Bio pellet reactors. Ive convinced myself to get one? Maybe. Need help

[SakuraSky]

First time I have heard that a pump manufacturer is recommending not to connect to a manifold. Wonder how many other manufacturers don’t recommend this.

Probably a lot but no one ever thought to ask *shrugs* but since the eflux is controlled through a hub for different speeds I thought it would be best to ask the company cause it seemed like it may be a problem. Good thing I did

 

[SakuraSky]

My experience with biopellets. I added a biopellet reactor last year on a 30 gallon nano. All I experienced was some reduction in nitrate (from 5 ppm to 3) and consistently low ph of 7.9 all through the day even in summer/fall with windows open and a skimmer on. Given the small size of the tank then I added a sump (20 gallon) and despite the dilution, the nitrate reduction from that point was minimal (may be low phosphates) but ph was still low. Removed the reactor and my ph increased to 8.1 despite cold weather and then I converted the biopellet reactor to a co2 scrubber with tight seals and a water filter (scrubbed off all filtering material and just the skeleton). Ph is 8.3 consistently and goes down to 8.2-8.1 at night. I don't think it's worth it imo. I am new and probably folk might have success with it with better care. I have found water changes to be more helpful.

Thank you for your feedback on it
I have already installed mine (post to come) but I hope I am a hit successful with it down the road. I have a LOT of gravel vacuuming to do as it hasn't been done in years and years (transported tank with undisturbed substrate) so water changes are going to take a long time to fix any issue. Im keeping up on the water changes although its frustrating.

 

[reefer_87]

Thank you for your feedback on it
I have already installed mine (post to come) but I hope I am a hit successful with it down the road. I have a LOT of gravel vacuuming to do as it hasn't been done in years and years (transported tank with undisturbed substrate) so water changes are going to take a long time to fix any issue. Im keeping up on the water changes although its frustrating.

Good luck. For sure you will see some difference in nitrates. Also to be aware is the tumble of the biopellets - if it's very low flow they get soggy and stick, and if it's too high I read the bacteria does not stick to it. If you have a way to tackle the pH drop (more surface agitation, co2 scrubber or skimmer line outside), then you should be fine.

 

[SakuraSky]

Good luck. For sure you will see some difference in nitrates. Also to be aware is the tumble of the biopellets - if it's very low flow they get soggy and stick, and if it's too high I read the bacteria does not stick to it. If you have a way to tackle the pH drop (more surface agitation, co2 scrubber or skimmer line outside), then you should be fine.

Even if I get them down to 100 or so I'm cool with that. I was actually JUST about to post a video of the tumble. I just set it up today and the pump has an adjustable dial but at its lowest is way too fast I believe (will be posting a video shortly) I plan on putting a ball valve on the tubing I have attached to it. I have not had a chance to figure out/research what to do about the ph drop, I was originally planning on using buffer.

 

[SakuraSky]

So today was the day of installation of the AquaMaxx Omega 1 BioPellet reactor.
As many of you have read (or if you haven't)
I am working with a very limited space in my sump. I BARELY have room. The reactor fits but I had to plumb the pump from a different part of the sump to fit. Ive been kneeling with my head in the cabinet for probably 2+ hours today lol the original spot didn't work because the hosing kept crimping and I tried probably about 5 differnt lengths of tubing to see if I could get it to fit and wasted a lot of time.
I ended up going around the protein skimmer and put the pump on the opposite side of the reactor, it fits nicely in that space.

The inside diameter of the pump is different from the reactor so I had to use a barbed elbow to get around the tight corner without crimping the tubing from the reactor and then use a splicer to connect the two different sizes of tubing.

PAIN IN THE BUTT. but I was determined.
I made it WORK.
now I have 2 issues. The pump has a manual dial for flow but the lowest setting is still too much I think. So ill need to add a ball valve in the tubing.
Also my skimmer intake doesn't quite line up. Its about an inch above the reactor outake so I plan on getting tubing that will go from the reactor outtake and deposit it right in front of the skimmer. Again, limited space and I cant get a bigger piece of tubing to do what I want it to do without kinking.

So I have the reactor off right now until I can address those two issue. I might have to have another elbow go from the reactor outake.
Bio pellets too fast I believe

 

[ddc0715]

Hey man good luck.

 

[SakuraSky]

I wanted to update this thread!
So I have had had my biopellets running and my hookup worked out well. I have added a 2littlefishies ball valve to adjust to flow which does great. I've been keeping up on the water changes and my nitrates are now at id say 50-70ppms which is remarkably lower than when I started. I've marked on my calendar a month out for the pellets and hope they can add that last little bit of extra to the tanks filtration.
I will be monitoring my ph and such along the way. I'm glad I went the biopellet route.
https://youtube.com/shorts/OLtdLvaBsIo
Pellets were adjusted a little slower than in video

 

[SakuraSky]

 

[Montiman]

Great update.

As an avid pellet user I find it strange how skeptical people can be that pellets even work. Hopefully more threads like this will open up people to trying pellets.

 

[josephxsxn]

I started using biopellets also about 2 months back and it's been working ok for the most part. Still tweaking the amount and flow used, at one point I think the flow was a bit slower then it should have been. I always wondered why people are so agaisnt the pellets but then willing dump a bottle of vodka or vinegar in seconds later.

 

[Spare time]

I stared using biopellets also about 2 months back and it's been working ok for the most part. Still tweaking the amount and flow used, at one point I think the flow was a bit slower then it should have been. I always wondered why people are so agaisnt the pellets but then willing dump a bottle of vodka or vinegar in seconds later.

I really like the pellets over liquid dosing as you can't really screw it up via overdosing like one can with liquid carbon dosing.

 

[GoVols]

I started using biopellets also about 2 months back and it's been working ok for the most part. Still tweaking the amount and flow used, at one point I think the flow was a bit slower then it should have been. I always wondered why people are so agaisnt the pellets but then willing dump a bottle of vodka or vinegar in seconds later.

Question, Dialing in bio-pellets:

If your wanting to lower nitrates and phosphates with bio-pellets, do you run an higher tumble rate.

Then, if they drop In line do you just slow down the tumble (flow) rate.

 

[josephxsxn]

I gave up on biopellets and went back to using Lanthanum Chloride (Phosphate-E) and a Sulfur Denitrification reactor (had used one in the past with good results). In the end my tank almost crashed while on biopellets, perhaps I did something wrong. It's never been the same since using the biopellets even months after stopping.

 

[SakuraSky]

I gave up on biopellets and went back to using Lanthanum Chloride (Phosphate-E) and a Sulfur Denitrification reactor (had used one in the past with good results). In the end my tank almost crashed while on biopellets, perhaps I did something wrong. It's never been the same since using the biopellets even months after stopping.

Did you get a bacterial bloom? This actually happened to my tank and I lost my hawkfish.
I added too much pellets on my second dosing and it cause a bloom. You could see the bacteria swirling around it was crazy.

 

[SakuraSky]

I just wanted to update this thread as I see it's still being viewed
So ...a LOT of things have happened to this tank. I had a bacteria bloom from adding too many pellets. I added so little but it was still too much. I was in trouble but got it under control. Tank was doing great. I had my starry blenny, flame hawk, heni, bird wrasse, and foxface (the 3 biggest fish all came with the tank and are like 12yrs old) they are ANCIENT.
SO I bought my dream fish a red sea regal angel & white tail bristletooth tang fully QT from Dr reef. Then I got ich. Yup went hypo and shut everything off. Came out of hypo fish got ich again a few weeks later. Hypo again. This time I kept my biopellets running with no skimmer. Opps. Last time I checked... I had NO PELLETS even in there! They all got used up! I've been majorly slacking. Nitrates are high again and fish are still in hypo. Bringing them out of hypo and I have a difficult decision to make.
I need to install my UV sterilizer. But my sump is too small with the biopellet reactor. Something has to go. I've considered putting the biopellets in bags under the drip tray. I've heard of a few people doing it this way. I need that room though I'm I'm kinda sad to remove my omega reactor. My fish have been happy as clams and I pray to God I do not have to do hypo again for a 3rd time. But yeah my tank is a mess right now but here's some pics of the new fish. Oh yeah and with a year of using the pellets my phos never dropped. Lowest my nitrates were was 50-70 so ill take that as a win. Ill see if i cant get the nitrates down again from WCs but if i cant ill use the pellets again

 

[maxwell]

you have got to keep on top of the maint and check pellets are not clumped up and tumbling free . Ive used them for 6years and have nitrate around 5 they dont touch phosphates imho and there is a big difference btwn pellets some are rubbish its just about right flow , pellets and maint with regular testing.

 

[SakuraSky]

you have got to keep on top of the maint and check pellets are not clumped up and tumbling free . Ive used them for 6years and have nitrate around 5 they dont touch phosphates imho and there is a big difference btwn pellets some are rubbish its just about right flow , pellets and maint with regular testing.

The pellets I had were great and never clumped, flow was awesome, just a period where I kinda forgot about them and they just got used up by the system.
In my defense the past few months I've been very sickly and I admit to the slacking on the WCs. But feeling better and going to start regular maintenance again. But I still need to figure out if the biopellets will be okay under the drip tray. I absolutely need my uv sterilizer though and the pump for that is pretty large and my sump is too small for all of my equipment :')

 

[josephxsxn]

Did you get a bacterial bloom? This actually happened to my tank and I lost my hawkfish.
I added too much pellets on my second dosing and it cause a bloom. You could see the bacteria swirling around it was crazy.

No visible bloom ever for me. Corals started to lose color and bleach until I took the pellets offline. I lost a bunch of Montis; mostly only Montis, few other things were starting to look bad but recovered. Now growth has been at a standstill for everything except my SPS stick which seem to be more happy now then ever before.

 

[GoVols]

No visible bloom ever for me. Corals started to lose color and bleach until I took the pellets offline. I lost a bunch of Montis; mostly only Montis, few other things were starting to look bad but recovered. Now growth has been at a standstill for everything except my SPS stick which seem to be more happy now then ever before.

Did you let your alk climb above 8.0 dKH while running the pellets?

 

[DaddyFish]

@SakuraSky I'm running two of these on my 215-gal, using two small Sicce pumps hung just inside the sump wall and discharging them back into the sump. They make a darn good biopellet reactor that's easily hung on the outside of the sump and takes very little space. One FBF-300 will hold and tumble up to roughly 750 ml of biopellets.

I do use a small amount of the sand that comes with FBF to help keep the slime scrubbed off the pellets and the filters flowing. I'm sure it reduces the effectiveness of the biopellets, but not as much as when your reactor gets clogged!


You might give one a try. Petco has them for the best price I've found lately. You'll need a small pump or manifold line to drive it. I'm using Sicce Syncra Silent 3.0 with the flow reduced. A 2.0 maxxed out would probably be perfect.