Reef Junky150
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Will bio pellets have the same effect? Modifying my reactor and running pellets would be a lot less maintenance for me. What are some thoughts
Thinking of ditching gfo for pellets
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IME the biopellets are much more effective at controlling Nitrates. So good in fact, the Nitrates become so low that phosphate a cannot be consumed and you end up having to use GFO anyway.
So, if you are having high Nitrate issues then by all means go with the biopellets. If you're hoping the biopellets will keep you from having to use GFO then don't bother with them.
So, if you are having high Nitrate issues then by all means go with the biopellets. If you're hoping the biopellets will keep you from having to use GFO then don't bother with them.
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Reef Junky150
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10/04
mcarroll
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Consider getting an easier to maintain GFO reactor, and/or feeding less. And maybe stocking less.
Your large animals constitute >90% of your maintenance load....in a low-stocking situation, corals and small critters will nearly maintain themselves. Depending on your situation, even removing just one large animal from the system can make a significant difference on your maintenance load....like maybe eliminating the need for the reactor completely.
-Matt
Your large animals constitute >90% of your maintenance load....in a low-stocking situation, corals and small critters will nearly maintain themselves. Depending on your situation, even removing just one large animal from the system can make a significant difference on your maintenance load....like maybe eliminating the need for the reactor completely.
-Matt
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Reef Junky150
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Two clowns a tang and angle in a 150gal fed every other day is to much bio load?
mcarroll
10K Club member
GFO is a phosphate removal tool which you claimed to be taking more of your time than you'd like (my paraphrase).
With three fish are you sure you need it at all? What kind of reactor is it? (And how are nitrates in your system?)
If you do need it (i.e. po4 is out of control without it) and there's no way you feel you can reduce feeding or bio-load, then you are "stuck" with my other suggestion(s).
-Matt
CoralHut
Active Member
Biopellets won't keep phosphates low on their own. This is due to something called the Redfield Ratio. Basically it breaks down to that nitrate reducing bacteria need phosphate and phosphate reducing bacteria need nitrate. The nitrate reducing bacteria work much faster so eventually as the reactor becomes mature the phosphates will creep back up whilst the nitrates stay low. Almost all biopellet set ups require some form of phosphate removal, GFO is the easiest and most commonly used choice.
There are a new form of biopellets out now called all in one biopellets. These claim to have phosphate reducing media built into them so that you don't need to run a phosphate reducing media along with them. Check them out there's several YouTube videos explaining
mcarroll
10K Club member
There are no po4-reducing bacteria.
Po4 usage in carbon dosing is practically coincidental. Nearly insignificant - sometimes completely unnoticeable.
Unlike phosphates, nitrates are used for breathing so denitrifying bacteria use A LOT of it.
Without nitrate present, po4 usage may go from almost-nothing to literally nothing.
-Matt
Lonelyreef
Well-Known Member
While I do respect the above poster the fact is that it has been proven in tests over the past 4 years that the new aio biopellets do in fact lower phos as well as nitrates. Also many spectacular tanks run on just these.
All in One BioPellets - Products
All-in-One Biopellets, a Blend of Carbon Dosing and Phosphate Remover | AquaNerd
There's also one of the most beautiful tanks I've seen an sps dominated tank using only aio pellets no gfo. I'd link that as well but reef builders site hasn't been working the greatest lately.
The proofs there people are always suspicious of new products a and I get that but with more than just a few tanks running the new biopellets and some doing very well. I'd say these do work.
All in One BioPellets - Products
All-in-One Biopellets, a Blend of Carbon Dosing and Phosphate Remover | AquaNerd
There's also one of the most beautiful tanks I've seen an sps dominated tank using only aio pellets no gfo. I'd link that as well but reef builders site hasn't been working the greatest lately.
The proofs there people are always suspicious of new products a and I get that but with more than just a few tanks running the new biopellets and some doing very well. I'd say these do work.
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mcarroll
10K Club member
I'm used to this reaction by now.
It was claimed that phosphate reducing bacteria had some role....there are no phosphate-reducing bacteria....that's all I said.
Phosphates are used in cell-division...I.e. when new critters are made in the tank....so yes they are used, but very slowly by comparison. Nitrates, OTOH, are used as an oxygen source for anaerobic bacteria....so they are used quickly.
-Matt
Lonelyreef
Well-Known Member
Agree but if you read aqua nerd they are actually using a phosphate chemical in pellets which is why they are heavier and have a different color than the originals. Most people myself included believe this is gfo binded to the nitrate media as the nitrate resucing media is consumed very small amounts of the gfo comes off which has consumed phosphates and is skimmed out by your skimmer. That is assuming your running your reactor the right way and placing the return next to the intake of your skimmer. Its easential doing 2 things at the same time.
mcarroll
10K Club member
I'm used to this reaction by now.
It was claimed that phosphate reducing bacteria had some role....there are no phosphate-reducing bacteria....that's all I said.
Phosphates are used in cell-division...I.e. when new critters are made in the tank....so yes they are used, but very slowly by comparison. Nitrates, OTOH, are used as an oxygen source for anaerobic bacteria....so they are used quickly.
There's a lot of mythology around most new products/technologies (often promoted by the manufacturer) until we actually get them figured out....should be no surprise here.
-Matt
P.S.
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Lonelyreef
Well-Known Member
Exactly what you just said is true. My point was the manufacturere has tested it and other reefers are having success and aquanerds article simply explains that its a " chemical absoring matierial" like u said probably gfo mixed in lol
Lonelyreef
Well-Known Member
Another good thing is that the gfo and biopellets should be exhausted about the same time so when you add more biopellets your adding more gfo. Furthermore since the gfo is mixed in and slowly getting skimmed out of the tank in what i imagine is a much finer gfo then were use to, you are constantly pulling out the phosphates as the biopellets are consumed and then skimmed out of the tank
jayhawk
Active Member
There are a lot of good posts about bacteria proliferation so I would add to it. I would recommend using EcoBak plus. I am an over feeder of corals and fish. I know that other reefers are more diligent but I like having well fed livestock. Prior to EcoBack plus I had .05 phosphates and 9 ppm nitrates. I was running ZeoVit with GFO. Got tired of the numbers and using GFO. After 6 months of EcoBak Plus I have undetected phosphate and 2 ppm nitrate. As the pellets exhaust you had more. Low maintenance and good results. If you research EcoBak it claims to have nitrate reducing properties. Based on my experience, it's true.
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