Stupid Biopellets Question

[macon77]

I have no experience with Biopellets whatsoever. So, I could use a bit of insight.

If I were to "start a batch" of biopellets, and move it into a brand new tank (new sand, rock, etcetera) in a few months, what would it do for the new tank in terms of avoiding a cycle?

Thanks for your time.

 

[SunnyX]

Hello, no matter what you do you will go through a cycle, short or long in duration . If you plan on starting fresh I would recommend that you seed your tank with bacteria such as Zeobak or MB7, and get some water from a local "clean" reef tank. Better yet, if you can get at least 40% of the new tank water from a local established reef it would go a long way in establishing the new tank, and reducing the time of cycling.

Will the rock be live? If not, I would highly recommend that it is. The rocks have bacteria, Microfauna, and certain things that you wouldn't be able to get with dry rock.

If you were to start the tank without live rock the pellets would not work efficiently. The bacteria needs N03 and P04 in order to grow correctly. The pellets likely won't fully kick in anyway until around week 6. When I added pellets I had a very tiny bump in nutrients akin to a mini cycle.6 weeks later and my tank has never looked better.

Good luck,

Sonny

P.S. There are no stupid questions.

 

[drainbamage]

Sonny- as an add on question- do you need to ramp up the BP quantity or can you just start at max dosage? Curious if the problem is a mass influx of carbons or if there's another reason for needing to do the slow ramp up?

I've done vodka and zeovit rocks both with a zero ramp-up and experienced no noticeable downsides to having done it, so curious if the BPs would be similar, or if they actually would have a problem with no ramp up

 

[macon77]

Hello, no matter what you do you will go through a cycle, short or long in duration . If you plan on starting fresh I would recommend that you seed your tank with bacteria such as Zeobak or MB7, and get some water from a local "clean" reef tank. Better yet, if you can get at least 40% of the new tank water from a local established reef it would go a long way in establishing the new tank, and reducing the time of cycling.

Will the rock be live? If not, I would highly recommend that it is. The rocks have bacteria, Microfauna, and certain things that you wouldn't be able to get with dry rock.

If you were to start the tank without live rock the pellets would not work efficiently. The bacteria needs N03 and P04 in order to grow correctly. The pellets likely won't fully kick in anyway until around week 6. When I added pellets I had a very tiny bump in nutrients akin to a mini cycle.6 weeks later and my tank has never looked better.

Good luck,

Sonny

P.S. There are no stupid questions.

Sonny,

Thanks a million. Not exactly what I wanted to hear, but, it's better to know than not to.

Where I might be headed, I won't know anyone in the hobby. So, I won't be able to go "borrow" stuff. And there is no way I'd add anything sight-unseen. I have had enough "pests" for one lifetime.

What I'm doing at this point is soaking a bunch of sponge filters in my 80g sump. They will have been in there about 6 months when/if I have to move. I figure I can squeeze them all into a 5g bucket or two, and take them with me. It's not ideal, but should help some. I guess I'll just have to do what it takes.

Alternatively, I may just go set up a tank a month or two before I leave with dry sand and rock. My wife is there now, and she wouldn't mind topping the tank off now and again. Then I could take my sponges, etcetra, as well. Still not ideal, but, it takes what it takes.

Fortunately, all I primarily collect are mushrooms (although I do have an extensive leather collection). So, we can probably get them all there safely.

Thanks again for your time.

 

[SunnyX]

Sonny- as an add on question- do you need to ramp up the BP quantity or can you just start at max dosage? Curious if the problem is a mass influx of carbons or if there's another reason for needing to do the slow ramp up?

I've done vodka and zeovit rocks both with a zero ramp-up and experienced no noticeable downsides to having done it, so curious if the BPs would be similar, or if they actually would have a problem with no ramp up

Good question. While it is recommend that you slowly ramp up dosage, my system was large and stable enough that I added all 2000ml's at once. I noticed no ill effects, other than the slight and temporary rise of N and P. It's been about 6 weeks now and I absolutely love the pellets. I only dose bacteria once a week now, and this method is much more convenient and safer than dosing vodka daily. The main reason why I like pellets is the the carbon source is contained. While vodka dosing is great, you can OD and cause massive outbreaks of cyano. When dosing vodka you can breach the carbon saturation point, leading to outbreaks of all sorts of bad things.

It's still too early to judge bio pellets, but so far I love them. I run mine in a modified Vertex Zeo reactor. If my tank is rocking and growing corals out of the water by next year I think that we'll have a winner. Now, I just need to stop fragging my personal collection! Lol, oh well, "give the people what they want" .

Sonny

 

[SunnyX]

Sonny,

Thanks a million. Not exactly what I wanted to hear, but, it's better to know than not to.

Where I might be headed, I won't know anyone in the hobby. So, I won't be able to go "borrow" stuff. And there is no way I'd add anything sight-unseen. I have had enough "pests" for one lifetime.

What I'm doing at this point is soaking a bunch of sponge filters in my 80g sump. They will have been in there about 6 months when/if I have to move. I figure I can squeeze them all into a 5g bucket or two, and take them with me. It's not ideal, but should help some. I guess I'll just have to do what it takes.

Alternatively, I may just go set up a tank a month or two before I leave with dry sand and rock. My wife is there now, and she wouldn't mind topping the tank off now and again. Then I could take my sponges, etcetra, as well. Still not ideal, but, it takes what it takes.

Fortunately, all I primarily collect are mushrooms (although I do have an extensive leather collection). So, we can probably get them all there safely.

Thanks again for your time.

I'm sure we can find you a reefer almost anywhere you move. A clean fish store is also a viable option. The simplest method is to just get some live rock, bacteria, and let it roll.

How big is the new tank and what type? (SPS,LOW, MIXED,ETC)

Sonny

 

[macon77]

A what? A clean what? A clean fish store? I have never heard of such a thing.

I may end up just hauling one or two my rocks down, start the tank, and let my wife watch it for a while.

I am going to move my mushroom system. Currently I have 5 tanks, which house all of the shrooms. I am hoping to get this down to 3 before I move (I cry like a baby every time I sell a shroom, though). I have an 80g plywood sump I'd like to take too. If I could set up a 125g there, I could probably get 1 of each of the "keepers" in it until I get the system set up there. I have about 15 leathers I'd like to keep frags of too, but that's not really a big deal. I could even give them away, with the promise that I get sent a frag of each one. The mushrooms are my principle concern. I may have them shipped down, but I haven't decided that yet.

Your thoughts on their transport? (Keep in mind that there are quite a few, and some real "keepers.") I'd love to hear your thoughts (and anyone else's, for that matter).

 

[macon77]

Oh, if I were to drive them myself, it's about a 15 hr. drive.

 

[macon77]

Sonny,

P.S., One request. Put a mushroom section on your site for us corallimorph type. Even if you don't put anything in it, it'll make us feel important!:bigsmile:

 

[SunnyX]

A what? A clean what? A clean fish store? I have never heard of such a thing.

I may end up just hauling one or two my rocks down, start the tank, and let my wife watch it for a while.

I am going to move my mushroom system. Currently I have 5 tanks, which house all of the shrooms. I am hoping to get this down to 3 before I move (I cry like a baby every time I sell a shroom, though). I have an 80g plywood sump I'd like to take too. If I could set up a 125g there, I could probably get 1 of each of the "keepers" in it until I get the system set up there. I have about 15 leathers I'd like to keep frags of too, but that's not really a big deal. I could even give them away, with the promise that I get sent a frag of each one. The mushrooms are my principle concern. I may have them shipped down, but I haven't decided that yet.

Your thoughts on their transport? (Keep in mind that there are quite a few, and some real "keepers.") I'd love to hear your thoughts (and anyone else's, for that matter).

Ha ha, "clean fish store". Since your primarily running a mushroom system I wouldn't bother with pellets, unless you use only a small amount. Your water may end up being too clean for the mushrooms, although I am no expert on them. Although I do have some Ric's that are doing well so who knows.

In my experience mushrooms are the cockroaches of corals. I don't mean that in a bad way, its just that if nuclear ordinance were to detonate directly over your home the only thing that would survive is the mushrooms and cockroaches. Seriously, I've left mushrooms in outside of my tank for days on end only to see them come alive when placed back into my system. Zombie corals.....lol.


As for transport, the most economically sound method would be to ship them at your local airport to the airport of your new Home. This will be much cheaper than say FedEx, and the corals/ equipment will arrive in better shape. It's something like $.50-.75 a lb, much cheaper than any other overnight option.

Sonny

 

[SunnyX]

Sonny,

P.S., One request. Put a mushroom section on your site for us corallimorph type. Even if you don't put anything in it, it'll make us feel important!:bigsmile:

Ha ha, don't worry its coming. Hot shrooms are starting to take off, especially the nice Ric's. Every one I've gotten has sold in no time at all. Keep an eye out.

Sonny

 

[macon77]

Indeed, they are hardy critters.

I hadn't considered the pellets until I thought they might be useful for a tank move. I guess I just don't know enough about them to date.

Wow, that cheap on the shipping? That wouldn't cost much at all. I guess if I couldn't make it in time, my wife could pick them up. That's certainly something I'll look into as I get nearer the date. Thanks for the insight.


I will certainly keep an eye out for the new section (WooHoo!, new mushroom pickings). I have a pretty good supplier of R. Floridas, and don't typically gather up wild-collected Yumas, but you never know. Put me on your list for any Red Floridas, and any nice propped Yumas at minimum (yes, I just said Red and Floridas in the same sentence).

Thanks again for your time. It has been very helpful. Much appreciated.

 

[SunnyX]

Will do. I'm glad that I was able to help.

Sonny

 

[drainbamage]

Sounds like you'd be bettter runnning a reactor with a 'standard' bio media like the type run in canisters. You're looking for the nitrifying bacteria to start cycling your tanl, not the bacteria that's reducing trates and phos, right?