bio pellets vs Nitrate reactor

[ClownFish664]

I just got a media reactor which I'm trickling water though seachem denitrate to try crate a nitrate reactor with anerobic bacteria.

I also stumbled across bio pellets, which one would be better for a nano reef with high nitrates, I currently lower my phosphates with RowaPhos and I also carob dose tropic Marin elimi np as well as using tropic Marin reef actif

 

[blaxsun]

I found reactors to be very hard to successfully utilize on smaller tanks (I tried a few different types of media, including bio pellets). It could be that my bio load was simply too high for reactors to have any meaningful impact and I was left with having to resort to Nopox to keep my nitrates in-check.

 

[ClownFish664]

I found reactors to be very hard to successfully utilize on smaller tanks (I tried a few different types of media, including bio pellets). It could be that my bio load was simply too high for reactors to have any meaningful impact and I was left with having to resort to Nopox to keep my nitrates in-check.

Thank you for the input, I am currently using tropic Marin elimi NP which is supposed to do the same as NOPOX from my understanding.

It's not touched neither my phosphates or nitrates so I am unsure if I am to increase said dose.

Tropic Marin suggest using both bio pellets and elimi NP/bacto balance as a complete solution which is why I question the use of pellets.

Do you think I should increase the dose to try and make it reduce more?

 

[Ling_Thing]

I run the aquamaxx xs reactors with chaeto and Amazon grow led strips and they work awesome keeps nitrate and p04 in check for my nanos no gfo or any of that either

 

[blaxsun]

Thank you for the input, I am currently using tropic Marin elimi NP which is supposed to do the same as NOPOX from my understanding. It's not touched neither my phosphates or nitrates so I am unsure if I am to increase said dose.

Tropic Marin suggest using both bio pellets and elimi NP/bacto balance as a complete solution which is why I question the use of pellets.

Do you think I should increase the dose to try and make it reduce more?

I found that on smaller tanks (for whatever reason) it took longer for Nopox to have an effect (usually at least a week or two before you start seeing noticeable changes). You can certainly try the bio pellets, and if this is something recommended by Tropic Marin there's really no downside. As I said, I never had much luck - but my bio load may have been too high to begin with.

One thing that does work incredibly well for phosphates is Two Little Fishies PhosBan. Like 24 hours effective (do make sure you read the dilution and dosing instructions thoroughly!)

 

[ClownFish664]

I run the aquamaxx xs reactors with chaeto and Amazon grow led strips and they work awesome keeps nitrate and p04 in check for my nanos no gfo or any of that either

I wish I could run one of these but sadly I don't have the space, I made the mistake of a small nano without a sump or even a cabinet very dumb of me. It runs on a hang on filter too.

How is yours installed?

 

[ClownFish664]

I found that on smaller tanks (for whatever reason) it took longer for Nopox to have an effect (usually at least a week or two before you start seeing noticeable changes). You can certainly try the bio pellets, and if this is something recommended by Tropic Marin there's really no downside. As I said, I never had much luck - but my bio load may have been too high to begin with.

One thing that does work incredibly well for phosphates is Two Little Fishies PhosBan. Like 24 hours effective (do make sure you read the dilution and dosing instructions thoroughly!)

Thank you, well hopefully mine will work a bit better. Though I imagine I will suffer the same fate.

How did you correct yours? Did you just keep using NOPOX until it worked enough?

 

[blaxsun]

Thank you, well hopefully mine will work a bit better. Though I imagine I will suffer the same fate.
How did you correct yours? Did you just keep using NOPOX until it worked enough?

You know, the fish, inverts and corals were all thriving so I just learned to live with 15-25ppm nitrate levels. The NOPOX did keep things in-check so that I wasn't 'running into the red' of 50+ppm levels. Ultimately I got a bigger tank, more fish and now run a Zeo reactor with a lot of ceramic bio media (nitrates are 2-3ppm and phosphates 0.02-0.03ppm).

 

[ClownFish664]

You know, the fish, inverts and corals were all thriving so I just learned to live with 15-25ppm nitrate levels. The NOPOX did keep things in-check so that I wasn't 'running into the red' of 50+ppm levels. Ultimately I got a bigger tank, more fish and now run a Zeo reactor with a lot of ceramic bio media (nitrates are 2-3ppm and phosphates 0.02-0.03ppm).

Thanks, so ultimately upgrading is likely the best option to open myself up to control really

I will be gettin a bigger aquarium when me and my other half move as thankfully she's as interested in aquatics as I am so she is happy with a big reef tank in the living room!

I guess I will keep trialing, learning and preparing myself for the larger aquarium for better success in that case

 

[blaxsun]

Thanks, so ultimately upgrading is likely the best option to open myself up to control really

I will be gettin a bigger aquarium when me and my other half move as thankfully she's as interested in aquatics as I am so she is happy with a big reef tank in the living room!

I guess I will keep trialing, learning and preparing myself for the larger aquarium for better success in that case

On the plus side, running smaller AIO tanks is a lot harder than most people realize. Parameters can swing wildly and very quickly, and it's all too easy for things to come unbalanced. The three smaller tanks I had definitely prepared me for a larger tank (they are more work, but water parameters are much easier to keep in-check). Definitely get one with an external sump (maintenance is night and day compared to an AIO!)

 

[Ling_Thing]

I wish I could run one of these but sadly I don't have the space, I made the mistake of a small nano without a sump or even a cabinet very dumb of me. It runs on a hang on filter too.

How is yours installed?

This is how it’s setup on my Nuvo 10, neither nano tanks have sumps I just put the pump in the middle chamber and the return line to the last chamber

 

[ClownFish664]

On the plus side, running smaller AIO tanks is a lot harder than most people realize. Parameters can swing wildly and very quickly, and it's all too easy for things to come unbalanced. The three smaller tanks I had definitely prepared me for a larger tank (they are more work, but water parameters are much easier to keep in-check). Definitely get one with an external sump (maintenance is night and day compared to an AIO!)

I shall stop panicking over the present and enjoy the learning curve then! Thank you for you help

 

[ClownFish664]

This is how it’s setup on my Nuvo 10, neither nano tanks have sumps I just put the pump in the middle chamber and the return line to the last chamber

Ah I see, I don't have a back chamber on mine, it was a converted freshwater tank, so I would just have a random pump in my aquarium sadly

 

[Ling_Thing]

Ah I see, I don't have a back chamber on mine, it was a converted freshwater tank, so I would just have a random pump in my aquarium sadly

How big is your tank? You could look into these

All In One kit - 40 Gallon breeder (AIO) | Jax Racks

Refugium / Sump kit is for a 40 gallon breeder aquarium (36.1875" x 18.125"X 16.9375").*AQUARIUM NOT INCLUDED*please contact if you would like kit pre-assembled with the tank (for a seperate price) The Kit is made out of Precision Laser cut 1/4" Black cast acrylicKit includes: - all in one...

www.jaxracks.com

 

[Ling_Thing]

Ah I see, I don't have a back chamber on mine, it was a converted freshwater tank, so I would just have a random pump in my aquarium sadly

Could also use this

HOB-R Hang-On-Back Refugium

The AquaMaxx HOB-R Hang-On-Back Refugium is the quick and easy way to create a small ecosystem for your aquarium. A refugium helps control nitrates and phosphates in a natural way by providing space for macroalgae to grow. Macroalgae will compete with nuisance algae within the aquarium, and...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[josephxsxn]

Some people seem to have good success with biopellets, I am one of the folks in the group were it seems to have gone terribly wrong.. once the pellets started working things started dying and it's taken months before the tank started to level back out (still not fully the same) to how it used to be before having the biopellets... I went back to a sulfur denitrification which I had used in the past with good success.

 

[ClownFish664]

Could also use this

HOB-R Hang-On-Back Refugium

The AquaMaxx HOB-R Hang-On-Back Refugium is the quick and easy way to create a small ecosystem for your aquarium. A refugium helps control nitrates and phosphates in a natural way by providing space for macroalgae to grow. Macroalgae will compete with nuisance algae within the aquarium, and...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

This could work on mine, when I say nano, were talking small! Hahha it's a tiny 50L. I kind of knew this would happen being so small but I did it anyway! Like the clown I am

 

[ClownFish664]

Some people seem to have good success with biopellets, I am one of the folks in the group were it seems to have gone terribly wrong.. once the pellets started working things started dying and it's taken months before the tank started to level back out (still not fully the same) to how it used to be before having the biopellets... I went back to a sulfur denitrification which I had used in the past with good success.

How does this work?

 

[josephxsxn]

How does this work?

Here is one article but a forum search you will find tons of info.

DIY – Sulfur Reactor - Reefkeeping.com

reefkeeping.com