Bio Pellet reactor, Reef Dynamics, A few questions.....

[Alabamareef]

Putting a reef dynamics bio pellet reactor on my system, 180 gallon mixed reef. I'm not doing this because my Po4 (hanna reading 0.00) is high or because I have high nitrates (Salifert reading 0). I'm doing it because I want to feed my tank like crazy. My reactor has been ordered, customer support at REEF DYNAMICS has been great. Any questions you have Jeff Macaray always seems to be available to answer them. Here is the reactor I'm getting, Bio Pellet Reactor for 135 gallon Systems, and it's also a link to reef dynamics web page. I choose this reactor because I want full control of the output so I don't strip my tank completly. The link above shows how this reactor works, scroll to the bottom of the page and there are a couple of videos.

So while I'm waiting I've been getting my system ready. I know the reactor has to empty near the skimmers intake. I have a Reef Octopus XS 200. So for this I've bought a new Venturi inlet and ill place a 1" PVC sleeve right over the end, perfect fit.

The two pieces fit together perfectly, I just don't have them seated together because it's difficult to separate.

When the reactor gets here ill drill a hole into the sleeve and make a fitting for the reactors output to slip into. Hope this has no ill affect on my skimmer.

So my question is has anyone else used a biopellet reactor for this reason, to feed. Also I want some input on first starting it up since my nitrates are zero along with my Po4 at zero. I don't want my system to crash. I know it takes the system a couple of weeks for the pellets to build up a significant level.

 

[Saltgator]

Putting a reef dynamics bio pellet reactor on my system, 180 gallon mixed reef. I'm not doing this because my Po4 (hanna reading 0.00) is high or because I have high nitrates (Salifert reading 0). I'm doing it because I want to feed my tank like crazy. My reactor has been ordered, customer support at REEF DYNAMICS has been great. Any questions you have Jeff Macaray always seems to be available to answer them. Here is the reactor I'm getting, Bio Pellet Reactor for 135 gallon Systems, and it's also a link to reef dynamics web page. I choose this reactor because I want full control of the output so I don't strip my tank completly. The link above shows how this reactor works, scroll to the bottom of the page and there are a couple of videos.

So while I'm waiting I've been getting my system ready. I know the reactor has to empty near the skimmers intake. I have a Reef Octopus XS 200. So for this I've bought a new Venturi inlet and ill place a 1" PVC sleeve right over the end, perfect fit.

The two pieces fit together perfectly, I just don't have them seated together because it's difficult to separate.

When the reactor gets here ill drill a hole into the sleeve and make a fitting for the reactors output to slip into. Hope this has no ill affect on my skimmer.

So my question is has anyone else used a biopellet reactor for this reason, to feed. Also I want some input on first starting it up since my nitrates are zero along with my Po4 at zero. I don't want my system to crash. I know it takes the system a couple of weeks for the pellets to build up a significant level.

My bio pellets were incorporated just for feeding my tangs and regal angel. I like to see my fish fat n happy, not to mention, keeping my regal fat keeps him away from my clams (at least I believe so). My pellets are only at half the recommended amount in just over 2 months. I feed twice a day, especially now that I have Hoover, a vlamingi tang that's always hungry. Just double checked my nitrate and it's reading 0. My phosphate was higher than I like, but coming down every day since.

Country Boy using tapatalk on his EVO

 

[Alabamareef]

What were your levels when you started

 

[Saltgator]

Nitrate was 5 ppm and phosphate was 0.25 ppm (high, but I'm getting it down).

Country Boy using tapatalk on his EVO

 

[Alabamareef]

anyone else

 

[427HISS]

I realize this is an older thread, but I just bought a used, in great condition Reef Dynamics 135 bio pellet reactor.

How do you like your by now ?

What/who's type of pellets are you using ?

Where do you have it, in-sump or out ?

The great, good, bad and the ugly ???

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[zesty]

I realize this is an older thread, but I just bought a used, in great condition Reef Dynamics 135 bio pellet reactor.

How do you like your by now ?

What/who's type of pellets are you using ?

Where do you have it, in-sump or out ?

The great, good, bad and the ugly ???

Thanks,
Kevin

I am also interested. I was wondering if biopellets is the key to a heavily stocked fish tank? I seem to see them ran on the larger system where there are 945 fish in the tank. (I may be exaggerating)

 

[Saltgator]

Kevin, I gave up on them a while back. I'm dosing vinegar now. Bio pellets were just too hard for me to dial in. I might have been the huge reactor I bought or me. The tumbling was the hardest thing for me. Too much or not enough. Vinegar is easier for me as I incorporate it in my regular dosing schedule with my 2 part.
Btw I was running a ro 120 pellet reactor (I think or maybe 130) with brs pellets. GL with yours, hope you get it dialed in.

 

[427HISS]

Brad- " especially now that I have Hoover",......lol !!!

Haven't tried to remove the nitrates by getting them drunk, :tongue: yet, but hear it work very well.

But with your pellets bring them down to "0", why did you stop, just easier with the dosing or other reasons ?

 

[Saltgator]

I never felt like they were at zero, maybe close but at the time I still had hair algae too. It simply was me not wanting to fiddle with the constant tumbling or lack of. Each time pellets would stop tumbling in certain areas and when they did start getting smaller from tumbling, adjustment time again to adjust the pellets.
Yes , hoover was a trip and eat and poop was his job!
I feel that dosing my vinegar is 10x easier. Just set my doser to 2x a day dosing and walk away. I'm not at my daily dose yet but at 40mL a day my no3 is declining steady. Plus having a 50g fuge that is now taking off helps. I took the simple approach to my N03, a huge fuge, skim kinda wet and soon tons of corals to soak up what the other 2 miss (credit to Todd aka TJ'S reef). I use gfo now to help with po4 and on the market for a larger skimmer.

 

[427HISS]

If you listen to the interview between the LA Fish guy and the owner Jeff of Reef Dynamics, biopellets seem to be the answer to high nitrates. Hs was around 50 ppm, and took 6 weeks to
lower the to 5 ppm.I think,....it was back in 2011 though. I was just surfing and found that one last night.

Jeff heavily feeds his fish, and CORALS with daily dose's of liquid food,....and a lot of it too !

I just bought a great condition used 135 model, so I'm researching his pellets vs the seemingly endless,.......amount of brands today.


YOUTUBE VIDEO'S-

Back in 2011- LA Fish guy and the owner Jeff of Reef Dynamics

PART 1- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLhmI8vtnfw

Part 2- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMx4HOsG3Rc