Bashsea Bio Space Reactors - Everything you need to know!

[Privateye]

why no air injected in the bio space reactors like on systems used for decades?

Probably so it can be located below the water level. You wouldn't be able to use air to move the media in a sealed chamber (or at least not well). The water would need to overflow out of an air-driven MBBR. That might not always be possible with a home aquarium. It would require more planning.

 

[Arowana29]

This concept goes back further than that. Moving bed bioreactors (MBBRs) have been used in aquaculture and wastewater treatment for decades. A little in the aquarium trade too, but at the DIY level.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moving-bed_biofilm_reactor

The basic idea is that you have media that is slightly postively-buoyant, but close to neutral buoyancy. This media houses the bacteria. It stays in constant motion, which allows the media to bump into each other. This makes it self-cleaning for the most part. It's a type of "thin film reactor". The media bumping into each other sloughs-off any large chunks of biofilm.

Typically this just involves a tank, some aeration, and some strainers on the inlet and outlet to keep the media in the tank. Aeration is used to move the media, but it also has the benefit of providing oxygen to the bacteria, and CO2 removal.

The Bashsea version uses a water pump instead. Because we keep low bioloads in our reef tanks this should work fine as well. A typical MBBR will have 50-70% of the volume filled with media, and it looks like Bashsea was able to achieve that with their product.

What makes this unique is it's small (appropriate for home aquariums) and you can buy it as a kit. DIY is always an option (and cheaper) but Bashsea makes it simpler for the average consumer.

I have plenty of K1 from an old pond which I plan on soaking in citric acid before throwing it into a skimmer I have laying around in the garage. I'll replace the skimmer cup with mesh or foam and just allow the water to overflow. I'll give it a try on the new tank since it will cost me nothing to build.

 

[Privateye]

I have plenty of K1 from an old pond which I plan on soaking in citric acid before throwing it into a skimmer I have laying around in the garage. I'll replace the skimmer cup with mesh or foam and just allow the water to overflow. I'll give it a try on the new tank since it will cost me nothing to build.

If it's a protein skimmer, then you'd probably want larger bubbles to tumble the media. Small bubbles won't do the job very well. You can get by with medium bubbles (2-3 mm) in smaller MBBRs, but the big ones (e.g. wastewater treatment facilities) use coarse bubble diffusers. I haven't heard of one operating with a venturi as an air source, but an exception is theoretically possible.

 

[johnnycamp5]

why no air injected in the bio space reactors like on systems used for decades?

Good question
I’ve heard they’re a bit quieter without air
I’ve also read a test where someone tested one (not Bashsea) with and without air and measured no difference
I believe his test lasted 2 months but I can’t find the link

 

[Genvid]

Good afternoon, fellow reefers. Has anyone here purchased the BioSpace reactor yet? I’m interested in its nitrate removal performance and whether it’s actually worth buying.

 

[LIReefer]

Good afternoon, fellow reefers. Has anyone here purchased the BioSpace reactor yet? I’m interested in its nitrate removal performance and whether it’s actually worth buying.

I purchased 2 of the 8-3 and still waiting for them. Apparently there is a backorder.

 

[Privateye]

Good afternoon, fellow reefers. Has anyone here purchased the BioSpace reactor yet? I’m interested in its nitrate removal performance and whether it’s actually worth buying.

I'm not seeing nitrate removal mentioned anywhere on their website for the product. If I missed it please let me know though.

It could be used for this in theory (a denitrification reactor is just a chamber with biomedia) but you'd need to use it differently than advertised. The flow rate would need to be extremely slow so heterotrophic bacteria colonize the first part of it, depleting the oxygen. The denitrifying bacteria require an environment without oxygen (anoxic) in order to remove nitrate. They'll survive in oxygenated environments but they won't convert nitrate into nitrogen gas when oxygen is present (you want it below about 0.5 ppm ideally).

You would also need to provide a source of bioavailable sulfur or carbon to feed the bacteria. This would be introduced with the incoming water. Vodka is the carbon source we typically hear the most about in this hobby, but various alcohols, sugars, and vinegars can work. Alcohols tend to be a pretty clean carbon source. The "dirtiest" I've ever used is molasses. I don't recommend it. Your filters will clog quickly and it will turn the water brown.

You would not want the media to tumble in this application. You want it to stay motionless.

 

[Ks4726]

I'm not seeing nitrate removal mentioned anywhere on their website for the product. If I missed it please let me know though.

It could be used for this in theory (a denitrification reactor is just a chamber with biomedia) but you'd need to use it differently than advertised. The flow rate would need to be extremely slow so heterotrophic bacteria colonize the first part of it, depleting the oxygen. The denitrifying bacteria require an environment without oxygen (anoxic) in order to remove nitrate. They'll survive in oxygenated environments but they won't convert nitrate into nitrogen gas when oxygen is present (you want it below about 0.5 ppm ideally).

You would also need to provide a source of bioavailable sulfur or carbon to feed the bacteria. This would be introduced with the incoming water. Vodka is the carbon source we typically hear the most about in this hobby, but various alcohols, sugars, and vinegars can work. Alcohols tend to be a pretty clean carbon source. The "dirtiest" I've ever used is molasses. I don't recommend it. Your filters will clog quickly and it will turn the water brown.

You would not want the media to tumble in this application. You want it to stay motionless.

I've emailed.the guy from bashsea about this when i got one. They are not meant for nitrate removal except on the basis less ammonia means less nitrites and less nitrates(in theory). So technically there is no proof these things work as intended. And yes I still run one.

 

[DetroitReefClub Verified Sponsor]

I ordered mine from saltwateraquarium.com and followed up with them. They said they had reached out to Bashsea and was told that. Mine haven’t shipped yet and it’s been a week since i ordered them. So there maybe some truth to it. I’m hoping to hear from Bashsea directly to confirm.

Yes - the demand has been extreme and turn around time from Bashsea CNC partner is the currently delaying fulfillment on some of the models waiting for parts to come back. They units are essentially assembled, just waiting for flanges. They're cranking through em!
If you're in a hurry to get yours, make sure and order quick to get your place in line, because we're getting close to filling up the demand for the next batch of flanges!

 

[DetroitReefClub Verified Sponsor]

I've emailed.the guy from bashsea about this when i got one. They are not meant for nitrate removal except on the basis less ammonia means less nitrites and less nitrates(in theory). So technically there is no proof these things work as intended. And yes I still run one.

Well... I don't know that I agree with this completely. That's like saying that there is no proof that live rock works as intended - I get the point about denitrification of ammonia not leading to the removal of nitrates, but we have long known that bacteria rich surface area is the key to high density stocking & Low nutrients; this provides that.

 

[DetroitReefClub Verified Sponsor]

why no air injected in the bio space reactors like on systems used for decades?

This is a more plug and play version, the air input complicates that and would consider some extra considerations. I still like the original version on my bigger set ups, where space isn't a concern.

 

[LIReefer]

Yes - the demand has been extreme and turn around time from Bashsea CNC partner is the currently delaying fulfillment on some of the models waiting for parts to come back. They units are essentially assembled, just waiting for flanges. They're cranking through em!
If you're in a hurry to get yours, make sure and order quick to get your place in line, because we're getting close to filling up the demand for the next batch of flanges!

Thanks for that info. I placed my order on June 30th. I hope I’m in a good place in line to get mine soon.

-Ed