Bio pellets

[RichReef]

Starting to plan out my new build and how I am going to approach nutrient control.

In the past I used a bio pellet reactor but after time I had the same problem as everyone else. The phosphate creeped up and nitrate zero'd out. I even invested in the high end Reef Dynamics reactor.

I ended up using GFO to control the phosphate but never figured out how much and how often and phosphate would end up all over the place.

A few months ago I was talking to a gentleman at a LFS about a bio pellet that had added nitrate in to the pellets to balance out the 16:1 ratio and for the life of me I can't remember the name of the pellets he was talking about. After extended online searching I can't find anything.

Was he talking crap?

Does this sound like it would be a great product?

It sounds so easy why aren't all bio pellets like this? Is this even possible?

Should I just ditch the bio pellet idea all together?

I DO NOT want to run GFO. Right now I'm using an ATS and it's doing fairly well. Just not well enough for the SPS.

 

[Hitman]

I heard of it and a store gave me 2 cups to try. To be honest after 6 months of use I felt my NO3 and PO4 where even more out of wack and I ended up with a huge GHA and cyno outbreak. I removed my bio pellet reactor completely after all that.
Here's a great video from one of our supporting venders on new info on NO3 and PO4 control.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/vide...althy-reef-tank-the-brs-wwc-system-ep9-brstv/

 

[NS Mike D]

help me out here, if the goal of bio-pellets is to remove stuff before it breaks down into nitrates why would you then add them. While bacteria use a small amount of phosphates, it's likely that some form of phosphate remover like GFO will be needed once your have your nitrates to an acceptable level. Sounds like bio-pellets are not for you, and there are other ways to keep NO3 & PO4 in target ranges.


"Right now I'm using an ATS and it's doing fairly well."

What do you define as fairly well. If your NO3 & PO4 are within your target range, then I see no need to change anything.


There are other ways of carbon dosing that are more accurate that bio-pellets. Bio-pellets offer the convenience of low maintenance (once established, they can be a set it and forget it method).


There was a thread not to long ago about Purigen as an alternative to GFO and aluminum oxide. While it does not directly removed PO4 - it removes organics and binds them up before they can break down . The member posting in that thread were pleased with the results as they didn't experience NO3 and PO4 swings you are trying to avoid.


I do not carbon does nor do I have a skimmer (29gal nano). I do run a reactor with activated carbon and GFO. My GFO stays steady at or slightly under 0.08ppm, but my nitrates recently drop from 3 ppm (where I want them ) to 0.5 ppm (and thus cyano return). I'm taking down NO3 faster than PO4 and so I am thinking of going the purigen route (my mental road block is the years supply of GFO on hand)

 

[Hitman]

The problem with bio pellets is there little to no control. I'm personally giving carbon dosing ( Vinegar) a try myself. Heck Randy highly recommends it. So far so good I started a lot lower then he would have but I didnt want to shock my system.

 

[rsumner]

Keep in mind that the pellets themselves don't remove Nitrate and Phosphate, but rather provide carbon so that algae and bacteria can do their job at consuming those elements. I've recently switched to Dr Tim's NP-Active Pearls and I'm liking them so far. I'm only using 1/4 to a 1/3 of the recommended volume of pellets right now and I'm still having to consistently dose Nitrogen and Phosphorus to my tank to get Nitrates up to around 2ppm and Phosphates up to around 0.05ppm. I'm going to keep my pellets going as a way to provide carbon supplementation without having to dose something else, however I don't feel I'll ever use a full recommended volume of the pellets.

 

[jd371]

The problem with bio pellets is there little to no control. I'm personally giving carbon dosing ( Vinegar) a try myself. Heck Randy highly recommends it. So far so good I started a lot lower then he would have but I didnt want to shock my system.

Been battling high nutrients for few months now and started doing the same. Bought bio pellets but decide to go with dosing vinegar instead. I'm running Phosguard in the reactor and the PO4 is starting to come down from 0.20 to the last time I checked was 0.07, I'd like it at 0.02. The NO3 on the other hand has been steady at 50, hoping the dosing will bring it down to 5 -10 where it used to be.

 

[jsker]

I used to run bio pellets and yes my nitrates came down. As stated above, bio pellets are a carbon source just for nitrates. I too had to use GFO to control my phosphates since I feed heavy on frozen food. So far I have not found the one and only product to control nutrients beside cutting back on feeding

A word of caution, make sure the bio pellets are tumbling/rolling at a medium roll. To slow not good and to fast not good.

I finally went with bio media in the sump and took care of my Nitrates. There are products like siprox, matrix, and life bio fil that work well. As far as phosphates GFO or Lanthanum Chloride products work well