N/P Reducing Pellets ("Solid Vodka") - "Wow" ... 3 month update

kien · #1 02-11-2010, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willito

Thanks for sharing that. Just as I thought, the more flow throughput the better the pellets will perform. At a high flow rate the mulm is not going to be visable as the fast moving water will carry away any particals shedding from the pellets.

So how many gph is everyone running through their reactor?

I'm running 900gph and have not had much issues with mulm after I sliced my phosban filter pads I'm half

. I would recommend doing this if you are going to use a phosban. Enkmat works too.

What I want to know is, what ever happened to the notion of having too much flow through a media reactor? I thought that too much flow would not allow for enough contact time for the bacteria to consume the passing nutrients?

RuGlu6 · #2 02-11-2010, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kien

What I want to know is, what ever happened to the notion of having too much flow through a media reactor? I thought that too much flow would not allow for enough contact time for the bacteria to consume the passing nutrients?

x2 !
My point exactly, with fast flow how can bacteria have time to consume anything?

Unless the idea behind this (like was mentioned by Ian) is not to get anaerobic, and bacteria will consume what ever is attached to the individual pellet.
I have to report though that bubble algae is disappearing slowly, i used to have quite a bit of it and now almost nothing (!).
But there was one change, i started using Coral Snow and Zeo bak, so i don't know yet if i am convinced, but hey this is fun !

Kryptic4L · #3 02-11-2010, 07:37 AM

ordered mine last night due to this thread. also placed an order with another company for some new digital aquatics gear seeing as ive run out of space on my power bar's. I also has a plan for sponge replacement on reactor that might work out well.

Delphinus · #4 02-11-2010, 08:06 AM

I think the difference here is biology, Kien and RuGlu6. Slow flow through a media reactor to increase contact time is typically based on chemical absorption and binding with carbon and GFO. Bacteria on the other hand, in ideal growing conditions, can proliferate insanely fast. It's not unheard of for bacteria colonies to double their population in a matter of minutes. Well, anyone who's suffered through a dinoflagellate bloom in their tank has seen this with their own eyes. This is also why bacterial based ULNS trumps algal based nutrient reductions, for example (not that algae doesn't work, but it grows slower).

kien · #5 02-11-2010, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delphinus

I think the difference here is biology, Kien and RuGlu6. Slow flow through a media reactor to increase contact time is typically based on chemical absorption and binding with carbon and GFO. Bacteria on the other hand, in ideal growing conditions, can proliferate insanely fast. It's not unheard of for bacteria colonies to double their population in a matter of minutes. Well, anyone who's suffered through a dinoflagellate bloom in their tank has seen this with their own eyes. This is also why bacterial based ULNS trumps algal based nutrient reductions, for example (not that algae doesn't work, but it grows slower).

Ah! That makes total sense! Guess I'll crank it up and strap on a MJ1200 this weekend :-D

banditpowdercoat · #6 02-11-2010, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kien

I'm running 900gph and have not had much issues with mulm after I sliced my phosban filter pads I'm half

. I would recommend doing this if you are going to use a phosban. Enkmat works too.

What I want to know is, what ever happened to the notion of having too much flow through a media reactor? I thought that too much flow would not allow for enough contact time for the bacteria to consume the passing nutrients?

I think that falls fro different media. The biopelets probibaly do not need the contact time like Rowa or carbon?

Chin_Lee · #7 02-11-2010, 06:02 PM

I tried using enkamat and found the pellets still get through quite easily. I then used quilting mesh and its working very well in keeping the pellets in the phosban reactor while allowing the mj1200 to flow at max.

Delphinus · #8 02-11-2010, 06:16 PM

Sorry, but as someone who doesn't quilt a whole lot, could you please post a picture so I can know what it looks like? Please and thank you?

Chin_Lee · #9 02-11-2010, 06:34 PM

hey Tony
For the record I don't quilt either and i'm sensing a tone of mockery of my feminine side

to prove my lack of quilting abilities, its actually a needlepoint mesh that I'm using. I saw it in the fabric section of any craft store and its been very usefull in many DIY applications. They come in many different mesh sizes too.
Here's a youtube video of what it looks like
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30xYy_JlT8Q

Pescador · #10 02-11-2010, 06:50 PM

Oops I was typing the same time as Chin_Lee
Tony, Walmart has it, it's plastic needlepoint canvas like a big window screen, it's the same stuff used in making viv's to wrap the eggcrate.

You can sort of see it on top of the eggcrate.
I'm using a double layer of enkamat and single layer canvas.