Biopellet reactor not working why?

[moz71]

I have a biopellet reactor on for over a year with no results! I tried fast flow slow flow everything. I put in 500 ml of pellets in my 125 gal and the pellets don’t even shrink. It’s been same level for over a year. Nitrates at approx 50ppm and nitrates at 2 ppm. Testestedxwith Red Sea and Hanna phosphorus checker. Any reason why? Thinking of going to NOPOX to give that a try. Also tried vinegar dosing to high amounts over several weeks and did nothing to nitrates and just ticked off the few corals I have.

 

[C_AWOL]

Did you notice any change in the skimmate? Usually a darker and significantly smellier skimmate is a tell tale sign that any form of carbon dosing is doing something

 

[moz71]

Did you notice any change in the skimmate? Usually a darker and significantly smellier skimmate is a tell tale sign that any form of carbon dosing is doing somethin

not really! Maybe a little kick up but I’ve stopped the carbon dosing awhile ago and still is the same

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I have a biopellet reactor on for over a year with no results! I tried fast flow slow flow everything. I put in 500 ml of pellets in my 125 gal and the pellets don’t even shrink. It’s been same level for over a year. Nitrates at approx 50ppm and nitrates at 2 ppm. Testestedxwith Red Sea and Hanna phosphorus checker. Any reason why? Thinking of going to NOPOX to give that a try. Also tried vinegar dosing to high amounts over several weeks and did nothing to nitrates and just ticked off the few corals I have.

Try dosing bacteria in the reactor.
I’m curious about the brand of pellets your using or have you tried multiple. It could be that the turnover rate in your sump isn’t pairing with the flow rate and amount of pellets in your reactor

 

[Tamberav]

I used them years ago and they worked great as long as the reactor kept them spinning around correctly. Maybe they are not moving properly?

 

[moz71]

Try dosing bacteria in the reactor.
I’m curious about the brand of pellets your using or have you tried multiple. It could be that the turnover rate in your sump isn’t pairing with the flow rate and amount of pellets in your reactor

I have used mac7 but did not do anything in past. I use BRS pellets and didn’t try any other. Didn’t think they would be that different so didn’t try any other. I just increased the flow to high to give that a try since never went really high.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I have used mac7 but did not do anything in past. I use BRS pellets and didn’t try any other. Didn’t think they would be that different so didn’t try any other. I just increased the flow to high to give that a try since never went really high.

I’ve read that adding too much bacteria will actually increase the speed the pellets dissolve at. I use EcoBak pellets and they provided a small amount of bacteria in a vial with instructions to add at the beginning of installation.

 

[Montiman]

Another possibility is phosphate limitation. What are your phosphate levels? Do you use GFO or another phosphate remover?

 

[moz71]

Another possibility is phosphate limitation. What are your phosphate levels? Do you use GFO or another phosphate remover?

So I did have phosphate going undetectable in the beginning with high nitrates so I started adding phosphate it was hard to get it stabilized since seem to be absorbing it. Then all of a sudden it started going up high so I stopped. Now it has been constant at phosphate at .2 to .3 ppm and nitrates at 50 ppm for over the last 5 months. Never used any phosphate remover.

 

[moz71]

I’ve read that adding too much bacteria will actually increase the speed the pellets dissolve at. I use EcoBak pellets and they provided a small amount of bacteria in a vial with instructions to add at the beginning of installation.

Maybe I will try this thank you