Using Bio Pellets or Refugium?

[Ashish Patel]

I have been going back and forth over this for 2 month. After seeing Krysztof Tryc (Zeovit type) results using the Bio pellets I felt it was a good solution and to scrap the refugium. After 2 months of being sold on biopellets, i now have decided that the Refugium offers a natural elements that is undeniable and fail safe! I don't want something that if I remove it can causes a mass bleaching. I am also concerned that if the power goes out that the main pump (vectra) on battery backup which feeds the reactor won't have the skimmer to remove the dead organics. Imagine a tank used to Ultra low nutrient suddenly I have a family emergency and nitrates goes to 20ppm. Life happens I want my tank to be self sufficient with nutrient export.

I've always had success keeping nutrients low naturally based on not overstocking from the start.. This to me is key..

1. Protein skimmer. (oversized)
2. Good balance of fish and inverts to fill in different areas
3. Chemi-pure (Best carbon I have used. The life span is amazing) Cheaper in the long run.
4. good flow

am I the only one who feels this way about Bio pellets? Do you think i am over reacting to a few ppl who's failed with bio pellets who probably shouldnt have used it from the start?

 

[Jmblec2]

If your BP reactor goes down. You can always just up your WC's until you get it back online. Or have half the recommended amount of bps so it isn't a shock to the system if they go down or you could have both BP and fuge

 

[Reefltx]

No, bio-pellets gave me nothing but headaches. I've tried using them twice now and always have a massive cyano outbreak.

 

[Roberto CRC]

When you say family emergency, my question would be. How often are power cuts?

Since you like to have a low biological load, I would say that you do not have to suffer an increase in nutrients in a short time, even in 24 hours.

I do not have macro algae right now, but I did have them and I think the favor is the breeding of copepods and other micro-fauna that benefit in several things, but in my case I have no use filter sock and have chaeto was a great martyrdom for My to see the sump full of debris under the chaeto.

 

[CodyRVA]

I run a fuge and pellets, works great. Your pellets have to tumble to remain active so if the power goes off it would take a while for the pellets to cause an issue; long after many other concerns like heat, salinity, O2, etc. pellets work just fine assuming you know how to properly utilize them.

 

[Ashish Patel]

I run a fuge and pellets, works great. Your pellets have to tumble to remain active so if the power goes off it would take a while for the pellets to cause an issue; long after many other concerns like heat, salinity, O2, etc. pellets work just fine assuming you know how to properly utilize them.

Utilize in the sense to take it slow and not go crazy lol - I take it slow with simple carbon. How often do you have to feed bacteria to the system to keep the pellets active and how do you know when to add?

 

[Donovan Joannes]

Correct me if I am wrong. Bio pellets has to be tumbling in reactor so that it slowly dissolved and feeds bacteria in the system. I think most people believes bacteria is in the reactor, feeding on it and multiply and being skimmed once they exits. Am I right?

 

[CodyRVA]

I add X amount, and test my water. When my NO3 goes up and I notice the pellets are looking thin, i add more. That's really as complicated as I make it.

And yes the pellets have to tumble.

 

[Ashish Patel]

Thanks for the inputs. I think I will use the bio pellet reactor later on depending on my nitrates and phosphates. If I can maintain low nutrients without any reactors then less things to watch... Though I really like the concept of a bio pellet reactor and just want one

 

[Ashish Patel]

I add X amount, and test my water. When my NO3 goes up and I notice the pellets are looking thin, i add more. That's really as complicated as I make it.

And yes the pellets have to tumble.

What tester are you using for nitrates? I've never used anything other than API for nitrates and those are more of a base line not good for low range.
What kind of nitrates readings do you maintain your tank at?

 

[CodyRVA]

I use salifert. Nitrates are always < 5, keep in mind pellets take time to activate. Adding a bunch out of the gate is a bad move. Use half the recommended amount and adjust accordingly.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

What tester are you using for nitrates? I've never used anything other than API for nitrates and those are more of a base line not good for low range.
What kind of nitrates readings do you maintain your tank at?

Unless you are keeping no3 below 1ppm, API kit is fine. I keep mine below 5, occasionally brought it to 25ppm to stimulate my tank. Not an issue as I can bring down no3 in a couple of days.

 

[N4sty T4te]

I have been going back and forth over this for 2 month. After seeing Krysztof Tryc (Zeovit type) results using the Bio pellets I felt it was a good solution and to scrap the refugium. After 2 months of being sold on biopellets, i now have decided that the Refugium offers a natural elements that is undeniable and fail safe! I don't want something that if I remove it can causes a mass bleaching. I am also concerned that if the power goes out that the main pump (vectra) on battery backup which feeds the reactor won't have the skimmer to remove the dead organics. Imagine a tank used to Ultra low nutrient suddenly I have a family emergency and nitrates goes to 20ppm. Life happens I want my tank to be self sufficient with nutrient export.

I've always had success keeping nutrients low naturally based on not overstocking from the start.. This to me is key..

1. Protein skimmer. (oversized)
2. Good balance of fish and inverts to fill in different areas
3. Chemi-pure (Best carbon I have used. The life span is amazing) Cheaper in the long run.
4. good flow

am I the only one who feels this way about Bio pellets? Do you think i am over reacting to a few ppl who's failed with bio pellets who probably shouldnt have used it from the start?

Dude the glass on the tank is so clear. Lol

Couldn't resist.

 

[Ashish Patel]

Dude the glass on the tank is so clear. Lol

Couldn't resist.

LOL - The tanks on the stand now!

 

[reeferbuddy215]

I use refugium and I have a dual reactor with gfo and carbon but I have a pretty high bioload but since adding the reactor and the refugium I got rid of the algae on my rocks or 90% and my corals grow so fast and color up fast both sps and lps.

 

[Vett espinal]

I have a HOB protein skimmer , iam using a gfo reactor and let the water from it drain in to my refuguim its hanging on, i wanted to add a bio pellet reactor but everyone says it needs to empty in to my protein skimmer , i reall dont have way to that i can have it drain right next to the input of the pump , but its still in my main tank , so where is it safe to empty the out end of the REACTOR in to , can i just drain in to my refuguim also , or can i dump staight in to tank next to pump pick up , or should i not add a bio pellet reactor if i dont have a sump or can i run the bio pellets in to the gfo REACTOR, one in to another , if so which is the best order to put em in , Bio pellets first then GFO then out in to tank or what ? Please help , is there problem you see in running GFO and Biopellets, i wouldnt see why to run carbon cause i use it as far as chemi pure , some regualar carbon , purigen and rest just marine pure in my canister filter , plus i run the HOB skimmer , i know its maybe a little over kill on filtration, but i like a heavily stocked tank , so iam overly prepared you can say including the HOB refuguim, but is mainly used to keep pod populations high