Bio Pellet question

[Mikenroe]

Hi there! Anyone ever use biopellets? I am considering using them in my sump and am curious about what the benefits are and if there is any adverse affects or negative affects with using them.

[DrPheel]

I'm going to start my new setup with them. Please make sure you read up as many information online as you can , there is no simple answer to your question. The best thing you can do is find out how they work, what they do , the effects they have on a new or old system and then make your own opinion of what they will do for your system.

Good luck !

[Webmanny]

I used them for a while and I liked them because of their simplicity, but they also caused a huge bacteria outbreak in my tank that almost killed everything. The bacteria problem was caused by me mostly, but you do have to be careful. I now use Vodka because it is simpler for me and I found it easier to target to my desired nutrient load.

Here are my two cents on this specific type of bacteria addition.

Bio Pellets
Caveats:

• Start with small amounts and keep adding until you get to the happy point
• Make sure you have plenty of flow for the reactor
• If they ever get stuck because the pump goes bad, don't just replace the pump (This was my mistake and it caused a huge bacterial issue in my tank)

Pros:

• Easy to use and apply
• Controlled area for bacteria growth
• Does what is supposed to do

Cons:

• Needs dedicated pump
• Takes a long time to get started (mine took three weeks before it started to have an effect on my tank)
• If the pump breaks you can have problems
• Bacteria only lives in the canister, not in the whole tank
• Not enough information on how much to use and how to implement it

[DrPheel]

Hey WebManny dont want to jack the thread but could you explain what you mean by :

Originally Posted by Webmanny

Caveats:

• If they ever get stuck because the pump goes bad, don't just replace the pump (This was my mistake and it caused a huge bacterial issue in my tank)

Cons:

• Needs dedicated pump

thanks!

[downbeach]

Here is a good video with an explanation.

[Webmanny]

Originally Posted by DrPheel

Hey WebManny dont want to jack the thread but could you explain what you mean by :



thanks!

Sure. Biopellets some times get clumped or stick together. Most times because of flow, but it can happen for other reasons. If this happens, you should replace the pellets and start over, I made the mistake of only replacing the pump and leaving the pellets.

This released all the toxicity and excess bacteria into the tank. I lost a few corals and a fish because of this.

On the pump question... Most biopellets need to run in a reactor and in most cases, you need to use a dedicated pump for that reactor. However, I've seen larger setups, where they use a single large pump with a manifold to handle all the reactors and return water to the tank.

I hope this helps and please note that this is solely my experience and may not be the same for everyone.

[DrPheel]

Originally Posted by Webmanny

Sure. Biopellets some times get clumped or stick together. Most times because of flow, but it can happen for other reasons. If this happens, you should replace the pellets and start over, I made the mistake of only replacing the pump and leaving the pellets.

This released all the toxicity and excess bacteria into the tank. I lost a few corals and a fish because of this.

On the pump question... Most biopellets need to run in a reactor and in most cases, you need to use a dedicated pump for that reactor. However, I've seen larger setups, where they use a single large pump with a manifold to handle all the reactors and return water to the tank.

I hope this helps and please note that this is solely my experience and may not be the same for everyone.

Thanks for the reply !