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globaldesigns 02-09-2010 06:37 PM

Thanks for the update Kien, and great posts.

As you all know, many of us have been trying the NP BioPellets out, I am one of them. Now I am not as structured as Kien in my testing and presenting results, but can tell you what I am seeing:
1.) Even Cleaner water
2.) Coraline algae and green algae on glass is quickly dissappearing, leaving plain clean glass behind
3.) Cleaner araganite sand
4.) skimmer has gone from producing a green skimmate liquid to a very dark brown. I am thinking that this is indicating a lack of algae in the water column and tank and the skimmer is now just removing other wastes.

I personally haven't been testing my nitrates, but can see by the results above that these pellets do have a positive impact.

I am running 750ml in a deltec fluidizer using a MJ1200 to power/tumble to pellets. I am also using 1.5L of Zeolites.

I would recommend this product and have now ordered another 2L to stockpile.

kien 02-09-2010 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by globaldesigns (Post 490546)
2.) Coraline algae and green algae on glass is quickly dissappearing, leaving

Aside from the noticeable drop in nitrate readings, this is the other visible change that I have noticed. I used to clean my glass of that green film algae every two to three days. Now I can seem to go 4 or 5 days before I need to do it.

As for corals, well, I didn't have any issues with how they looked before and they still look fine now with colour and growth so it is hard for me to compare the corals then and now. Maybe in a few more months the change will be more noticeable. But again, I don't really have any issues with how things are looking so I don't really know what I'm looking for :-)

In the end, I'm just really happy that I can keep nitrates low with what I feel is a high bio load (4 tangs, and the regal alone almost counts as 2 :lol:). Plus, I don't have to really do anything on a daily or even weekly basis which is my one issue with the other ULN systems. I'll keep checking nitrates (although probably less frequently now) and I'll keep an eye on the pellets to watch them deplete and replace as needed. This to me really is almost set and forget. Obviously this being a relatively new technology I can't be *that* complacent and will continue to monitor things, but in the long run if things continue the way they are going now, these will truly be set and forget (almost).

P.S. It sounds like a lot more people are interested in these now so a Calgary group order would rock :-D Get on that Tai!

ALBERTA REEF 02-09-2010 07:50 PM

Nice Pic's. If someone is doing a group order of the N/P Bio pellets count me in.

lorenz0 02-09-2010 07:51 PM

So you would reccomend this over rowa phos any day? I am sick of scraping that crap

might have to try this stuff out

Coleus 02-09-2010 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ALBERTA REEF (Post 490576)
Nice Pic's. If someone is doing a group order of the N/P Bio pellets count me in.

I just placed the last batch 2L from Ian 10 mins ago, i can split you some if you need it right away

kien 02-09-2010 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorenz0 (Post 490578)
So you would reccomend this over rowa phos any day? I am sick of scraping that crap

might have to try this stuff out

Yes, 100 times yes! Although, to be quite honest, I don't truly know what the pellets are doing with Phosphate reduction. All that I have to go on is an assumption that phosphates are kept at bay by the bacteria that is keeping the nitrates at bay. Testing for phosphates with the colour matching test kits always reads a colourless result for me. Anyway, I too hate rowaphos. I suppose it did its job but I hated replacing it monthly. It was such a mess and a chore! Dumping that last batch of rowaphos out prior to installing the pellets gave me such a huge sense of liberation :lol:

ALBERTA REEF 02-09-2010 08:47 PM

I have not tried the Bio pellets yet. If I remember correctly phosphate is some sort of fertilizer that algae thrives on. My thinking is that the bacteria that the Bio pellets product creating mulm does too. Useful Bacteria mulm. Newsagents algae.

mytank90 02-09-2010 10:21 PM

i have read on other sites people are realy likeing the pellets .surprised no one in calgary carries them yet hopefully soon someone might .i would be in for a group order to

kien 02-16-2010 06:37 AM

So when nitrates drop to zero.. what's a guy to do?? Buy more fish! :lol:

Borbonius Anthias:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2803/...430a5a69_t.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/...8e6ecb1a_t.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/...d9019ee7_t.jpg

Sunburst Anthias:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2750/...4202b624_t.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/...ab0d0073_t.jpg

Hawaiian Flame Wrasse (female): [I have a male too but have not yet been able to capture a photo of him worth posting. He is fast and skittish!]
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/...5c22a648_t.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/...0e828a31_t.jpg

Okay so this guy (the tailspot) isn't new but he wanted in on the photo action. Such a great personality this little guy.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2766/...ce5b7f3e_t.jpg

For all you fish stocking po-po out there, don't fret! I have re-homed some of my fish to another tank! :-D

1/3 tank shot. Note the not so little Borbon in the bottom right corner :biggrin:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/...a82c273f_o.jpg

Just realized that the tank has just past the 6 month mark.. maybe I'll write up a full tank update. If I can be bothered.. :lol:

kien 02-16-2010 06:41 AM

Well, since I'm up mind as well throw up some recent Oceanic grabs.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/...c0982836_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2722/...8740ba24_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2702/...7b39f5ba_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2523/...906739d5_o.jpg

Kryptic4L 02-16-2010 06:49 AM

sunset anthias ? from ocean city by chance ?

kien 02-16-2010 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kryptic4L (Post 492734)
sunset anthias ? from ocean city by chance ?

Actually no, Elite Aquatics :-) I did see them at Ocean City a couple of weeks ago and wanted them but when I went back for them they were sold :( I then went on a city wide fish hunt for them and finally found them at Elite. They must be in season as I saw one at Golds today too, but he's not there anymore.. :lol:

Kryptic4L 02-16-2010 06:59 AM

I saw a lonely one at ocean city a couple days back, today nothing. Thought that might of been him. Still back and forth about this, as my tank is smaller and my fish load is getting pretty high . I think the yasha gobys are in high season as well.

kien 02-18-2010 07:02 AM

So a little while back I performed a mod on my skimmer's collection cup to add a drain so that I could drain the skimmate into an external bottle. Well, someone brought up a good point, what if the outlet of the skimmer blocks? This would cause the skimmer to overflow into the skimmate bottle and pretty much empty the contents of the sump and probably tank onto the floor. I had a hard time imagining the outlet of the skimmer blocking but hey, I am not one to tempt fate! Murphy is a strange yet powerful force.

Anyway, here is my solution to that..

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1266480009

What we have here is essentially an old hang on filter all gutted and plugged up to act as the skimmate collection cup. If it should overflow for whatever reason, it will just dump its contents back into the sump. Yes, disgusting but at least it will keep water inside the tank!

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1266480101

Thanks to blueyota for the donation :-D

Delphinus 02-18-2010 08:21 AM

:lol: That's awesome..

banditpowdercoat 02-18-2010 02:03 PM

That's AWESOME because guess what happened to me last night!!! I use a 2l pop bottle for extra collection. Well, skimmer wasnt making much, so I turned it up, then went to go clean out the Biopellet reactor. 10 min later wife screams the skimmers puking!!! Ya about 2g on my new laminate floor. Mostly UNDER the laminate. Floors not level, so it flows to one edge, then under the floor. Great!! that lasted less than a Month!!. searching for NEW cup ideas today!!!

lorenz0 02-18-2010 03:40 PM

you guys know that the lids ussually are designed so that if something like this happens, it just overflows back into your sump. lol those holes on the lid do have a purpose.

personally its not hard to check everything twice a week or every day while their food is warming up

blueyota 02-18-2010 03:47 PM

Thats brilliant ...I might just have to steal that idea just so happens i have another HOB kicking around:biggrin:

kien 02-18-2010 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorenz0 (Post 493461)
you guys know that the lids ussually are designed so that if something like this happens, it just overflows back into your sump. lol those holes on the lid do have a purpose.

personally its not hard to check everything twice a week or every day while their food is warming up

Yes, and they do a good job of that.. but that won't help if you have the contents of your skimmer cup emptying out into a secondary container outside of your sump :biggrin:

kien 02-18-2010 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueyota (Post 493465)
Thats brilliant ...I might just have to steal that idea just so happens i have another HOB kicking around:biggrin:

now you see why I was insistent on getting one that was busted and with as few bits and bobbles as possible :biggrin:

fishytime 02-18-2010 10:42 PM

That was a great idea Kien....I think Kevin said we got some sunbursts in too.....must have been a special on them at one of the distributors:lol: Gorgeous little fish!

Coleus 02-18-2010 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishytime (Post 493573)
That was a great idea Kien....I think Kevin said we got some sunbursts in too.....must have been a special on them at one of the distributors:lol: Gorgeous little fish!

I saw them and they are beautiful.

kien 02-19-2010 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coleus (Post 493591)
I saw them and they are beautiful.

You saw them at Red Coral?!?! I need to grab more! I love those little guys. Great colour and they are always so curious.

Coleus 02-19-2010 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kien (Post 493684)
You saw them at Red Coral?!?! I need to grab more! I love those little guys. Great colour and they are always so curious.

Yeah, at 2:00 PM today, i think Kevin still have like 4 of them in the same tank

kien 02-19-2010 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coleus (Post 493689)
Yeah, at 2:00 PM today, i think Kevin still have like 4 of them in the same tank

Sweetness! I will be giving him visit tomorrow :-D Thanks! A school of them would be cool.

kien 02-20-2010 04:51 AM

Although these are not mine, I could not pass up the opportunity to photograph them. They are gorgeous and I had to share :biggrin:

I am babysitting them for a fellow canreefer.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/...1869ab1c_t.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/...2576524a_t.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/...fdfae63f_t.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/...f8324c11_t.jpg

lastlight 02-20-2010 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kien (Post 494063)
although these are not mine, i could not pass up the opportunity to photograph them. They are gorgeous and i had to share :biggrin:

I am babysitting them for a fellow canreefer.

http://images.myspace.drewpydraws.com/hot_guys.jpg

wtf?

lastlight 02-20-2010 05:02 AM

You sneaky bastard...you changed your original post!

Coleus 02-20-2010 05:03 AM

Lol

kien 02-20-2010 05:03 AM

Man.. you must have been hanging on to that photo for a long long time waiting for that perfect opportunity to throw it down. :lol::lol::lol: Well played my friend, well played :biggrin:

Carmen 02-20-2010 05:04 AM

:lol::lol::lol::mrgreen: Hey I'm available for babysitting!!!!!!!:wink:

Coleus 02-20-2010 05:05 AM

lol

Coleus 02-20-2010 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carmen (Post 494070)
:lol::lol::lol::mrgreen: Hey I'm available for babysitting!!!!!!!:wink:

The corals or the boys?

Carmen 02-20-2010 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coleus (Post 494072)
The corals or the boys?

BOTH!:mrgreen:

lastlight 02-20-2010 05:06 AM

Not that I rank my derails...but if I DID...

:mrgreen:

ALBERTA REEF 02-20-2010 05:07 AM

:lol::lol::lol:

kien 02-20-2010 05:09 AM

I'm trying to come up with a really witty and completely inappropriate come back but sadly, I can't stop laughing.. Yup, definitely derail of the month. All I can say at this point is.. watch your back man.. watch your back..

but since we're on the subject.. man, I really need to hit the gym again :( Thanks for the reminder.

Leah 02-20-2010 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lastlight (Post 494065)
wtf?

Much better! :wink:
Why won't it give me the picture........:twised:

lastlight 02-20-2010 05:44 AM

Rookie move whatever you did. Haha.

superduperwesman 02-20-2010 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lastlight (Post 494065)
wtf?

ahahah ahah


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