Bio pellets

[melev]

If you don't see it gone in three weeks, I'd treat the tank. No reason to look at your tank and hate the eyesore.

 

[chaoticreefer]

Hmmm...it might take a little bit longer if you are just starting BioPellets. If so, it takes time to get Biopellets up to full capacity. Hopefully you are following the recommended instructions (only adding 25% of the recommended amount of BioPellets into the reactor once per week until you reach the amount that is recommended). If you go too fast you will get a big bacteria bloom and deplete the system's oxygen and killing everything in the system.

 

[20 gallon nano]

Hmmm...it might take a little bit longer if you are just starting BioPellets. If so, it takes time to get Biopellets up to full capacity. Hopefully you are following the recommended instructions (only adding 25% of the recommended amount of BioPellets into the reactor once per week until you reach the amount that is recommended). If you go too fast you will get a big bacteria bloom and deplete the system's oxygen and killing everything in the system.

The instructions say to use half the amount. Half is barely anything. I have a 55 gallon tank and the pellets are rated for 50 gallons. Would half cause a algae bloom?

 

[chaoticreefer]

Hmmm...since it's already in there and it's by following instructions, I wouldn't worry too much. But...for personal comfort, I would hold it there for 2 weeks and only do 25% per week thereafter.

 

[20 gallon nano]

My tank never got cloudy. The only issue is my whole sand bed is now covered with red slime.

 

[20 gallon nano]

Here's what happened after a week of bio pellets.

 

[melev]

I don't think the two are related. And since the biopellets take about four weeks to kick in, I'd just nuke the cyano now. One week of plastic polymer will not do that to your tank.

 

[20 gallon nano]

I don't think the two are related. And since the biopellets take about four weeks to kick in, I'd just nuke the cyano now. One week of plastic polymer will not do that to your tank.

People say that it could cause it because of the extra food source released into the water that the cyano can feed on. Or maybe it's from removing rowaphos from my system at the same time as adding the bio pellets.

 

[melev]

People say that it could cause it because of the extra food source released into the water that the cyano can feed on. Or maybe it's from removing rowaphos from my system at the same time as adding the bio pellets.

It even happens for no reason at all. It can be a seasonal thing. Bottom line, you have to decide if you want it gone or not. I'd get rid of that now. No way I'd let that stick around. You can always add Microbacter 7 to re-seed the bacterial population a week later, or Fritz Zyme.

 

[bif24701]

Bio pellets feed bacteria, it doesn't chose what bacteria grow. If you have cyano it can increase it. I have had great success over dosing carbon to nuke the cyano and give the "good" bacteria a good start. I have documented this along with other on another forum. The trick is to get the good bacteria to over populate the cyano. Most use a product for this, but I dose triple my carbon dose or more and that will knock it down. Once the good bacteria have a strong hold cyano should stay at bay.

 

[melev]

Bio pellets feed bacteria, it doesn't chose what bacteria grow. If you have cyano it can increase it. I have had great success over dosing carbon to nuke the cyano and give the "good" bacteria a good start. I have documented this along with other on another forum. The trick is to get the good bacteria to over populate the cyano. Most use a product for this, but I dose triple my carbon dose or more and that will knock it down. Once the good bacteria have a strong hold cyano should stay at bay.

Which one do you dose?

 

[bif24701]

Vinegar. Our theory that we developed was that cyano gets a good start in newish systems. Just so happens that new system also develop nutrents problems quickly because the good bacteria haven't had sufficient time to grow and mature. So the cyano has the upper hand, add a carbon source and that cyano has every thing it need to go nuts. From our observations it seems that over dosing the carbon source will strip the nutrents from the cyano, the bacteria "slim" will continue to feed from the carbon source. Water will be cloudy and slim will be everywhere but with good skimming and flow O2 saturation shouldn't be a problem. Each time we tried this we saw nothing but good results, sponges got a boost, all corals seem to double activity, and the water will be crystal.

 

[melev]

Vinegar. Our theory that we developed was that cyano gets a good start in newish systems. Just so happens that new system also develop nutrents problems quickly because the good bacteria haven't had sufficient time to grow and mature. So the cyano has the upper hand, add a carbon source and that cyano has every thing it need to go nuts. From our observations it seems that over dosing the carbon source will strip the nutrents from the cyano, the bacteria "slim" will continue to feed from the carbon source. Water will be cloudy and slim will be everywhere but with good skimming and flow O2 saturation shouldn't be a problem. Each time we tried this we saw nothing but good results, sponges got a boost, all corals seem to double activity, and the water will be crystal.

Who is we?

Dosing vinegar, sugar or vodka is a known carbon dosing method. What would you recommend for this particular tank? How much daily? Do you have a recipe or ratio per x amount of gallons?

 

[bif24701]

TMZ, I think that right.

Start with a one time vinegar dose or equivalent 1ml:1gallon system water. After that I would reduce it to half the initial daily for a week. Then reduce it until nitrates are just detectable. Maintain a dose that puts the nitrates where you want them. I like <1ppm.

 

[bif24701]

What are the current nutrient levels? NO3, PO4?

 

[bif24701]

I have no experience with bio pellets and wouldn't do it myself.

With vinegar, NOPOX, vodka, sugar you can change the exact amount each day. That's why we started experimenting around with it. We noticed by accident if you over dosed that amazing things would start to happen in the tank. Especially more mature tanks with build up of nutrients.

 

[bif24701]

Since the cyano already has a hold and you may not want to take the pellets off line I would go with the cyano product. However I have had problems with skimmer and that stuff. But it really works. Either way get as much as you can out with a siphon before doing anything.

 

[bif24701]

The instructions say to use half the amount. Half is barely anything. I have a 55 gallon tank and the pellets are rated for 50 gallons. Would half cause a algae bloom?

Yes. Especially if there is a nutrient build up.

 

[20 gallon nano]

I never heard of adding nitrates to the tank. My nitrates are undetectable and at this this point surprisingly are at .06 without any phosphate removing media.

 

[20 gallon nano]

What about a three daylights out, anyone have any success with that? I'm not planning to do any dosing at this time