Best reactor for biopellets?

[aculross]

I'm currently using a TLF 150 on my 120G DT for EcoBak biopellets. It's working but I wonder if I should upgrade to a better unit. I've also seen some octopus units that have a curved bottom specifically for biopellets.

Anyone in love with their biobellet reactor?

[BigKahuna]

I did a write-up of the Octo hang-on BP reactor.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2052551

I've been running it for a while now, almost 6 weeks, and not a single clumped pellet or channel so I'd say that I love mine The only maintenance has been to occasionally tap it to release gas bubbles. My TLF reactor required messing with it every few days to break up the biggest clumps and once a month break down to stir it up. A good tip for working with the TLF is to keep a magnet in the reactor to break things up when they start to stick but in my mind that is a band-aid for lack of proper flow.

[aculross]

Thanks, I'll take a look - did you consider the SMR1 ? Any other reactors in your check out list?

[shifty51008]

i've been using the avast MR5 and getting good flow through it.

[pmrossetti]

Skimz looks real nice,too.

http://www.aquacave.com/skimz-fm-150...ctor-3340.html

[Gorgok]

I like my SMR1 with MW EcoBak pellets. I can keep a pretty low flow without clumping or channeling, really low and it does channel, but really i have never seen it clump (i think that is really a pellet issue). The only thing i wish they included was a cap for the center tube for filling. I think (its been there a while now) i'm running it off a Maxi Jet Utility 1800 with a ball valve to throttle it.

[WTyson]

I have a JNS Alpha one and it is working very well, plus the vortex action keeps them nice and broken up

[BigKahuna]

Originally Posted by aculross

Thanks, I'll take a look - did you consider the SMR1 ? Any other reactors in your check out list?

I was looking into the JNS Alpha but I didn't have a huge amount of space available to put it in the sump and in the end I didn't want another pump to worry about. I run a manifold off my main return pump so for me it's easy to just run a reactor off of it. Also I wasn't sold on the huge cyclone action it creates so I figured it was going to be while before people knew if it worked well or not. That said it looks like an interesting concept wrt BP's and I applaud them for making a specific reactor for BP's.

I also did consider SWC reactors and the SMR1. The SMR1 turned me off a bit because it looked like a regular reactor with just the sponges removed which is probably only slightly better than a converted TLF reactor. I liked the SWC a bit better because they modified it with a cone bottom which I have come to believe is essential in a BP reactor, with the exception of the JNS which swirls the whole chamber.

I did tons of research looking for something better than a converted TLF reactor. In the end I went with the Octo because for roughly $20 more than most of the others I was getting a purpose-built BP reactor. The little things sold me like the floating mesh cup which is 100% a BP design consideration. The cone bottom is key and even having a check valve in the down-pipe is something you don't see on too many other reactors too. It is built superbly IMHO and I couldn't be happier with the thing.

ET- BTW I see you are in Rye Brook, I have my tank in my office in lower Westchester. If you ever want to come by and see the Octo in person you are welcome. My tank is nothing special but having been up for over 10 years as a FOWLR for all but the last 2 it had a massive Nitrate and Phosphate problem. I got the Nitrates down from an off the charts 200+ppm with Instant Ocean Nitrate reducer, basically BP material ground up you add to the tank directly, to about 20ppm over the course of 6 months. The BP's took me to the next level to about 0 detectable. The same goes for PO4. I had it in the 2+ppm but the BP's have brought it down to 0.08 ppm w/o even using GFO. I recently added back the GFO to see if I can get it down even more though.

[milkman55]

I have been using the AVAST MR5 for over a year using one liter of EcoBak. Works great and I get good even flow throughout the reactor.

I don't have one, but I also think the Octopus biopellet reactors look good.

[jamesdawson]

I use an SWC UR120 reactor with the cone bottom and its awsome. It holds 2 litres of pellets and even 2 litres is easily fluidized by a little MJ 600 pump! SWC also makes a smaller reactor the UR 80 and both of these reactors are very sturdily built and much less expensive then the equivalent Octo reactors.