Bio Pellets Not Tumbling?

[Aspect]

is it worth using bio pellets if they are not tumbling in your reactor? I have a 2.5L capacity reactor filled up ~halfway with bio pellets and a 1k GPH pump. The bio pellets are held against the top of the reactor and not tumbing, are they worth keeping in the reactor or do they need to be tumbling? What can I do to get them to tumble?

 

[wculver]

is it worth using bio pellets if they are not tumbling in your reactor? I have a 2.5L capacity reactor filled up ~halfway with bio pellets and a 1k GPH pump. The bio pellets are held against the top of the reactor and not tumbing, are they worth keeping in the reactor or do they need to be tumbling? What can I do to get them to tumble?

They really need to be tumling because the contact is what sluffs off the bacteria growing on them and indirectly why you have the reactor in the first place so that the efflutent can go through the skimmer and be removed from the water column.

You can soak the pellets for a while before adding them to the reactor so that they don't float. It is common that if they do float at the beginning they end up being stuck together at the top and they'll never come back down without intervention and being broken apart.

So I would suggest breaking them back apart and ensuring that they will sink. If that works then adjust the flow that they are churning but not getting forced against the top of the vessel.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Yes I agree. They are worthless and actually counter productive if not tumbling. I soak my pellets in rodi for 24-48hrs before I put em in my reactor.
Turn off the reactor and turn it back on and see if they fall.
Tumble or no go sorry.
D

 

[KrisReef]

That seems like a lot of biopellets. Agree that the flow should be dropped so that the pellets are near/on the botttom of the container with the flow gently lifting them up off the bottom so that they are "tumbling" vs crushed against the lid from too much flow. Presuming this is a typical up flow reactor.

How big it the tank, and what are the nutrient levels that you have such a large capacity reactor and pellet volume?

 

[Aspect]

That seems like a lot of biopellets. Agree that the flow should be dropped so that the pellets are near/on the botttom of the container with the flow gently lifting them up off the bottom so that they are "tumbling" vs crushed against the lid from too much flow. Presuming this is a typical up flow reactor.

How big it the tank, and what are the nutrient levels that you have such a large capacity reactor and pellet volume?

400 gallon display with about 50 gallons in the sump. 200 gallons or 4 cups of biopellets in the reactor. Phosphate is 0 and Nitrates are 18 but the reason my nutrient levels aren't higher is because of a nasty algae/cyano outbreak that is depleting then.

 

[Aspect]

Well this was easily fixed by a $8 ball valve!

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Glad u got it going like u wanted. U needed less flow actually? Lol. Save up and replace that ball for a gate for even more precision dialing in.
Right on man
D