Any success with the Pax Bellum N18?

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Wrasse-cal

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Thanks!
You are correct he is very responsive, I just received my Triton results and emailed him at 3 am. I received a detailed response by 9 am.
I've been in contact with him, so I expect to post about it later.

Please do post. I'd be really curious what his thoughts are about your problems.
 

Ecvernon

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Here is the email exchange between Tristan of Pax Bellum LLC and me.

My n24 started great(purchased July 2018). I have been having problems starting about September /October 2018. I've been dosing the iron supplement daily. After that, I have been unable to get it to grow like I used to. The cheatomorpha keeps on dying.
When I had good growth, it was with a 12 hour reverse lighting period. When I started to have trouble, I've increased it to 16 hours and even decreased it to 4 hours daily. I have reboot and purchased algae from many different sources and have spent a lot of money since then.

I've also posted here HERE and read a few similar problems occurring with other users. I've waited till I got back An ICP test to make contact to troubleshoot.

I have a 150-gallon mixed reef with about 25 fish fed heavily. I don't have any visible algae but wanted to use the Arid for nutrient reduction. I have my latest ICP attached with some pictures as well.

NO3 25 ppm Salifert (always)
Alk 8.5-8.6 DKH Via Hanna tester
Po4 was as high .383ppm 1/12/2019(around the time of ICP test, Used Reef roids)
Po4 today is reduced to 0.086 Via Phosphate RX Latanum chloride.

Po4 is usually 0.1 -0.15 ppm

I have always been running the Arid via my return manifold at 250GPH verified via bucket and a timer.

When problems growing cheatomorpha occurred, I ran dedicated pump (250GPH) getting water before the skimmer.

I use a calcium reactor, bag of Rox carbon in Dual 7 inch filter socks.

No GFO, No Carbon dosing, Tropic Marine pro salt.

I run Jebao 55 watt UV circulating in the tank. I had Ostreopsis Dinoflagellate outbreak. Its cured for now.

During times where cheato died, I was able to grow cheato in sump Via Kessil H380. I would then turn it off re-seed Arid with cheato, and the cheato got slimy and died.

https://www.triton-lab.de/en/showroom/aquarium/auswertung-b/icp-oes/60356/

His response

Hello Eric,

After viewing your Triton ICP it looks like your Iodine level is at least 6 fold too high. This is why you're seeing elevated iron and manganese and possibly tin, as the iodine acts as a chelator at high concentrations. Tin (Sn) is toxic to algae. How did your iodine get this high?

Discontinue use of the iron manganese until your iodine is brought down.

Your Molybdenum is low as is your Boron.

Your Sulfur is elevated.

The ARID has very high light levels and ideal flow, so that it can grow macro algae multiple times faster than the same algae in a refugium, at the same time any imbalances will be evident in the algae that much faster. Chaeto in a sump will have very low nutrient turn over in the center of its mass and lower light penetration, this algae in the center could be buffered by the algae surrounding it from these imbalances and able to deal with the stress at a slower rate with the reduced illumination.

I recommend doing as large of a water change as possible. This will replenish trace elements, and bring down your excessively high iodine and Tin.

If you have any other questions, please ask.

Regards,

Tristan Wilson



 

Ecvernon

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Good morning Triston,

I was at wit's end trying to get the algae to grow. After multiple failures, I read somewhere that Iodine levels may aid in macroalgae growth. In previous triton tests, I showed depleted levels. I started to dose Lugol's solution( now I think I read this is a highly reactive form)weekly to see if it would help.

I will follow your recommendations and follow up.

His Response

I recommend 0.06-.12ppm iodine levels. Use potassium iodide as opposed to Lugol's It's much easier to dose. Lack of iodine would be evident by photooxidation of the algae, especially around the light assembly. often mistaken for iron deficiency. Iodine works as an antioxidant for marine plants analogous to vitamin-c (ascorbic acid) do in terrestrial plants.

Elevated Tin is probably the original cause, the extremely elevated iodine is not helping. I've seen this twice before. The algae looked very similar to yours.

Did you recently add new PVC plumbing, vinyl tubing, have a heater break or impeller burn out?

Regards,

Tristan
 

Ecvernon

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So it seems I have some work to do. I will do as recommended and report back in a while.

I will be honest though; I don't want to do water changes!:(
 

Rivers&Reefs

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Any luck with having a healthy pod population in one of these? Thinking about using an N18 in a 30gallon build instead of a fuge.
 

Ecvernon

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Any luck with having a healthy pod population in one of these? Thinking about using an N18 in a 30gallon build instead of a fuge.
There were pods, stomatella varia, and brittle starfish in my latest harvest. Not a lot compared to a refugium because of the flow I run to keep the cheato clean.
 

Pax Bellum

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Thanks for the response. I've attached my latest Triton ICP test from November 30th. I run the light on a 4 hour cycle to start as per Pax Bellum's instructions. My hope was to use this system to keep my PO4 at a low level without having to use any chemical remedies. Do I have to reduce the PO4 first before putting this back on line?

I know this is an old post but had to share some input on it. After looking at your ICP, you have elevated Sn which is toxic to algae, Mg is over 1500ppm this should be 1400ppm, I don't recommend higher than 1450ppm. Boron is below NSW 4.4ppm, recommend 6ppm. Iodine is very low should be at least 0.06ppm, set to 0.1ppm. Other trace elements are most likely low.
 

saltwaterpicaso

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it should not be this complicated to grow an algea. I think a lot of it comes down to the leds are powerful and need to be put on a dimmer if you look at buds ats he has the most success and I believe its from his leds are dimmable.
 

Pax Bellum

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it should not be this complicated to grow an algea. I think a lot of it comes down to the leds are powerful and need to be put on a dimmer if you look at buds ats he has the most success and I believe its from his leds are dimmable.

The ARID macroalgae reactor was invented to grow macroalgae as fast as possible in the smallest footprint possible for the purpose of nutrient export and precise control of seawater nutrient/ element ratios, "Redfield Ratios" with the emphasis on PO4, CO2 limitation, and pH and DO stabilization. This is not a refugium, it is not designed to be a pod factory. Pods need generally undisturbed areas to grow and reproduce, the flow pattern and harvest schedule are not inducive to this if the reactor is sized and operated correctly.

The light intensity is high, at PAR saturation for many algae species. This high light intensity is to facility the fastest growth possible, as in filling a n18 chamber from a handful of Chaeto in under a week as opposed to several weeks with dimmer lighting. High growth rate requires optimal water chemistry that supplies facilitating nutrients as well as elements that allow the algae to handle the reactive oxygen species generated during high rates of photosynthesis. ROS/ free radicals cause damage if the algae can't neutralize them and can lead to photo-oxidation, death and decay.

The ARID can be used with a 12vdc dimmer and it will grow chaeto slower without the need to be so on top of water chemistry. Biochemical reactions will occur slower, photo-oxidative stress could be undetectable, and longer amount of time could pass before changes in water chemistry are evident in the growth characteristics of the algae. However, the water chemistry could be really off, nutrient export is slowed or even ceases before being noticed by the aquarist. pH and DO stability will be off, and CO2 uptake will also be slowed.

Being on top of your water chemistry is always the best strategy. Optimal water chemistry results in healthier corals etc, and the ability to use a smaller reactor that can be your primary nutrient export equipment. Through an understanding of how to manipulate the ratios of the water chemistry algae can be used as a bioabsorption media for the targeted limitation (removal) of a desired element(s) or nutrient(s). Many of our successful customers use the ARID as their primary nutrient export device and some are even dosing PO4 and going skimmerless.

The ARID was designed for aquarists interested in the understanding of water chemistry. We realize this doesn't come easy to everyone, and takes experience, that's why we're here to answer questions. Your success is our success. Please join our Facebook product support group https://www.facebook.com/groups/504358043470413/?source_id=1693296024234212
 

redpine42

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I bought a n24 about 3 months ago. My tank was a mess. Phosphate at 1.61 nitrates over 200 and algae everywhere. One of my problems was cheato was always clogging my skimmer. So I went with an pax bellum n24 to move my Chaeto out of the sump.

I set the lighting to 14 hours hoping for rapid growth. First week nothing happened. 2nd and third week I got the chaeto dissolving problem. I realized that this was no silver bullet. So went back to basics. Got a bigger skimmer and started doing water changes. I also changed the n24 lighting schedule to 4 hours and added an hour every week.

At 6 weeks Phosphates and Nitrates are now down. The n24 has solid growth, with me pulling out chaeto every week.

Suggest that if u get one of these, get ur tank in order first. Follow the instructions and start at 4 hours of light and ramp it up.

It works, it’s not a silverbullet and like everything else in this hobby, be patent.
 

saltwaterpicaso

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Sold mine after a year of messing with it. Was very inconsistent. Switched to a water fall algea scrubber was better but a pain to clean. Eventually got a sulfer denitrator I like it a lot better so far
 

ReefinTexas

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I’ve had a Waterbox 110 for almost two months now. I installed the N18 around the 2 week mark along with a UV to reduce bad algae. I have about 10 fish that I feed 2 X per day (mysis and pellets). My N03 has been around 12-15ppm and P04 around .04-.08. The Cheato seemed to be fine the first week but I wasn’t dosing iron and really didn’t follow the light acclimation recommendations. It turned brown quickly and I noticed diatoms inside the reactor, sand bed and some rocks, not a lot sparsely.
Two weeks ago I removed the reactor cleaned it with vinegar and rinsed the Cheato in clean salt water. I removed all the slime and added it back to my system. I started dosing accurately. (The sample bottle of iron had incorrect instructions) I lowered the photo period to 6 hours. I also added a 2nd pump just for my UV and pax that doubled flow through my sump and system. My flow rate through the N18 is close to 200 according to my Apex flow meter.
Over the last few weeks I have ramped up lighting to about 10 hours now. The diatoms haven’t retuned and the Cheato is growing. My N03 and P04 levels are still elevated but I’m optimistic they will level off once the Pax is dialed in. I just wanted to share my experience to date and hopefully help anyone having difficulty. I’ll keep you guys updated as I progress.
 

ReefinTexas

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I removed my flow meter today and checked on the Cheato. It’s looking great. My Phosphate are still elevated but I think it’s because of over feeding. My Nitrates are coming down steadily.
 

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