Vodka VS BioPellet Reactor
- Thread starter kingfisherfleshy
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Mr.Firemouth
FIREMOUTH WIZARD
You can add bacteria like MB7 or Prodibio, etc. but for the most part it isn't necessary and is just another expense. I would be more concerned with dosing an Iodine supplement, keeping up on water changes, and feeding more. Right now we have a group of 8 reefers using them on different systems from large reef tanks to clownfish fry tanks and there is no problems.
Mr.Firemouth
FIREMOUTH WIZARD
PM sent for the brand we use
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kingfisherfleshy
Well-Known Member
Mr. Firemouth, I take it from your sig that you are a member of the WWM crew?
I am a fan, and always direct people who are looking for some more specific information in your direction.
That being said, would you mind PM'ing me your brand name as well? I have having an interesting time choosing...there is a lot of variance in price.
You dont think that the purigen might pull things out of the h2o column that the new overpowered bacteria colony might want to consume? Thanks
I am a fan, and always direct people who are looking for some more specific information in your direction.
That being said, would you mind PM'ing me your brand name as well? I have having an interesting time choosing...there is a lot of variance in price.
You dont think that the purigen might pull things out of the h2o column that the new overpowered bacteria colony might want to consume? Thanks
Mr.Firemouth
FIREMOUTH WIZARD
Thanks, yup I am on the Crew thanks to an introduction from Jenny(pufferpunk) to Bob. I used to answer th emails, but now just Mod on the forum due to time restraints.
Purigen works a lot like Activated Carbon. Its fractured macro surface locks up certain DOCs that help lower the bio-load and O2 demand for oxidation. I don't think it will hurt anything. I haven't heard of any problems with people using it yet, but maybe someone has. In the group of propagators that I run with they have several hundred frags to Jim Craig's thousand frag system.(5 tanks). Almost everyone uses Chemi-pure and changes them out every 30 days even though they say that they can last 3 months.
The use of Purigen or GAC will help clarify the water and remove any color in the water column.
Please excuse my slight uneducated questions but i have just starting looking into reactors and what not. I was thinking of getting a reactor and running GFO and some carbon with it. BRS has a nice reactor that i was considering. Here is my question:
Would it be better to use biopellets in a reactor?
Does this replace the need for GFO? and Carbon?
Mind you i have a small 29 gallon Biocube and have tunze 9002 with some chaeto already keeping things very nice in the tank. Phosphates tend to be a bigger problem for me but the BRS GFO and Carbon keep things looking clean.
What do you guys think?
Would it be better to use biopellets in a reactor?
Does this replace the need for GFO? and Carbon?
Mind you i have a small 29 gallon Biocube and have tunze 9002 with some chaeto already keeping things very nice in the tank. Phosphates tend to be a bigger problem for me but the BRS GFO and Carbon keep things looking clean.
What do you guys think?
Mr.Firemouth
FIREMOUTH WIZARD
I would use the 2 little fishes brand reactor(150 model for a 29g) and a maxi-jet powerhead. I would run Warner Marine phoSar HC for GFO as it is a superior product. On a 29g, I would increase water change frequency as best maintenance strategy. Via-aqua also makes a smaller reactor that would work for this size tank.
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kingfisherfleshy
Well-Known Member
+1 to that, I wouldnt recommend the bioplastics unless you are looking at trying to handle a bioload that is bigger than your system can maintain naturally.
I see, so the bioplastics are truely made more for larger tanks with larger bioloads. Good to know. I'll stick with the GFO and carbon plan on a small reactor...Thanks all!
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kingfisherfleshy
Well-Known Member
It could be used on smaller tanks as well, but what you are essentially doing is giving food to support more bacteria which in turn use nitrate and phosphate as part of their life cycle and incorporate it into themselves.
They die, and are sloughed off into the fish tank, where they are picked up by your skimmer, or apparently, eaten by corals and other filter feeders.
They die, and are sloughed off into the fish tank, where they are picked up by your skimmer, or apparently, eaten by corals and other filter feeders.
Reggie
unregistered
Just got my Super Reef Octopus biopellet reactor yesterday. I posted a review, with a video of it in action, plus a coupon for those interested. See how 500ml of biopellets tumble using a small 211 gph Tunze pump:
Super Reef Octopus Biopellet Reactor Review and Coupons | Reef Gizmo
Super Reef Octopus Biopellet Reactor Review and Coupons | Reef Gizmo
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LILBUDDHA
Valuable Member
I am using a Nextreef BioPellets reactor SMR 1 XL . It has bigger inlets and outlets 5/8 id internal . I have 500 ml of NP Bio Pellets (new formula ).. being tumbled nicely by a maxi jet 1200 . It is way over sized for my 70 cube but it's okay . The Pellets are cool since they react via on demand so to speak . More nitrates and phos then more bacteria grow and consume the pellets . I have heard you must have nitrates and phos for the pellets to work their best . Any thoughts on that ?Someone mentioned concern over iodine . Why ?
TIA
TIA
Tagging along. Bought the new Brightwell Katalyst pellets but not the reactor. Thinking about NextReef XL. I'd like to hear more positive feedbacks about running BP's before I start. I've heard of some horror stories regarding mass algae issues after.
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kingfisherfleshy
Well-Known Member
Im worried too...my main concerns are:
Cyano
Ending up with a low nutrient system that bleaches my corals
Basically that is it, if someone thinks they can convince me one way or another, I would love to hear it, we need more people that have long term experiences with the pellets. The potential for my large/predatory reef would be awesome, but only if I know I can do it without covering my tank with cyano and killing my corals.
Cyano
Ending up with a low nutrient system that bleaches my corals
Basically that is it, if someone thinks they can convince me one way or another, I would love to hear it, we need more people that have long term experiences with the pellets. The potential for my large/predatory reef would be awesome, but only if I know I can do it without covering my tank with cyano and killing my corals.
I am at about 7 months with the EcoBak and no cyano outbreak for me. If your corals start to get pale then you could always use amino acids if you don't want to feed more.
Also you don't want too wide of a reactor. Narrow is better to keep the pellets tumbling. With a reactor that is too wide you will get channeling.
Also you don't want too wide of a reactor. Narrow is better to keep the pellets tumbling. With a reactor that is too wide you will get channeling.
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Mr.Firemouth
FIREMOUTH WIZARD
Some of the big problems people have is that when they add the pellets they do not monitor ALL aspects of their system and they do not keep up on water changes. This product is designed to use bacteria to reduce nutrients. Once these nutrients are reduced there are additional processes that take place in the aquarium. One of the processes is that there is a reduction in iodine. This is one reason why soft corals suffer in "some" soft tanks. Another processes affects the phosphate level which in turn affects the Alk level through several chemical reactions. People who do not monitor their Alk may experience a bleaching event or they may have a huge breakout in Cyano.
Additional processes that take place with the reduction of nutrients is just that, a reduction of the food source that fuels their symbiotic algae within the coral tissues. Therefore it is paramount to feed a variety of phyto and zooplanktons to your tank. Feed your tank well with 4-6 feedings daily. If you see a spike in PO4 or NO3 you can cut back some on the feedings, but push the limit more than usual here so both your fish and corals have ample food supplies. Make sure a variety of sizes are offered and I recommend the addition of both vitamin and amino acid supplements. Feedings should take place both in the daylight hours and during the lights off dark phase of the photo-period.
It is very important to track ALL water parameters, especially Alk, Mg, and Ca, levels while increasing feedings and keeping up on water changes. Any failure to do so will result in a negative outcome. Additional algae outbreaks are also attributed to the leaching of NO3 and PO4 from sand beds and rock work that have low levels stored up within them. As these nutrients slowly leach back to the water column from the rockwork their surfaces are ideal sites for algae until the nutrients are exhausted in the rock and sandbeds.
We have some tanks that have been using the system for 7 months with no problems and my personal system was on death's door due to neglect so I threw a reactor on in October and my system looks fantastic compared to before!
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kingfisherfleshy
Well-Known Member
Alright, so what would be a recommended h2o schedule?
I do a 30% h2o change on my 75g reef every other week.
Until recently, (when I decided this would be a reef) I have been doing one, 20g change on my 125g pred tank once a month. Nitrates are floating between 20-40ppm. Stocking has been lowered, at least as far as high waste fish go.
The tank will be heavily stocked, and I plan on going low with the amount of pellets Im going to start with (250ml?)
What sort of foods should I get my corals, and how should I get them into the system 4x a day. I have a dry powder coral food that I mix up and feed to my 75g, I guess I could do something like that once a week? Fish will be fed heavily, and are larger, messier fish...fish poop is the best coral food as well. Or at least I have heard it said.
Thanks for the help guys.
I do a 30% h2o change on my 75g reef every other week.
Until recently, (when I decided this would be a reef) I have been doing one, 20g change on my 125g pred tank once a month. Nitrates are floating between 20-40ppm. Stocking has been lowered, at least as far as high waste fish go.
The tank will be heavily stocked, and I plan on going low with the amount of pellets Im going to start with (250ml?)
What sort of foods should I get my corals, and how should I get them into the system 4x a day. I have a dry powder coral food that I mix up and feed to my 75g, I guess I could do something like that once a week? Fish will be fed heavily, and are larger, messier fish...fish poop is the best coral food as well. Or at least I have heard it said.
Thanks for the help guys.
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Mr. FireMouth thanks for your input. From your description I think I'm prepared to try the pellets. I am still testing (ca/alk/mg/phosphate/nitrate) every couple days, and do a 10% water change every week. 4-6 feedings a day sound insane though......at most I feed twice. 
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kingfisherfleshy
Well-Known Member
Maybe you could put dry coral food into a auto feeder?
I plan on setting up an auto feeder for NLS on my 125g reef.
I plan on setting up an auto feeder for NLS on my 125g reef.
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