Biopellets,

[firefishalumacraft]

Dr,

I have a simple question for you. I had a 150g system with a heavy bio-load. I dosed No-Pox with great results but I wasn't happy with the roller coaster ride of daily dosing. I made the switch to biopellets and somewhat good results with Bulk Reef pellets at 4 cups, my No3 stayed around 4-5ppm and my Po4 averaged around .08ppm. I could not get my levels to go lower even running 4 cups, I decided to shutdown the 150g and a go SPS dominate with a few LPS for movement. I build a 75g rimless with 50ish lbs of rock from my 150g, and a 35g sump that the total water volume is at 90g that was all new water and very light bioload.

When I swapped equipment I was keeping from the 150g to the 75g I moved the biopellet reactor as well, I did however kept the 4cups of pellets in the reactor. Im did my first water test yesterday ( 1 week since the change) and my readings
1.025
no3 0.75
po4 .02
cal 430
Dkh 7.7
mag 1350

Should I keep the 4 cups of pellets or should I cut back to the 2 cups recommended by BRS?

Thank you Dr, I know your very busy and want to thank you for taking a few minuets of your time.

Chris F

 

[jsker]

@Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What roller coaster? You think nitrate is going up and down appreciably?

 

[firefishalumacraft]

When I used nopox yes the nitrate bounced around a lot. When going to pellets it stabilized but it was a very slow drop and then hovered around 4ppm. The 4 cups I added a year ago probably add up to 2.5-3 cups now

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You measured nitrate multiple times in a day and it bounced around? That seems as if it might be testing issues as opposed to real movement, a tleast if the amount was more than a ppm or two.

 

[firefishalumacraft]

I measured ever 4 days but I also had problems with cyano. After Biopellets it went away.

 

[firefishalumacraft]

My 150 to me wasn't the easiest tank to care for. Large water changes. Dosings, large bioload that I had in my 60g I had. I wasn't happy with it so that's why I went back to a smaller tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The main drawback to pellets is they are harder to adjust to changing conditions, but they can work well.

0.75 ppm nitrate, if accurate, is likely fine, but if the trend is downward, you might want to remove some of them.

 

[firefishalumacraft]

Just wounding if I should start low again or keep higher amounts and work down

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd reduce what you have rather than start over.

 

[firefishalumacraft]

I'd reduce what you have rather than start over.

Ok I will do that.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[firefishalumacraft]

Sure will, I changed skimmers yesterday my old one was way to large for the 75. (SkimZ sm201). Went to Reef Octo 1000int so I have to let that one break in.

 

[firefishalumacraft]

Its been 4 days since I last tested, I haven't adjusted the amount of pellets and no GFO just carbon in a reactor. This morning I double tested No3 of 0.25ppm and 0 P04 using Hanna Phosphorus meter.

 

[firefishalumacraft]

Tested my water this morning, I had a major reduction in Nitrates. Heres my readings. ( I conduct my test the same way every time and I even use a stop watch to make sure my test are accurate as possible.)

NO3- 0.00
PPO4- 11
PO4- 0.033
Cal - 425
DKH- 8.4
Mag 1320

For feeding this last week I feed about 1.5 frozen cube for 7 fish ranging from 1.5" to a 6" fix face lo. Change skimmers and its starting to break in and no change in Bio-pellet level.

Should I start removing pellets like a table spoon a week or continue with my current level.

@Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd start reducing pellets with zero nitrate, yes.

 

[firefishalumacraft]

I'd start reducing pellets with zero nitrate, yes.

Do you think a table spoon a week or more?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Do you think a table spoon a week or more?

I'd remove 10% of it and see what happens.

 

[firefishalumacraft]

Did my water change last Monday, 20g. before I did I tested NO3 @ 0ppm PO4 was at 0.1ppm I check two times using hanna and 1 time with Redsea kit. I noticed that I was having to clean my glass more often. So I took out all the pellets and measured them, turns out I had 3.125 cups so I took out and went 3 cups even and I add 1/3 cup of GFO to bring down the PO4 to get the balance back to 16:1. testing the water tomorrow and I'm going to remove some more if my reading come back 0/0