Biopellets out, gfo in

[chef]

I've been using pellets since the tank got wet a year ago. I don't have any Sps right now (that's another story). They have been offline for a few days. I'm going to j and l today to get some gfo. I'm guessing I should start real slow with it.

[kien]

Originally Posted by chef

Since using h2ocean salt, my alk has climbed to 9.5-10. I was advised to take my pellets offline to correct this. 2 days later, fuzzy rocks and more than usual algae on glass. Would running gfo help fix this. If so, can I run it in the same vertex reactor?

As others have already suggested, I would definitely take your biopellets off line if your alk is that high. I'm going through that right now with a bit of tip burn due to high Alk myself.

However, taking biopellets offline will not lower your alk so I am uncertain as to your statement, "I was advised to take my pellets offline to correct this." Again, taking BP offline will not correct your alk level. I would recommend water changes with regular Instant Ocean to lower the alk over the course of a few days or weeks.

And yes, you can run GFO to help with your algae issues probably due to a spike in Nitrates and/or phosphates. You can run it in your BP reactor so long as you take your pellets out.

[Werbo]

You don't have sps and have no problems other than alk at 9-10 dKH? I'd leave the BP online and not change anything and slowly lower your alk using a different salt.

BP use is unrelated to high alk levels

[spit.fire]

Originally Posted by xenon

FYI: There has been lots of complaints on the zeovit forums of the KZ salt being high in alk.

It makes no sense because their system promotes low alk.

I'll mix up a batch and check it once I get some

If it's too high I'll just lower it

[xenon]

Originally Posted by spit.fire

I'll mix up a batch and check it once I get some

If it's too high I'll just lower it

How are you gonna do that?

[spit.fire]

Originally Posted by Werbo

You don't have sps and have no problems other than alk at 9-10 dKH? I'd leave the BP online and not change anything and slowly lower your alk using a different salt.

BP use is unrelated to high alk levels

They don't cause high alk, but if used in a system with high alk they burn sps

[Doug]

May I ask, what exactly do these "bio pellets", do? I have a chance to have the reactor built into my sump while its getting done but figured no need for it.

Does it even help with phosphate or is a nitrate reducer, which I dont need?
Thanks

[kien]

Originally Posted by Doug

Does it even help with phosphate or is a nitrate reducer, which I dont need?
Thanks

Yes, yes and yes.

[asylumdown]

Originally Posted by Doug

May I ask, what exactly do these "bio pellets", do? I have a chance to have the reactor built into my sump while its getting done but figured no need for it.

Does it even help with phosphate or is a nitrate reducer, which I dont need?
Thanks

It eliminates a whole lot less phosphate from the system than nitrate. "biopellets" are tiny little beads of a biodegradable carbon polymer. The principle behind it being that bacteriologically, aquariums are organic carbon limited. Some guy named Redfield figured out that ocean plankton, atomically, are composed of C:N:P atoms at a ratio of 106:16:1. Since then people have extrapolated a dozen ways from Sunday to assume that all microscopic/very small ocean life consumes C, N, and P in similar ratios. While the exact ratios likely vary significantly, the relationship generally holds true.

The idea behind biopellets, or any organic carbon dosing, is that if you provide organic carbon in gross excess, it will no longer limit the growth of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria, which will then consume vast quantities of nitrate, and a much smaller amount of phosphate, roughly in a ratio of 16 to 1, which then gets packaged up in a cellular vehicle that can either be eaten by a coral, or exported by a skimmer. Most people recommend directing the output of the reactor to the intake of a skimmer for this reason.

So while yes, they do consume phosphate, they consume so much nitrate relative to phosphate that nitrate usually ends up becoming a limiting nutrient. People usually find that they still need to run GFO to mop up the excess. There are people who actually dose nitrate directly to try and reduce phosphate (there's a huge thread about this on reef central), but I personally would never in a million years intentionally pour pure algae food in my tank on purpose.

vodka, vinegar, or sugar dosing works on the exact same principle, only in those cases the bacteria have the entire surface area of the tank to grow on. With biopellets the majority of the carbon supposedly stays in the reactor. More like "supposedly" stays in the reactor.

There's as many people who think biopellets are the devil for various and sundry reasons as there are people who use them.

[Doug]

Thanks guys for the explanation. I need some nitrate for my clams and use more rock than normal anyways. Plus I use Prodibio, so guess this system not for me.

Thanks to the OP for letting me ask this. Sorry for the intrusion.