GFO vs. BRS Bio-Pellets for Reactor Media

[Sapsis]

Anyone have an opinion on GFO vs. BRS Bio-Pellets for Reactor Media?

I currently Use GFO and Carbon in my Equipment and have the Pump power to support Bio pellets. My levels are acceptable as is but I hate using GFO for multiple reasons.

I know the chemical difference between the 2 I've seen mixed reviews of its effect.

has anyone tried it?

I have a 92gal with SPS, LPS and Softies with a heavy fish bio load.

Any advise/ experience doing this would be appreciated

[jacob.morgan78]

I'm getting ready to beging using biopellets and I already run carbon and GFO. If I understand correctly, you can run all at the same time. It does suggest that you not run the GFO at the beginning to give the bacteria a head start to colonize the media. Probably doesn't help but wanted to chime in as I'm interested in feedback on this too.

[jdraider75]

I run all 3. Gfo rox8 and biopellets. I started out just gfo and carbon in a single reactor but needed to drop nitrates. So switched the reactor to just biopellets. Then after a couple months went wit dual reactor and also running gfo and carbon also. Start slow with biopellets and skim heavy and lots of flow or you will have cyno. I use bulk reef supply reactors and gfo carbon and npx biopellets and works great.

[swcc]

I don't use bio pellets by I do dose a small amount of vodka daily(.5ml) nowadays... I much prefer bacterial activity and strong skimming over media such as GFO and carbon.

What is better for you really comes down to your skimmer. If your skimmer is maxed out on your tank, then stick with media..if it is sized up...carbon dosing...
Also, do an assessment of your relationship between your sump and skimmer. It could be you may not need either option with a little sump/skimmer relationship tweaking...

[jacob.morgan78]

Can you expand on what you mean by sump/skimmer relationship tweaking? Thanks!

[swcc]

Can you expand on what you mean by sump/skimmer relationship tweaking? Thanks!

sure... it is having the flow through your sump a little below that which the skimmer can process... a big mistake people often make is they run way too much flow through their sump. what happens is the water from the tank blows by the skimmer and back up to the tank. One might think no big deal, but, really it is... Organics actually concentrate up to the surface of your tank and become more concentrated there. As they flow to your sump if your skimmer flows 150GPH and your sump return flow 300GPH they you effectively blew those concentrated organics right back into your tank... Now if you skimmer flows 150gph and your sump flows 100gph, well the concentrated organics from the surface linger in the sump longer allowing the skimmer to pull the organics and return cleaner water..this results in more organics removed and cleaner water. Your give your skimmer more dwell time to remove organics from the sump. It is maximizing the efficiency of your skimmer to remove waste. I have done flow experiments on my own tank and have found that having my skimmer flow 1.5 to 2x the amount of flow as my return results in much better organic removal(stinkier skimmate as well as more of it) vs having the return match the skimmer flow or more. The owner of euro reef/reef dynamics also says the same thing as well as others. this has sort of become a 'lost art' of the hobbie and has been replaced with 3-5x flow advice. Althought there is some talk and movement that people are experimenting with as low as 1x tank volume through the sump and seeing excellent results..and this is why...lots of dwell time for the skimmer and the water from the overflow is more concentrated as the teeth are less deep(tank water level is a little lower).

[ReefNOOBIE21]

ive heard how biopellets may cause nitrate probs at first?