Bio pellets are peeling and clumpy

reef93 · #1 08-28-2011, 04:19 AM

My bio pellets after using for 6 months without adding more pellets or changing anything, the amount of the pellets are not dissolving so I can not add the new one in. The pellets are becoming clumpy and peeling off. I checked the pump, the flow is the same nothing wrong. I have stirred the pellets everyday but they still get clumpy again the next day, and every single pellet is peeling off. Some of them are floating to the surface and go direct to the skimmer. What is that ? Do I need to change them ?

apexifd · #2 08-28-2011, 04:48 AM

sometime the reactor clogs up. and not getting enough flow through.

reef93 · #3 08-28-2011, 05:18 AM

I have checked the flow but it is the same. I have no idea why it happened like that.

apexifd · #4 08-28-2011, 05:23 AM

clumping are usually due to pellets aren't tumbling.

and pellet dissolving rate should be base on your bio load.

The Grizz · #5 08-28-2011, 05:53 AM

Did you soak them in RO water for 24 hours before putting them into your reactor? What kind of reactor & pump are you using. I am no way an expert but I have found with my NextReef MR1 I have to use a 2500 gph pump in order for them to tumble proper.

ALang · #6 08-28-2011, 01:56 PM

I find that if I don't dump out my pellets and scrub and rinse out the moded pads every month or so, the flow gets restricted and the tumbling slows down to next to nothing.
Then I'd gently rinse the pellets, and pour them back in, with the help of lots of water. Man, they are really "sticky" and hard to put back into the reactor.
I have mine now for 8 months and have no problems rinsing and using the RO (freshwater) to help pour them back in.
Then I just start the reactor back up, and SW will then swirl the RO water out of the chamber.
BTW, I run a TLF reactor. And I keep it at rapid boiling speed of tumble. HTH.

wingedfish · #7 08-28-2011, 02:57 PM

If I'm not mistaken, any exposure to air or fresh water negates the entire point of biopellets. Imho they do not need to be tumbling, just need water flow to keep the bacteria supplied with what they need and too much tumbling acts like the rock tumbler you had as a kid and knocks off all the stuff your trying to grow. My pellets don't tumble. Every week or so I open the valve and give the reactor a shake to unclump and sluff some mulm to the skimmer. Don't forget the whole concept of pellets is to grow things on the surface and export to the skimmer or have it be food for the coral. How can this happen if the reactor is smashing them about in a vortex of boiling pellets?

What are the consequences of not tumbling? I believe they stick together (do to the mulm your trying to grow) untill water flow ceases and it goes anoxic. I don't know how long this takes as I've never seen it and I would imagine it has alot to do with bioload.

reef93 · #8 08-29-2011, 03:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wingedfish

If I'm not mistaken, any exposure to air or fresh water negates the entire point of biopellets. Imho they do not need to be tumbling, just need water flow to keep the bacteria supplied with what they need and too much tumbling acts like the rock tumbler you had as a kid and knocks off all the stuff your trying to grow. My pellets don't tumble. Every week or so I open the valve and give the reactor a shake to unclump and sluff some mulm to the skimmer. Don't forget the whole concept of pellets is to grow things on the surface and export to the skimmer or have it be food for the coral. How can this happen if the reactor is smashing them about in a vortex of boiling pellets?

What are the consequences of not tumbling? I believe they stick together (do to the mulm your trying to grow) untill water flow ceases and it goes anoxic. I don't know how long this takes as I've never seen it and I would imagine it has alot to do with bioload.

You were right, I don't know how my reactor gets a lot of air inside. After I let all the air out, it is tumble and no more clumpy, back to normal now

. Thanks a lot.

And thanks Alang, from now on, once in a while I will rinse them just like you said. I didn't know we need to do so though.

And thanks all of you who were taking your time to help me here. Thank you.

ALang · #9 08-29-2011, 03:52 AM

No Problem. The info was just about what I would do on a regular basis. Whether they are correct or not, that's what I do to mine. I might change my way of doing things as I learn new ideas from everyone else, one way or the other. Or that I hear of a better way.
I just stumbled onto that, partly due the the frustration of sticking pellets. I just think that a reactor full of tumbling pellets make sense, if the bacteria attached needs to regularly sloughed off.
If I'm not doing it right, I apologize. Don't want to lead anyone done the wrong path...
Have fun with this hobby!

reef93 · #10 08-29-2011, 04:06 AM

Thanks again Alang, I think if I rinse them once in a while like you did it will be better, not totally neglecting them for a long period like me.

TO The Grizz, I forgot to tell you, my reactor is TLF and I run with an Aquaclear 802 powerhead. It looks almost like its in a boiling stage and they tumble well.