NP Biopellets

[mojoreef]

Donrando I dont see to much of an issue with running both, pellets remove P and N via bacterial binding and Activated carbon is more of a filter to trap various components, so I dont really see an issue of competition.

hope it helps

mike

 

[tyson256031]

This is alot of great information! I was debating about the bio pellets as well, I Think i will end up with this system and get rid of my Fuge/GFO setup.

 

[donrando]

as always, thanks mojo!

 

[donrando]

2 more things, lol

i am about to use 3/4 cup of BP fr my 210 gal display does that seem a safe starting point? please check my conversions

also, does this stuff need to be rinsed first in FW?

thanks

 

[mojoreef]

Don their are so many types and brands its hard to make a blanket call. I would suggest taking their numbers for a starting point and then only starting with 30 percent of that number. Then once a month add the next 30% as it is REQUIRED. Remember they are making ballpark call on peoples tanks average. As in my 210 could be ridden with P and N where as yours might not be?? So start with 30% of their suggestion and then next months do some testing to see if you have P and N and then if you do add another 30%, if not then ride on what you got. I would rinse them, I would rinse everything like that.


Mojo

 

[donrando]

it says use 25-50 ml per 100 L or tank water

it is the N/P Biopellets I am using

thanks

 

[mojoreef]

Ok so then 210*4= 840L/100 = 8.4* 40ml? = 336ml then you have to take out the amount of rock work and sand and then divide that by 30% and your good to go.

Mike

 

[Frankie]

I tried to keep my refugium going while getting into carbon dosing. I had some mangroves I was doing well with so I left them up and running to see what would happen. First the cheato turned a light green. Then it turned a pale green and disintegrated. After that I started to loose leaves on the mangrove tree's until the stems seem to cave in and dry out. By the end of month two into dosing my refugium was gone and the only thing still thriving in there was a sand bed full of cyano bacteria. I am assuming this is where the carbon pool settled in. It is common for those changing a system out to carbon dosing to experience a break out of cyano. I am curious on your thinking of this Mike?

My water parameters never tested out for phosphates during this time coming in at 0 on a hanna meter. I did notice an increase in skimate production, basically all the dark sludge coming out of the water was the dead cheato.

That's my take on refugiums and carbon dosing.

 

[mojoreef]

It is common for those changing a system out to carbon dosing to experience a break out of cyano. I am curious on your thinking of this Mike?

Well if you put some thought to it, perhaps it makes sense. With the pellets/carbon dosing you are reducing the N and P in the water column. This out competes the the algaes in both the tank and the refugium. So whats going to be left ?? the N and P with in the LR and LS but with no competitors the only thing left to that can get to the P in their is going to be cyano as it can generate its own N. So yea makes sense, if you make sure you syphon out the detritus in the top 1 or so on your sand bed that should eliminate it and then keep your rocks clean by hitting them with the powerhead.

mike

 

[jim.crunk]

I am convinced that I want to go the bio pellet route. My tank has only been running for a few weeks since converting from my 20 gal. I'm wondering when I should start using the pellets. PLS correct my thoughts, but I am guessing that I could go ahead and start now even that I only have a trace of N and no P showing yet because since the pellets are food for the bacteria and if there isnt much of these types of bacteria the worst that could happen is that a small amount of pellets should last a long time. (Im hoping).
I built a refugium area in my sump, but I dont believe that I will be using it.

 

[mojoreef]

Hiya Jim and welcome aboard!! Jim IMHO I would wait a few months prior to using any pellets. As you know when you first set up your aquarium your looking to build up bacterial populations and then get a good input output on the amount of nutrients they can deal with. In this process it is natural for the bacteria to have die offs and for algae to then take hold. After a few months this swinging back and forth will come to an equilibrium. During this period I would like to see no outside interference and the pellets will do just that. So for me, go through the cycle (bacteria, algae) and then come in when and if you need it.

hope it helps

Mojo

 

[jim.crunk]

Hey mojoreef, Thanks for the info. What your saying makes total sense to me. Now I think that I might remove the seagel that has been running for a short time. I guess I need to focus on other aspects of the tank and just let everything stabilize. I set out all of my diy led parts on the table yesterday and havent stated that yet because today UPS delivered my 2 evolution 1400 pumps. I cleaned the pumps tested in a bucket/worked great. Installed into tank, plugged into wavemaker and they are so loud that they scare the fish everytime they startup. I removed and worked on em for awhile and now they are a little quieter. Maybe get into the LED's tomorrow.
Thanks again...
jim

 

[mojoreef]

Yea its always best to allow the tank to have a full and complete cycle, including the bacteria, algae and moron cycle. Look at it like a strong foundation, all the pellets/carbon/rfugiums and so on are just things that are used as complimentary to it, kinda like a touch here and a nudge their to take care of things that the main system cant deal with properly.

Make sure you got a tank build thread going, I wont except i added this and that now!!! lol


Mojo

 

[donrando]

so it is best to rinse the biopellets first to get them to properly sink in the reactor, is that correct? should they be rinsed in tap water, fresh RO water, or tank water?

 

[mojoreef]

I dont really think its a big deal in what you wash them in, I would do it in some tank water.

Mojo

 

[Darthv247]

soak them in R/O overnight is what most of the manufacturers recommend.

 

[Frankie]

Not having run biopellets (yet) I am curious as to why they want you to soak them in water prior to use. There solid polymers from my understanding. Do they swell and sink after contact with water? Why would soaking them be any different from putting them right into the reactor that will be full of water also?

 

[Tecnomage]

They tend to float if not soaked and can push through the top screen of some reactors and out into the tank.

 

[Sculpin]

How do you know when the pellets need to be replaced? And regarding the tumble effect, are we talking millimeters or a centimeter? Thanks for all the info everyone!

 

[Darthv247]

you will know when to replace them because they wont be there. they break down into the water and as feed to the bacteria from my understanding.