Refugium vs biopellets for newer tank?

[NanoRookie]

Hi, im fairly new to the hobby 4 months up and running after cycle. I added a biopellet reactor a few weeks back and i got a bacterial bloom that is clearing out after 3 weeks. Also got a lot of white slime at the begining. My ph was dropped to 7.8 and has stayed there. I started with 1/4 recomended biopellet dose and it lowered the nitrates to near 0 for a week or so. No my nitrates are at 15 and have some patches of gha. I am afraid of adding more biopellets or replacing them cuasing all the slime, cyano and lowering my ph more. I want to switch to a refugium. I have everything i need in my cart just wanted some advice from more experienced reefers on this. Is a refugium as good as biopellets? How do i fase out the reactor and add the fuge?

 

[billwill]

My personal belief is that biopellets are a method of nutrient control the way that GFO is a method of nutrient control. As in you use it if your normal husbandry doesn't keep up. I suggest pulling offline and going a few months to see where your tank falls naturally. I don't see a refugium in the same category. I run a refugium with no ill effect, and occasionally have had to run GFO when phosphates have climbed too high. Your tank is far too new to be having that kind of problem unless you've got giant detritus traps in the tank.

 

[Spare time]

Do you have a protein skimmer? Biopellets need an effective skimmer to work. That slime is the bacteria that is needing to be removed via skimmung.


I run a refugium only and I even have to dose nitrate and phosphates sometimes. The key to a refugium is a strong and proper light.

 

[lion king]

Bioplellets never worked for me, I actually converted the reactor to an algae reactor and was very happy. Biopellets takes a special touch in getting them dialed in, as they do work for some. But if you do enough research you'll find way more negative experiences than positive.

If you have a smaller size tank you could convert that reactor to an algae reactor by simply wrapping some leds. I run refugiums on all my tanks ranging from 29g to 210g, all high nutrient fowlr tanks; they run nitrates and phosphates undetectable and I never even concern myself with water changes.