Biopellet reactor not working, no phosphates...

[gcarroll]

Originally Posted by capn_hylinur

Ouch I thought my responses were appropriate

Yours was a close second. I just felt that the other response was a bit more clear to the specific problem of the OP.

[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by gcarroll

Yours was a close second. I just felt that the other response was a bit more clear to the specific problem of the OP.

Tks just having a bit of fun

I try to make my posts practical rather then too theoretical but I spend most of my time In the reef chemistry

[mskvarenina]

Originally Posted by Eric Boerner

What are you chasing after? If your PO is zero, you have good macro algae and no hair algae?

Nitrate is a byproduct of your cycle. Your macro algae is consuming it as evident by your rapid growth in the sump. Plus you have no hair algae, so the macro algae is out competing it.

GFO will nuke the PO. Not the nitrate. You need to dose sugars to knock out the nitrate, but you're already using bio-pellets, so no need to do that either. If you're still dead set on chasing numbers, swap out your bio-pellets and add a little more than you had in there before. Point your BP waste water at your skimmer intake.

Otherwise, invest in a chaetomorph ball. It really is the best nitrate export there is.

I'm chasing lowering and maintaining the nitrates to a reasonable level so I'm not forced to do a big water change every week. I really don't know what number is too high for a FO tank. Some say zero is ideal, others say even nitrates in the hundreds don't effect FO tanks. I can tell you at 80 none of my fish appear stressed at all.

Yes the caulerpa is growing like wildfire now so I guess it's consuming some of the nitrates but not enough to stop the rise. The BPR exhaust is right next to the Lifereef skimmer intake. I've tried chaeto before but all it's ever done is turn from a nice green to pale and grey before it broke apart and died. The other issue I've had in the past when running the chaeto was alot of red slime algae. Now all the red slime is gone. Do you think I should give the chaeto another try?

[mskvarenina]

It appears Seachem makes something called Flourish Phosphorus for dosing. Do you think I should give this a try to try to simulate the BPR?

I've been trying to reach out to Jeff from Reef Dynamics but the 3 emails I've sent on this subject to him have gone unanswered. I guess he's mighty busy!

[gcarroll]

Originally Posted by mskvarenina

It appears Seachem makes something called Flourish Phosphorus for dosing. Do you think I should give this a try to try to simulate the BPR?



I've been trying to reach out to Jeff from Reef Dynamics but the 3 emails I've sent on this subject to him have gone unanswered. I guess he's mighty busy!

Personally, I would not look to Jeff as an authority on biopellets. Consider looking to Dr Tim or Warner Marine for advice. They will break it down for you!

[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by gcarroll

Personally, I would not look to Jeff as an authority on biopellets. Consider looking to Dr Tim or Warner Marine for advice. They will break it down for you!

I'd give Tom..TMZ. On here a go. IMO he's as close to an expert as you can get about carbon dosing

You will get much better advise on carbon dosing in the Reef Chemistry forum

[onecansay]

Two things I am learning from this thread.

One: Everyone's system is different. Whether you like him or not Mr Saltwater Tank guy always says learn and know your tank personality. This IS true.

Two: With no ill will intended so many in this hobby look for instant results and DO NOT do enough research.

Bpd seems to have his ducks in a row and myself has used many forums, not just this one to become educated. The best education is/was "Take it slow and let it grow".

Three and a half years ago I had become totally frustrated with the massive takeover of algae in my DT that I just shut off the lights and walked away for THREE YEARS. Just added tap water to the ATO system.

Research, knowledge and PATIENCE allowed me to re-establish my DT. I researched a new sump design. Although not perfect, much better than I had.

I invested in sound equipment or sound DIY knockoffs.

Using the KISS method methodically has paid off immensely.

Sometimes you need to go back to square one and begin again. This may be an option that many will have to do. Yup, it sucks but in the end the rewards can be even more satisfying than starting a whole new system.

This journey in the last six months has given me a whole new appreciation for this wonderful world and has inspired me onto my next system build.

Research is as much part of this as is maintaining a system. There lays the rub. We can only attempt to achieve a balance and maintain that balance.

Keep detailed records. The only way to achieve goals is to have a history to look back on. Some history may need to be repeated and some not at all.

You can only help those whom truly desire to be helped.

[mskvarenina]

So it's been several months now running the biopellet reactor and still no success. My nitrates are through the roof, darker than 80ppm and close to the 160 color. My phosphates are 0.42 per the Hanna checker. Is it time to clean out the reactor and add new pellets?

And are all pellets the same? I'm using Reef Dynamics pellets. Maybe another manufacturer will yield better results?

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by mskvarenina

Is it time to clean out the reactor and add new pellets?

And are all pellets the same? I'm using Reef Dynamics pellets. Maybe another manufacturer will yield better results?

The pellets dissolve... refill as needed.. I just fill it up and refill when its almost gone.
I run TLF NXP biopellets with great results and I only use half the recommended amount.

[DamonG]

Originally Posted by mskvarenina

So it's been several months now running the biopellet reactor and still no success. My nitrates are through the roof, darker than 80ppm and close to the 160 color. My phosphates are 0.42 per the Hanna checker. Is it time to clean out the reactor and add new pellets?

And are all pellets the same? I'm using Reef Dynamics pellets. Maybe another manufacturer will yield better results?

The thing about that reactor that most don't know, it's simply how it functions. Where exactly are you with your tumbling and also with the amount that you have the return open? If your tumbling very high with that reactor, then your lessening the contact with the pellets and subsequently not drawing a ton of water through.

The steps to be successful with that reactor and media are: 1- set the tumble to slow, then 2- make adjustments to the reactor Outlet(top), waiting a day or two to test. Just shortly based off what your saying, it sounds like it isn't set correctly. Just being honest because that thing along with those pellets can, as long as working efficiently and sized right with the correct flow and tumble, pull everything out of your tank.

Also, how many ounces of pellets do you have in which size reactor (ie: 135, 260,etc). And you only add pellets as they dissolve not completely throw them out.

[vpaul79]

Are you skimming the effluent from the reactor? The bacteria that consumes the nitrate and phosphate need to be exported. What kind of skimmer are you running?

[mskvarenina]

My tank is a 93g with about another 20-25 gallons of water in the sump and plumbing. I'm using the BPR-135 with a LifeReef skimmer.

There's about 8oz of pellets tumbling nice and slow in the reactor. I have a video but it doesn't appear to be a way to post videos here.

The exhaust of the BPR goes right into the skimmer pump intake. It's not hard plumbed but the pipe from the BPR goes right up to the Mag 9.5 intake so it's very likely all the water coming out of the BPR is sucked into the Mag 9.5.

Perhaps the only questionable item here is the rate of BPR exhaust water. Jeff from RD told me to open it wide up but it sure does flow out pretty strongly. I just cut back the rate to about half of what it was tonight. Maybe the effluent is simply flowing too fast through the BPR.

[DamonG]

Originally Posted by mskvarenina

My tank is a 93g with about another 20-25 gallons of water in the sump and plumbing. I'm using the BPR-135 with a LifeReef skimmer.

There's about 8oz of pellets tumbling nice and slow in the reactor. I have a video but it doesn't appear to be a way to post videos here.

The exhaust of the BPR goes right into the skimmer pump intake. It's not hard plumbed but the pipe from the BPR goes right up to the Mag 9.5 intake so it's very likely all the water coming out of the BPR is sucked into the Mag 9.5.

Perhaps the only questionable item here is the rate of BPR exhaust water. Jeff from RD told me to open it wide up but it sure does flow out pretty strongly. I just cut back the rate to about half of what it was tonight. Maybe the effluent is simply flowing too fast through the BPR.

That's about what I had in my reactor(135 also). I can give an example of mine and maybe this will help with what I know and learned about them and what worked for me. My tank was 110 gallons with a 55 gallon sump. I also ran 8 Oz of pellets, but mine tumbled slow to the point of the very top just moved at an extremely slow rate. I actually only had my reactor fully open one time, for 1 day because it pulled so much it off the system. At max, I had it open about 50%, and that was only after some months of using it. Because it's a recirc, you really want it to process or scrub the water, much in the same way you do with gfo, a nitrate reactor or carbon in water flow. Not as drastically slow as a nitrate reactor, but good contact time.

You do have it setup right with the effluent going right into the skimmer intake, but I'm not familiar with your skimmer and I had a RD skimmer. The one thing I can recommend is to wet skim! Not to the point of clear, but definately not dry. Somewhere in the darker tea color, just in case yours isn't set that way. With that set that way, you actually pull I'm just trying to give all the tidbits of information I can that I found with it.

And if you wanted to post a link to your video (YouTube). Here is a link to mine and this should give an idea of how mine tumbled at first(on this clip, it was actually high/fast compared to how fast is) along with the skim I'm speaking of. I don't think I took any video of it when I had it set to low:

Reef Dynamics INS135 and BPR135: http://youtu.be/iULkonjdrSY

Hopefully this helps..

[H2Obsession]

What is the safeist product to dose for increased phosphates?
Thank you

[Bpb]

Some people I know have used seachem flourish phosphorous as a kick start to balance their phosphate and nitrate to get their pellets or vodka dosing working, and to stop STN. I personally have an abundance of KH2PO4 from green leaf aquariums that I use for my planted fw tank. It's a powder form and very pure and dirt cheap. A little goes a long way. In my total water volume of 90 gallons, I dose 3 mL of solution to raise my phosphates by 0.05 ppm. That's a tiny amount for a large swing. The solution is made from 1/2 teaspoon of powder in 500 mL of RODI. Very very very powerful stuff. Be careful. Not only did my coral colors and health improve dramatically within a week after a few doses, but the macro in my fuge exploded and the nuisance algae in the tank came out of now where and grew annoyingly fast. Kind of a take the bad with the good scenario. Worked well for me and several other friends though

[H2Obsession]

Bpb thank you!
(Prob a usual story) In the persuit to rid nusance algae I overdid the GFO and now my po4 is undt and nitrate 16. My initial dose of pellets is almost 4mos old and no bacteria growth to speak of. My cheto in the fuge grows ok but I think its too small 12g fuge on a 120 mixed reef. My last suspecion is the UV, I just unplugged it 2 days ago, so Unless thats an issue think Ill go very slow with the KH2PO4.

[mskvarenina]

So after several weeks at running the BR with a much lower exhaust rate the nitrates continue to rise. The media looks clean and is tumbling slowly but I wonder if it's just exhausted or bad and was wondering if anyone recommends replacing it completely and if so with what product? It seems TLF has a product that seems popular?

[mlott132]

mskarenina, any update on your levels? Interested as I am waiting for my Reef Dynamics reactor to come in.

[Fudz Cwerner]

Yes an update please. I have been running Biopellets on my tanks for 3 years and had the opposite experience. I also use a skimmer rated for a tank almost 2x my size. I didnt see any post about what skimmer he was using or if he was dosing any bacteria. I used to dose Zeobak and Microbacter 7, but after they ran out I stopped. That was well over a year ago. Hopefully it worked out for him.

[mskvarenina]

I really can't tell if the BPR is working. The nitrates seem to remain constant at around 50 according to the Salifert test, the API test reads much higher so I'm not sure which to believe.

I'm using a Lifereef skimmer. I have the BPR exhaust feeding into the skimmer intake.

For now I'm just doing a 20% water change every 2 weeks.

The fish are all incredibly healthy, eating well and disease free so I've started to think all thus concern for higher nitrates in a FO tank is really for naught.

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by mskvarenina

The fish are all incredibly healthy, eating well and disease free so I've started to think all thus concern for higher nitrates in a FO tank is really for naught.

yes it is for naught..
Fish can easily tolerate higher levels of nitrates..
I've run tanks with 100+ nitrates with NO clear issues to the fish..
Corals on the other hand do NOT do well with higher nitrate levels..

[Hudds]

Originally Posted by mskvarenina

Most people here seem to say it takes more like 8 weeks for the pellets to work and that I should stop filtering with carbon.

Can you please elaborate on the effect of running GAC on biopellets efficiency? How are these two connected?