Biopellets?¿?

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

I'm currently running this 75 gal tank with a 25ish gal sump with mostly euphyllia. I have a dual reactor running phosguard and purigen, no algae issues but my nitrates at sky high (50-75, maybe higher). I've just started running the refugium with red Gracilaria (Chato is just so blah =P), but I'm wondering if biopellets would be helpful at reducing the nitrates or just let it be. I'm curious because I know biopellets are like a continuous carbon dosing, but items like NO3PO4X says not to use with phosphate reducing additives... and thoughts?

 

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

 

[sawdonkey]

I'm a big fan of biopellets, but I have huge dirty fish. With just a 100 gallons of water, maybe try doing about a 40 gallon water change and then do another one a few days later. Then reassess.

 

[BlueCursor]

Biopellets can be hard to control. Having ULNS is easy with biopellets, just put in lots of pellets. Having LNS can be difficult. It's easier to control this with NoPoX.

I wouldn't try to mix bacteria and plants for nutrient control The bacteria tends to win out and starve out the plants.

My personal experience is that a refugium doesn't starve a system nearly as easily as bacteria, and my corals do better with the refugium approach than the bacteria approach. Of course, this is more a statement about me probably, and how well I dial in the bacteria. I just find plants self regulate better than bacteria.

 

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

Would a refugium lower nitrates from 50+ to a more manageable number?

 

[TX_Punisher]

I just started 200mg on my 200g five days ago. I'm at about 25ppm nitrates. I'll up the amount soon but others in my club are running big tanks with success so why not.

Go slow and work up. I'm starting with 1/4 the recommended amount.

 

[Orm Embar]

I'm running a refugium (chaeto + dragon's breath) with dragon's breath in the display. No skimmer, carbon, or GFO. Nitrates and phosphates are < 1/< 0.05. Having said that, I have 2 small fish and feed 1/4 to 1/3 cube daily, so my inputs are pretty low. Pre-refugium just with the display dragon's breath and no skimmer, I had nitrates at 4-5 and phosphates at 0.25.

I do plan on dosing a little carbon via vinegar mixed with kalk starting in a few weeks, but that's more to grow bacteria to feed the food chain rather than nitrate/phosphate/organic reduction.