Question for Bio Pellet users

[Macropora]

This question goes out to all bio pellet users out in MR. I'm in the process of setting up a bio pellet reactor and wanted to know from your experience which bio pellets you use and whether you would prefer one brand over another and why. Some many brands out there now. Thanking you in advance.

 

[rebelson]

Which reactor are you using?

 

[Macropora]

Which reactor are you using?

I got one from Seaside Aquatics with a nice dispersion plate that sits at 23" tall that I will use to tumble the bio pellets.

Are there better one's out there that anyone would recommend?

 

[rebelson]

I picked up a used GEO reactor, but got the model numbers mixed up and this thing is a beast. Previous owner used it as a carbon reactor for a very large display tank. It's an easy 2 feet tall and the price was right. I'm thinking of using it for bio-pellets.

 

[FMF0331]

I'm thinking about getting the cad light unit - still doing some research on other companies.

 

[Macropora]

I picked up a used GEO reactor, but got the model numbers mixed up and this thing is a beast. Previous owner used it as a carbon reactor for a very large display tank. It's an easy 2 feet tall and the price was right. I'm thinking of using it for bio-pellets.

I was thinking of getting that one also but decided to go with a smaller unit to see how well it works before investing in something bigger.

 

[howze01]

I've been using the NPX for about 4 months now. Haven't had phosphates above .04 and nitrates above 2ppm since I started. I would imagine that most of them are pretty similar. I just picked up the NPX because they were the ones that the place I went to had.

 

[Macropora]

I've been using the NPX for about 4 months now. Haven't had phosphates above .04 and nitrates above 2ppm since I started. I would imagine that most of them are pretty similar. I just picked up the NPX because they were the ones that the place I went to had.

Are you also using GFO or have you done away with that since using NPX bio pellets? I'm wondering if the shape and texture of the pellets makes a difference with how well they reduce nitrates and phosphates. I'm really looking to use it so that I don't have to spend so much $$$ on GFO from month to month, lol.

 

[howze01]

No GFO. I started my new tank with just bio pellets.

Best advice I can give you is to start SLOW. I started with a quarter of the recommended dose 4 months ago. I'm now up to about 1/2. I think I'm going to leave it there. My tank is mostly zoas and palys and I don't want to starve them out.

 

[charliethetuna88]

I'm using the vertex reactor for my pellets .I love it I was using the 550 two little fish for a while which worked but needing consant cleaning

 

[Macropora]

No GFO. I started my new tank with just bio pellets.

Best advice I can give you is to start SLOW. I started with a quarter of the recommended dose 4 months ago. I'm now up to about 1/2. I think I'm going to leave it there. My tank is mostly zoas and palys and I don't want to starve them out.

That's what I've heard about going slowing. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Macropora]

I'm using the vertex reactor for my pellets .I love it I was using the 550 two little fish for a while which worked but needing consant cleaning

Thanks for the info. What type of pellets are you using in the Vertex reactor?

 

[Arati]

vertex reactor zeoliths not pellets. ill let you know how it goes in a few months

 

[piranhapat]

Hate to tell you that you will still need to use GFO while using bio pellets. Pellets will help control your nitrates but will not take care of all your phoshate. I would start with half of what they say. Some tanks do good with it and some do not. To me bio pellets are not the answer yet. I had it in my tank for 5 months and started to get cyano. Notice I had to clean the glass every day. Tank ran alot better with out it.....

 

[Macropora]

vertex reactor zeoliths not pellets. ill let you know how it goes in a few months

Thanks!

 

[Macropora]

Hate to tell you that you will still need to use GFO while using bio pellets. Pellets will help control your nitrates but will not take care of all your phoshate. I would start with half of what they say. Some tanks do good with it and some do not. To me bio pellets are not the answer yet. I had it in my tank for 5 months and started to get cyano. Notice I had to clean the glass every day. Tank ran alot better with out it.....

Thanks for the info and your observations.

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

Hate to tell you that you will still need to use GFO while using bio pellets. Pellets will help control your nitrates but will not take care of all your phoshate. I would start with half of what they say. Some tanks do good with it and some do not. To me bio pellets are not the answer yet. I had it in my tank for 5 months and started to get cyano. Notice I had to clean the glass every day. Tank ran alot better with out it.....

I used GFO for two months till pellets kicked in, I read that if you keep using GFO you will strip your water to clean. I guess to many people having different results:scratchch:scratchch

 

[Macropora]

I used GFO for two months till pellets kicked in, I read that if you keep using GFO you will strip your water to clean. I guess to many people having different results:scratchch:scratchch

I guess it all depends on how many fish and corals you have in your tank. Hopefully with 70 - 80 fish in my system, it won't strip it too fast.

 

[piranhapat]

Only problem I had with pellets was cyano. It was getting worst with pellets. I don't think it really matters on the load of fish. Its alot to due with Bacteria still able to spread through out the tank instead of beening in reactors and how the skimmer is working. You will see alot more gunk in your skimmer. Leaving you to believe that your skimmer is working better. But what it is really going on is that your having more bacteria which might be more than you need..... Reason why we still don't know much about testing other things such as how much bacteria is good and bad,,,,,

 

[Macropora]

Only problem I had with pellets was cyano. It was getting worst with pellets. I don't think it really matters on the load of fish. Its alot to due with Bacteria still able to spread through out the tank instead of beening in reactors and how the skimmer is working. You will see alot more gunk in your skimmer. Leaving you to believe that your skimmer is working better. But what it is really going on is that your having more bacteria which might be more than you need..... Reason why we still don't know much about testing other things such as how much bacteria is good and bad,,,,,

True, you never know what's good or bad until you try it. Thanks for the insight.