Bio Pellet reactor question

[Breakthecycle2]

I've been a running a sicce biopellet reactor for a few months now with Dr. Tim's biopearls. I've been noticing that the water inside it is cloudy or "milky". Is that normal? If it is not, what could I be doing wrong?

 

[CodyRVA]

I've been a running a sicce biopellet reactor for a few months now with Dr. Tim's biopearls. I've been noticing that the water inside it is cloudy or "milky". Is that normal? If it is not, what could I be doing wrong?

I've been running pellets for a while and have never noticed this before personally. How much flow do you have going through the reactor? What skimmer are you using?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

I've been running pellets for a while and have never noticed this before personally. How much flow do you have going through the reactor? What skimmer are you using?

Im using this http://sicceus.com/reactors.html. It comes with a 320gph return pump. My skimmer is a Bubble Magnus Curve 9.

 

[CodyRVA]

Looks like you can adjust the flow of that pump? If so, how high/low do you have it set? Do you have your skimmer input close to your pellet reactor output? (not sure if this is causing the issue, but its recommended)

 

[Breakthecycle2]

I have the return tube from the reactor going into the skimmer section. The pump us all the way up.

 

[CodyRVA]

I have the return tube from the reactor going into the skimmer section. The pump us all the way up.

Gotcha. Do you clean the reactor at all? I have a small internal CPR pellet reactor that I have to clean every month or so. You want the flow to be high enough to just tumble the media. Not too low, not too high.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Gotcha. Do you clean the reactor at all? I have a small internal CPR pellet reactor that I have to clean every month or so. You want the flow to be high enough to just tumble the media. Not too low, not too high.

How should it be cleaned? I was hesitant because in the past, I seemed to get a little spike in phosphates and nitrates afterwards.

 

[CodyRVA]

I just pull mine out, dispose of the water in the reactor, and wipe the inside down with a paper towel. I usually do this around the same time the pellets are getting low and I need to add more. This is also when I remove any clumped pellets or any nasty stuff that has accumulated in the reactor. It wont hurt the pellets to rinse them in tank water a few times before replacing them, but honestly if the flow is on point, you shouldn't really have those issues. Trying to think if theres anything else that could be causing it.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Is 320 gph not enough you think? They are all tumbling.

 

[CodyRVA]

Is 320 gph not enough you think? They are all tumbling.

As long as they're all tumbling you should be good. I know with my CPR i had to upgrade the rio pump it comes with to twice as large, which was recommended by fellow reefers. I also drilled the flow holes in the bottom slightly larger to increase flow, but it was clear the CPR model had flaws when the media wasn't tumbling properly or when it was clogging up. If yours keeps tumbling it should be fine. I used to run a Reef Octopus HOB pellet reactor as well and the only time i got white gunky stuff in there was when the output got clogged up from tumbling them too much. I believe the pellets were breaking down too fast in the reactor..

 

[Downbeach]

Is the cloudiness in the water or just on the side of the reactor? Did you remove the sponges? If you clean it, don't throw out the pellets, dump them in a bucket with enough of the tank water to cover them. Once the reactor has been cleaned, replace those pellets, and add enough new pellets to make up for the amount that was used during the time since the last cleaning or since start up.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

. I used to run a Reef Octopus HOB pellet reactor as well and the only time i got white gunky stuff in there was when the output got clogged up from tumbling them too much. I believe the pellets were breaking down too fast in the reactor..

I wonder if thats my issue.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Is the cloudiness in the water or just on the side of the reactor? Did you remove the sponges? If you clean it, don't throw out the pellets, dump them in a bucket with enough of the tank water to cover them. Once the reactor has been cleaned, replace those pellets, and add enough new pellets to make up for the amount that was used during the time since the last cleaning or since start up.

The cloudiness is just inside the reactor. There were no sponges that it came with.

 

[Downbeach]

OK, the link showed sponges, which should be removed if used for BP's. Here is an example of a good flow for pellets. Also, it would be best if you could plumb the reactors effluent directly into your skimmer.

 

[jsker]

Good reading guys. I have been running bio pellets just under 2 weeks waiting the the bactira to kick in.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

OK, the link showed sponges, which should be removed if used for BP's. Here is an example of a good flow for pellets. Also, it would be best if you could plumb the reactors effluent directly into your skimmer.

I do not have sponges in the reactor. The flow is similar to the video you posted. My question is, how do you plum the reactor return into the skimmer?

 

[Orly20]

I do not have sponges in the reactor. The flow is similar to the video you posted. My question is, how do you plum the reactor return into the skimmer?

Hell YES!!! Everyone will tell you it's crucial

 

[Downbeach]

I do not have sponges in the reactor. The flow is similar to the video you posted. My question is, how do you plum the reactor return into the skimmer?

I used a PVC 'T' with an opening that was large enough to fit over the skimmer intake, and another one large enough to accept the tubing coming from the reactor. I also used a reducer fitting and added the 'T' loosely over it. The cut out fits over the venturi nipple.

 

[jasonrusso]

The cloudiness is just a film on the sides of the reactor. If the pellets are tumbling don't do a thing. I only clean mine when the flow slows down then I just clean off the "baskets" because the holes get clogged. I use the BRS reactors.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

You guys aren't going to believe this and probably laugh for awhile...the "cloudiness" was a white bag behind the reactor....SMH

The reactor came with a 320 gph sicce pump, but they don't seem to be tumbling as well as I thought.