help with biopellets...

Troylee · Jan 1, 2011

i recently got some atb bio pellets and bought a big ole phosban550 reactor to put them in i used a 100ml to get things going in the reactor with a maxijet 1200 pump and i get the things to tumble for the life of me...

it has to be plenty of flow.... do they need to soak for a few days before they tumble or whats the deal????

JR's Reef · Jan 1, 2011

i had the same prob the next day i got them to tumble guess they need to soak

mojo · Jan 1, 2011

you should soak them in ro water for 24 hrs before using them. I used the smaller tlf reactor with the mj 1200. Just give them time. But a reactor with smaller diameter is better.

Troylee · Jan 1, 2011

I have both the 150 and the 550... For my size tank I need to run 1000ml and I don't think there gonna fit in the 150 once I move up to the full dose so I used the 550 from the go... Did you guys mod the reactors anyway like the mesh or whatever??? I just pulled the sponges and left the red plates..

Paul_N · Jan 2, 2011

If the pellets can fit through the holes in the red plates you need to mod it. I used an old zeo reactor and had to mod.

I got this stuff from the craft store and it works great:

1Der9_3hy · Jan 2, 2011

I picked up some bio pellets 2 months ago, and i had the same probelm when i didnt soak them over night. It didnt seem to matter where they were soaked though, either in the reactor or in a cup....they all tumbled the next day.

LILBUDDHA · Jan 2, 2011

Troy

Where did you get the ATB pellets ? I was thinking about using some Vertex since PA has them on sale . I did get 1000 grams of Warner Phos-r at another vendor for 29.95 ..

Troylee · Jan 2, 2011

I got them from victor at atb he carries 500ml and 1000ml with very competitive prices...

bayareaquarist · Jan 2, 2011

bulk reef supply dot com!!

Troylee · Jan 2, 2011

Forgot to mention for those who don't know atb now offers np pellets, gac, and carbon with a few other additives that I am experimenting with... These can be purchased through victor directly or socal tropical fish...1smile1

Troylee · Jan 2, 2011

Paul_PSU said:
If the pellets can fit through the holes in the red plates you need to mod it. I used an old zeo reactor and had to mod.

I got this stuff from the craft store and it works great:

ya Paul I really need to get that stuff...

thanks for the heads up...

LILBUDDHA · Jan 2, 2011

Troylee said:
I got them from victor at atb he carries 500ml and 1000ml with very competitive prices...

@ PA Vertex pellets are 30.00 for 500 ml . Hmm

Thanks, yeah I gotta get some plastic screening too . Darn I was just in Wally World too .

Bulk reef supply for GFO is 30.00 for 2 lbs . I got 1000 grams phos- r for 29.95..@ Champion LS . LOL

bayareaquarist · Jan 2, 2011

I use the HC GFO from BRS.com...I've found the best results come from quality products!

Randy Holmes regarding brightwells phos- r: "I've not used it, nor seen any data for it, but being an expert in synthetic polymers to bind phosphate, I think it is extremely unlikely to be very effective in seawater at binding inorganic phosphate. I'd stick to GFO if you want a phosphate binder."

Troylee · Jan 2, 2011

Here is atbs prices...
the carbon is $15.99 for 1000ml
gfo $29.99 for 1 pound bag
np bio pellets $30 for 500ml

Mavjoy · Jan 2, 2011

Been using WM bio-pellets for almost 3 months with my BRS dual reactor. I'm using a mj1200. I soaked them with RO water overnight and never had the problem of them floating. No mods with the reactor. I did noticed that they're tumbling more than before.

bayareaquarist · Jan 2, 2011

anybody here trying rice instead of biopellets??

LILBUDDHA · Jan 2, 2011

bayareaquarist said:
I use the HC GFO from BRS.com...I've found the best results come from quality products!

Randy Holmes regarding brightwells phos- r: "I've not used it, nor seen any data for it, but being an expert in synthetic polymers to bind phosphate, I think it is extremely unlikely to be very effective in seawater at binding inorganic phosphate. I'd stick to GFO if you want a phosphate binder."

My badd . It was Warner Marine I picked up WMR PHOSaR 1000gm.. So it is GFO ... LOL .. Yeah Chris and Randy bump heads a lot ..