.05--hanna meter

after 3 weeks, the parameters stay about the same except for phos. went down to 0.04. filter sock clogged up- needed replacement every day to every other day. skimmer pulled out gunkier stuff.

after about 4-6 weeks, phos. was 0.03. the tlf reactor was still on line but had not change the gfo media since 8/25. the sock aren't clogging around the 4th week. the skimmer pulled out some really nasty cruds.

about week 7 added about 1 1/2 x 550 ml. more bio pellets. mj 1200 wasn't cutting it with more pellets in the reactor, swapped it out with a rio 1100 rated at 380 gph with 6 ft. max head. the phos. was 0.01.

this is week 12th. the skimmer has been pulling out some nasty smelly cruds.
parameters:
salinity 1.025
alk. 9
cal. 460
mag. 1400
ph 8.0
nitrate 14
phos. 0.00

all corals appear more vibrant except for the monti.....the neon green spongodes has turn brown....polyps are out like normal but more brown than green.
the water change intervals had increased from 35-40 gal. every 1-2 weeks to 2-3 weeks. the last water change was over 6 weeks ago!!! (i don't advise doing this but i wanted to see what would happen.)
the parameters are stable....this is the first time i recorded 0.00 phos. in 5 years.
the bio-load and feedings were actually increased through the 12 weeks. more acros mini colonies and frags were added. 4 wrasses were added (5 but one died). the tanks were fed with reef snow, chromamax, and coralamino perhaps once a week...or 2 weeks.
the gfo had not been replaced since 8/25. besides cal. reactor, i don't dose anything else.

 

[InfernoST]

Tom, are the trates expected to come down?

 

[WidebodyFish]

Tom, What test kit do you use for nitrates ? I have the same issue as you. 220 tank with hi bio-load. Lots of fish an heavy feeding with hi nitrates. 3 weeks of Biopellets. nitrates wont come dow. 12 weeks your nitrates should be lower. If not, im gonna try a denitrogenizer,.

 

[DrHarryLopez]

i've been doing an experiment.....
this is week 12th. the skimmer has been pulling out some nasty smelly cruds.
parameters:
salinity 1.025
alk. 9
cal. 460
mag. 1400
ph 8.0
nitrate 14
phos. 0.00

all corals appear more vibrant except for the monti.....the neon green spongodes has turn brown....polyps are out like normal but more brown than green.
the water change intervals had increased from 35-40 gal. every 1-2 weeks to 2-3 weeks. the last water change was over 6 weeks ago!!! (i don't advise doing this but i wanted to see what would happen.)
the parameters are stable....this is the first time i recorded 0.00 phos. in 5 years.
the bio-load and feedings was actually increased through the 12 weeks. more acros mini colonies and frags were added. 4 wrasses were added (5 but one died). the tanks were fed with reef snow, chromamax, and coralamino perhaps once a week...or 2 weeks.
the gfo had not been replaced since 8/25. besides cal. reactor, i don't dose anything else.

Waahooo! Way to go TOM!!!

 

[THEDLO]

mj 1200 wasn't cutting it with more pellets in the reactor, swapped it out with a rio 1100 rated at 380 gph with 6 ft. max head.

im right there with ya tom im using a rio 1700, and now im getting the pellets to tumble nice.

 

[Wes]

Today marks week 6. Still have cyano problems. I didn't have any cyano prior to adding the pellets. Other than that, water clarity is good, skimmer production is good. No other changes and I havnt used GFO in 6 weeks.

If this cyano is just a phase and goes away I will be happy.


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