Questions about Bio-pellets

[sewerman45]

There's been a lot of good info in here. Thanks everyone.

I am going to just keep doing what I am doing and soak my pellets longer. I will also look into getting a larger pellet reactor down the road. If anything goes weird again the first thing I'll do it turn of the pellets.

[maron6977]

Since we're on the topic of bio pellets - how much should be in the reactor ?
Go by manufacture suggested amount or just keep testing nitrates ?

[Reef Pilot]

I only fill mine about once a year or longer. I pour in as much as the reactor can tumble easily, up to 1000 ml. The pellets gradually gets consumed until there is only a small amount left tumbling at the bottom. I check nitrates about once a month, and they are always zero.

Having said that, when you first start out, you want to go slow, maybe 2 - 300 ml to start and gradually build it up as the bio pellets start to work. That can take from several weeks to a couple months. This is when you should check nitrates more frequently and they should slowly come down to zero.

I decommissioned my bio pellet reactor a couple years ago, just to see what would happen. It took a couple months for the nitrates to gradually build up again. Then it took a couple months after I reinstalled it to get my nitrates back to zero. And my SPS weren't happy about that either.

[maron6977]

Thanks Walter .
Can I put too much in reactor ? As long as tumbling - good to go ?

[Reef Pilot]

Yes, once it is working. But like I said, start off slowly. Your instructions should say that, too, I would hope.

[swimfan]

I came across a good video on YouTube. Mods delete this if I am violating any rules please. There is a video in which the la fish guys interview Jeff Macare Jeff was the founder of reef dynamics, and one of the companies who builds recirculating reactors. Jeff explains why he feels a biopellet reactor should recirculate and proposes some of the reasons why he feels people have negative experiences with Biopellets. I ended up buying a reef dynamics bpr500 and so far love it. It went online on November 1st, and starting last weekend, finally started to lower my nitrates and phosphates. Love the fact that the tumble rate and effluent flow rate are independent of each other. Happy to hear a happy biochurn customer. Liked the look of them, just couldn't find many reviews. Good to know in the future.