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This thread is long over due. I get a lot of pms about biopellets, so I thought I should share some information about them and my story using them.
There will be detailed instructions of how to build a biopellet reactor out of one of the power buy reactors(instructions will be posted after I get it on June 16th)
What are biopellets?
Biopellets are made of a bio-degradable polycarbonate plastic. When used in aquariums, the biopellets are placed in a reactor with moderately high flow. Various strains of bacteria colonize on the pellet's surface feeding from the carbon source, phosphate, and nitrate. The carbon acts more like an energy source. It speeds up the reproduction of the bacteria, and in the process the bacteria consumes no3 and po4. This bacteria is EXTREMELY dangerous in ample amounts. As the biopellets tumble in the reactor, the bacteria is constantly being knocked off so that inverts can feed on it and the skimmer can remove it. People generally feed their reactor's return directly into their skimmer intake. A GOOD skimmer effectively removes almost all of the bacteria before it can reach the display tank.
Pros
By now, most of you have come to find that what works for me may not work for you. All tanks are different and filtration systems widely vary. With that being noted here are some of the benefits that are frequently claimed about biopellets.
They will reduce/control nitrate and phosphate, and most tanks with established biopellets are crystal clear.
Unlike gfo, you only open your reactor every 4-6 months. This is the main reason I switched from gfo. I hated changing gfo, it is messy and expensive. With bio pellets, you just top them off.
There are no "dusts" or residues left in your sump or in your aquarium.
Unlike gfo, it does not strip nutrients bare. This is especially helpful if you have LEDs and need as many nutrients as possible to maintain nice color in sps.
Cons
If you don't have a good skimmer, or don't slowly break your tank in, or add too many, you will nuke your tank. As I said early, the bacteria in large quantities are extremely DANGEROUS!!!!!
Biopellets provide energy to ALL types of bacteria. This can lead to tremendous cyano issues(I had a few spots a while back, but chemi clean and added flow wiped it out). Some say that it will accelerate stn or rtn. I've never heard of bacterial infections involving fish, but who knows, it could happen.
If biopellets are so dangerous, why would we put them anywhere near our aquariums????
For those that choose to use biopellets, you must be comfortable knowing that you are hula-hooping while walkin across a tight rope over the grand canyon. One wrong move, and you are toast. You must make a conscious descision: is the potential out come worth the risk? You must know that this is totally experimental.
I justified experimenting after trying various other bio-available carbon sources. I felt comfortable that if it crashed my tank, then that would be on ME! I Chose biopellets because I know that trying to achieve water chemistry that is like natural sea water is very difficult. The ocean's water is very pure and I felt that the amount of available man made filtration could not keep up with how I wanted my water chemistry and the feeding habits that my animals require. With this in mind, and being tired with gfo, I decided to take the plunge.
My biopellet experience
Equipment: sea systems reactor
Biopellets: two little fishies NPX
Water volume: ~100
Bioload: very very heavy
Feeding: very very heavy
No3: 1
Po4: .10-.04ppm
I chose to give biopellets a shot after being fed up with gfo. I was tired of the "dust" and tired of changing it out. At one point, I took my phosphate and nutrient too low and lost a lot of color and had some tips of my sps burn. I decided that gfo was not for that tank.
I had been dosing reef biofuel by brightwells. It's basically the same thing as biopellets, except liquid form and more controlled. I greatly reduced my dose after switching to gfo and still had the color loss and burnt tips. I was also tired of manually dosing the biofuel. When I took the gfo offline, my color came back and the tips recovered.
I bought a sea systems reactor and modded it out using a kitchen funnel. (instructions coming soon!) I added ~200ml(half the reccomended amount) and let it roll. I also began dosing microbacter 7. For the first 5 days I didn't notice anything, then all of a sudden, my ORP dropped like crazy. The tank got a slight haze to it. Bacteria was in bloom. My skimmer was skimming like crazy. This lasted a few days. I began to get nervous, so I did a water change. The next day, my ORP was back up and the tank was CRYSTAL clear. The po4 was .08ppm. A week later the po4 was .07. One the 4th week I added the remaining ~200ml of biopellets. The po4 dropped to .03ppm. Since then, I haven't messed with the reactor. That was a few months ago. Today my po4 is .10, and I am overdue to top off with more pellets. I currently feed a 1"x2" block of PE mysis, nutramar ova, cyclopeeze, reef chile, phyto feast and Elos stuff daily! I DARE someone to find hair algae in my tank. There's none. all corals and fish are very healthy and growing fast. I've gotten all the color back that I lost from gfo and I am glad with my switch.
I hope this was helpful. Please research biopellets further before making any descisions. I hope others can post their experiences with biopellets(good and bad) in this thread. Thanks for reefing!
There will be detailed instructions of how to build a biopellet reactor out of one of the power buy reactors(instructions will be posted after I get it on June 16th)
What are biopellets?
Biopellets are made of a bio-degradable polycarbonate plastic. When used in aquariums, the biopellets are placed in a reactor with moderately high flow. Various strains of bacteria colonize on the pellet's surface feeding from the carbon source, phosphate, and nitrate. The carbon acts more like an energy source. It speeds up the reproduction of the bacteria, and in the process the bacteria consumes no3 and po4. This bacteria is EXTREMELY dangerous in ample amounts. As the biopellets tumble in the reactor, the bacteria is constantly being knocked off so that inverts can feed on it and the skimmer can remove it. People generally feed their reactor's return directly into their skimmer intake. A GOOD skimmer effectively removes almost all of the bacteria before it can reach the display tank.
Pros
By now, most of you have come to find that what works for me may not work for you. All tanks are different and filtration systems widely vary. With that being noted here are some of the benefits that are frequently claimed about biopellets.
They will reduce/control nitrate and phosphate, and most tanks with established biopellets are crystal clear.
Unlike gfo, you only open your reactor every 4-6 months. This is the main reason I switched from gfo. I hated changing gfo, it is messy and expensive. With bio pellets, you just top them off.
There are no "dusts" or residues left in your sump or in your aquarium.
Unlike gfo, it does not strip nutrients bare. This is especially helpful if you have LEDs and need as many nutrients as possible to maintain nice color in sps.
Cons
If you don't have a good skimmer, or don't slowly break your tank in, or add too many, you will nuke your tank. As I said early, the bacteria in large quantities are extremely DANGEROUS!!!!!
Biopellets provide energy to ALL types of bacteria. This can lead to tremendous cyano issues(I had a few spots a while back, but chemi clean and added flow wiped it out). Some say that it will accelerate stn or rtn. I've never heard of bacterial infections involving fish, but who knows, it could happen.
If biopellets are so dangerous, why would we put them anywhere near our aquariums????
For those that choose to use biopellets, you must be comfortable knowing that you are hula-hooping while walkin across a tight rope over the grand canyon. One wrong move, and you are toast. You must make a conscious descision: is the potential out come worth the risk? You must know that this is totally experimental.
I justified experimenting after trying various other bio-available carbon sources. I felt comfortable that if it crashed my tank, then that would be on ME! I Chose biopellets because I know that trying to achieve water chemistry that is like natural sea water is very difficult. The ocean's water is very pure and I felt that the amount of available man made filtration could not keep up with how I wanted my water chemistry and the feeding habits that my animals require. With this in mind, and being tired with gfo, I decided to take the plunge.
My biopellet experience
Equipment: sea systems reactor
Biopellets: two little fishies NPX
Water volume: ~100
Bioload: very very heavy
Feeding: very very heavy
No3: 1
Po4: .10-.04ppm
I chose to give biopellets a shot after being fed up with gfo. I was tired of the "dust" and tired of changing it out. At one point, I took my phosphate and nutrient too low and lost a lot of color and had some tips of my sps burn. I decided that gfo was not for that tank.
I had been dosing reef biofuel by brightwells. It's basically the same thing as biopellets, except liquid form and more controlled. I greatly reduced my dose after switching to gfo and still had the color loss and burnt tips. I was also tired of manually dosing the biofuel. When I took the gfo offline, my color came back and the tips recovered.
I bought a sea systems reactor and modded it out using a kitchen funnel. (instructions coming soon!) I added ~200ml(half the reccomended amount) and let it roll. I also began dosing microbacter 7. For the first 5 days I didn't notice anything, then all of a sudden, my ORP dropped like crazy. The tank got a slight haze to it. Bacteria was in bloom. My skimmer was skimming like crazy. This lasted a few days. I began to get nervous, so I did a water change. The next day, my ORP was back up and the tank was CRYSTAL clear. The po4 was .08ppm. A week later the po4 was .07. One the 4th week I added the remaining ~200ml of biopellets. The po4 dropped to .03ppm. Since then, I haven't messed with the reactor. That was a few months ago. Today my po4 is .10, and I am overdue to top off with more pellets. I currently feed a 1"x2" block of PE mysis, nutramar ova, cyclopeeze, reef chile, phyto feast and Elos stuff daily! I DARE someone to find hair algae in my tank. There's none. all corals and fish are very healthy and growing fast. I've gotten all the color back that I lost from gfo and I am glad with my switch.
I hope this was helpful. Please research biopellets further before making any descisions. I hope others can post their experiences with biopellets(good and bad) in this thread. Thanks for reefing!
As of now, I do neither but I am sure that will change down the road as my tank matures.
