biopellets- who has had luck with them

[whatcaneyedo]

I tried out 100ml of Vertex pellets on my 200gal system for the month of August. I started with undetectable levels of nitrate and phosphate and that did not change. However because I ceased running GFO (normally I run a cup monthly) my macro algae which was in stasis exploded with growth. I had a minor bacterial bloom that lasted about two days. Around the middle of the month most of my soft coral began bleaching and some of my LPS began loosing color. By the end of the month I removed them and went back to GFO because the softies were completely white. The whole time I did notice an increase in skimmer performance and an increase in cyano on my sand. Everything else appeared to stay the same. Its been a month since I've gone back to normal and some of my softies still haven't completely recovered but the LPS are nearly 100% again. Most of the cyano has disappeared.

I also change 1 cup of carbon monthly and did 5-10% weekly water changes. I run a calcium reactor and a kalkwasser reactor but otherwise don't add anything except food to the water. Occasionally I'll add Selcon, Garlic or Vite Chem to the food.