couple questions

[Arati]

1` I am reading up on bio pellets, I see people advising to put the reactor upstream or even direct feed of/to the skimmer.

Can anyone explain this ? doesn't directly skimming out what the reactor creates defeat the purpose? it seems to me you just skim out the bio pellets as they dissolve..


2` Does anyone have experience with Very deep sand beds. 12" or more deep. are they affective? is a plenum still advised.

3` Is Cheato more effective then a dsb ? what about the D.O.C concerns? I remember an article that proved cheato out preformed mangroves for nutrient removal. but it may release more doc's. any comments?

4` Does anyone have experience with a benthic zone refuge? any advice or links to how to set one up effectively what critters to put in ect..


thanks for any help in advance.

 

[lnevo]

I've been considering pellets as well after finding out my api test kit which was reading 0 nitrate was completely wrong! Actual number was like 40-50...but I've been upping my skimming maintenance, and WC...

Anyway from what I've read having it feed back to the skimmer is so the skimmer can take out any bacteria that gets out of the reactor and any waste produced by the pellets...

The reactor will house the bacteria living in the pellets and all the nitrate/phosphate removal will happen inside the reactor rather than in your display/sump which would happen if you just did carbon dosing (sugar/vodka/etc)

The other purpose is to reintroduce oxygen into the water that the bacteria will consume and leave your water oxygen deprived. So it's accomplishing two things.

Let me know if you go ahead with it..i'm definitely interested in hearing your results.

 

[thirty5]

1` I am reading up on bio pellets, I see people advising to put the reactor upstream or even direct feed of/to the skimmer.

Can anyone explain this ? doesn't directly skimming out what the reactor creates defeat the purpose? it seems to me you just skim out the bio pellets as they dissolve..


2` Does anyone have experience with Very deep sand beds. 12" or more deep. are they affective? is a plenum still advised.

3` Is Cheato more effective then a dsb ? what about the D.O.C concerns? I remember an article that proved cheato out preformed mangroves for nutrient removal. but it may release more doc's. any comments?

4` Does anyone have experience with a benthic zone refuge? any advice or links to how to set one up effectively what critters to put in ect..


thanks for any help in advance.

You want to skim what comes out of the reactor. I have my reactor running off my main pump and the return back to the sump from the reactor is right in front of the skimmer pump.

 

[Arati]

will happen inside the reactor rather than in your display/sump

OK that makes sense. I like that idea.

I was running Zeovit , but like most people getting sick of the daily dosing. I plan to try a hybrid Duel reactor system. one for zeoliths one for bio pellets.


anyone have a favorite pellet , whats the best one?

 

[vio]

I think most of the bio pellets r OK. The point is if u set the right way ?! start w/ less they say, use a good reactor ( PM 19 " tall, the right pump, MJ 1200) u need nice move inside reactor, NOT to grind the pellets, but NOT to stick, bacteria need Nitrate + Phosphate to build her cells, most of bacteria leave on reactor, that way u need to export to Protein Skimmer, than u may have to balance the Nitrate , if is zero, buy adding Nitro Flourish, ( never do to be honest) bacteria need both to survive. Right now i just start add. Bactiv 8 made by Two Little Fishies, let's see.

 

[lnevo]

That's one of the trickier parts of running pellets properly. It needs the right amount of both...if you are phosphate heavy, you'll need to raise nitrate, and vice versa....that's why I'm currently going the WC route

 

[NL146]

The biopellets are consumed by bacteria which is the reason the pellets have to be topped up periodically. It is recommended to place the output of the reactor in front of the skimmer so that excess bacteria can be removed as a part of nutrient export.

As said previously lol!