Biopellet log

[ryeguyy84]

I've been trying to find a "log" of someone's biopellet adventure with pictures and haven't found any. So I'm going to create my own.
I use salifart for No3, Hanna for phosphate, red sea for alk, cal, mag

Day 1
Nitrate: 5
Phosphate: .07
Magnesium: 1120
Alk: 7.3
Calcium: 380
Salinity 1.026
Temp: 77.8

I have to bring my parameter back up how does everyone feel about alk? I usually have it around 9 so I've been letting it fall for the past week.

My tank is a 29g biocube running since October, I downgraded my 55 into this tank.

I'll take some pics when the lights come on for a before shot.

 

[ryeguyy84]

This poor guy had a little battle with STN a few months ago. I lost half but it's coming back

Pink lemonaid, sorry for the super blue. My iPhone can process the Phoenix 14k bulb.

I better pic of the stn loss

 

[ryeguyy84]

Day 3
Nitrate: 5
Phosphate: .08
Magnesium: 1340
Alk: 7.8
Calcium: 430
Salinity 1.026
Temp: 78.2

Alk went up slightly but I didn't dose anything besides calcium and mg, but those 3 are related so i'll ignore it for now. pellets are still tumbling, no visible changes. I'm contemplating a few zeovit additives like coral vit, and pohls xtra in the future. anyone have any experience with pellets and zeo?

 

[ryeguyy84]

Day 5:
I haven't done any tests yet but my skimmate went from a light yellow to a much darker yellow. Still no visible changes in the DT as expected

Parameters to follow

 

[ryeguyy84]

Feeling lazy, nitrates are at 5.

Also I forgot to mention I'm starting out with 50ml (1/4 cup) of pellets in a Brs reactor.

 

[1mbrews8]

i like the idea!

i think i have read that with pellets, you just leave them be for at least a month before you start seeing results, etc..?

 

[ryeguyy84]

i like the idea!

i think i have read that with pellets, you just leave them be for at least a month before you start seeing results, etc..?

Which idea?

Yeah but I'm crazy paranoid that the pellets will stop tumbling and crash my tank.

 

[ryeguyy84]

Day 10
Nitrate: 5
Phosphate: .10
Magnesium: 1200
Alk: 7.6dkh
Calcium: 370
Salinity 1.026
Temp: 77.8

Today's test results. I'm going to make an adjustment on mag and calcium. I think/hope the increase in phosphate is from the gha dieing. No real noticeable changes but I have been feeding more.

 

[ryeguyy84]

I have noticed now that I look, my pink lemonaid is a lot darker than it was 10 days ago.

It's not the best pic but you get the idea

 

[ryeguyy84]

Almost 24 hours of slimmer production... There are a lot more bubbles entering the cup. Skim today is a pale yellow.

 

[ryeguyy84]

Day 13
Nitrate: 2.5
Phosphate: .11
Magnesium: 1280
Alk: 7.8dkh
Calcium: 380

Nitrates are down but phosphates are up. I'm thinking it's over feeding. I'm going to cut back

Here's 24 hours of skim

 

[ryeguyy84]

Day 21 (3 weeks)...

I don't have any test results to report, they have been pretty much that same since my last post. BUT... My Sps are super happy, specifically my superman monti. The last 10 days it has grown like I've never seen before. It's still not as colorful as when I first got it but it is looking way better than before.

Check out this polyp extention. Pretty blurry but gives you a nice idea. I wish I had a before pic.

 

[ryeguyy84]

Still going 2 months in. I noticed some changes in Sps growth and color.

No negative effects to report besides my maxijet pump got super loud the last few days and even after a good cleaning it's not any better. I have a new cobalt mj1200 coming in Wednesday. That's all for now.

 

[ryeguyy84]

Maybe this is a better pic to compare

 

[Chameleon]

I would recommend lowering the phosphates for some better color in your lemonade and other sps. Maybe put a bag of gfo in your overflow or get another BRS reactor and run it in that. Also how are you dosing Calc and Alk and Mag. Those number appear very variable to me. If you can make them more consistent your SPS will love you :) Glad to see biopellets are working for you.