Warner Marine Now Has A Pellet Product

[falconut]

I have been using these pellets for 6 weeks now. I don't really see any difference. My algae hasn't seamed to have gotten any better in the 6 weeks of using it. If I had to say, it seams to have gotten worse. I've blown off the rocks multiple times, syphoned the sand bed and added GFO again after a few weeks of using it. It's crazy, my rear and especially my side (partially shaded glass) has gotten really bad. If I don't scrap it regularly, it will get up to 1" long. My chateo and mangroves are growing great.

As far as appearance of the pellets. To me they look the same as they've looked on day one. I have mine tumbling really good and they don't stick together. They are suspended, but are about 1/2" - 1" below the top screen, so it's not like they're being pressed against the top.

I suppose I'll keep using it, but not sure how much longer if the algae just seams to keep getting worse. I rarely had any algae on the sand, but since using the pellets, I will get patches of algae (up to 1" long) throughout the sand.

[JRaquatics]

Originally Posted by falconut

I have been using these pellets for 6 weeks now. I don't really see any difference. My algae hasn't seamed to have gotten any better in the 6 weeks of using it. If I had to say, it seams to have gotten worse. I've blown off the rocks multiple times, syphoned the sand bed and added GFO again after a few weeks of using it. It's crazy, my rear and especially my side (partially shaded glass) has gotten really bad. If I don't scrap it regularly, it will get up to 1" long. My chateo and mangroves are growing great.

As far as appearance of the pellets. To me they look the same as they've looked on day one. I have mine tumbling really good and they don't stick together. They are suspended, but are about 1/2" - 1" below the top screen, so it's not like they're being pressed against the top.

I suppose I'll keep using it, but not sure how much longer if the algae just seams to keep getting worse. I rarely had any algae on the sand, but since using the pellets, I will get patches of algae (up to 1" long) throughout the sand.

Have you checked your parameters now and see how they differ from the tests you did before you started the use of the ecobak product?

[falconut]

I use Salifert for NO3 and it has read between 0 - 0.25, which might be a little lower than when I started. From my memory, it was around 0.5 when I started But I only have an API kit for PO4, which doesn't show low levels of PO4. So, I don't have any basis for tests for PO4.

[buy_baff]

Originally Posted by poolkeeper1

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...x/ab34d52d.jpg
Thought i would post a picture of my Rimless Powered by Eco-Bak! It seems the added extra amount is helping somewhat already as the Diatoms on the sandbed are very little.
Bill

Do you still have the diotoms Bill? I haven't got around to adding more to my reactor yet but plan on it soon. Also has anyone been able to step up there feeding yet? I can only feed a normal amount or I will get a green bloom on the glass. With other carbon sorces I was able to feed like a madman. I'm starting to think the reason I got the diotom bloom to begin with is that my old vite c mb7 combo was keeping things in check a little better. Not because the ecobak isn't working but because I don't have enough. That's why when I switched I got the bloom because the amount of ecobak I am running isn't able to keep up. I am thinking about adding a small amount of vite c a day to see if it clears the diotoms up. If so then I think it would be safe to say thats whats happening.

[drummereef]

Considering using the EcoBak pellets in a NextReef SMR1 reactor. Currently my tank is going through a diatom / hair algae cycle as it's a relatively new tank. Does anyone see potential issues starting the EcoBak pellets during this process? I would start with 1/4 - 1/2 the recommend amount then gradually ramp up over a few weeks.

Nitrates are around 7ppm
Phosphate is undetectable probably because of the hair algae
Testing with Salifert Kits

[Rizup]

Originally Posted by solitude127

You may have posted it, but what were/are your nitrates at?

~20 ppm

[poolkeeper1]

Originally Posted by buy_baff

Do you still have the diotoms Bill? I haven't got around to adding more to my reactor yet but plan on it soon. Also has anyone been able to step up there feeding yet? I can only feed a normal amount or I will get a green bloom on the glass. With other carbon sorces I was able to feed like a madman. I'm starting to think the reason I got the diotom bloom to begin with is that my old vite c mb7 combo was keeping things in check a little better. Not because the ecobak isn't working but because I don't have enough. That's why when I switched I got the bloom because the amount of ecobak I am running isn't able to keep up. I am thinking about adding a small amount of vite c a day to see if it clears the diotoms up. If so then I think it would be safe to say thats whats happening.

Actually adding another 250ml seems to have almost stopped it, As It is less than B4 but not completely gone. My bigger Issue is my PH has dropped dramatically and will not get any higher than 8.0 and is going down to 7.6 at night. I even ran an airline out the window direct to my skimmer last night and this morning it was still 7.6 so Co2 is not the issue. Right now at 2:04 pm the PH is only 7.95 the PH B4 I added the extra EB was around 8.2 this time of day and never got lower than 8.0 at night, Confused to say the least. Any help in figuring this out would be greatly helpful as I'm at a loss. Plus I already drip Kalk around the clock to keep my evaporation at bay running two fans to keep temps lower.
Bill

[Rizup]

Originally Posted by poolkeeper1

Actually adding another 250ml seems to have almost stopped it, As It is less than B4 but not completely gone. My bigger Issue is my PH has dropped dramatically and will not get any higher than 8.0 and is going down to 7.6 at night. I even ran an airline out the window direct to my skimmer last night and this morning it was still 7.6 so Co2 is not the issue. Right now at 2:04 pm the PH is only 7.95 the PH B4 I added the extra EB was around 8.2 this time of day and never got lower than 8.0 at night, Confused to say the least. Any help in figuring this out would be greatly helpful as I'm at a loss. Plus I already drip Kalk around the clock to keep my evaporation at bay running two fans to keep temps lower.
Bill

When did you calibrate your pH probe last? Sounds like it may be time to recalibrate and confirm your results. Hopefully the calibration has drifted and your pH is actually higher.

[poolkeeper1]

Originally Posted by Rizup

When did you calibrate your pH probe last? Sounds like it may be time to recalibrate and confirm your results. Hopefully the calibration has drifted and your pH is actually higher.

I'll be right back, Got some 7 & 10 in the fish room, Why didn't i think of that Hope your right
Bill

[buy_baff]

Originally Posted by poolkeeper1

I'll be right back, Got some 7 & 10 in the fish room, Why didn't i think of that Hope your right
Bill

Hopefuly that's all it is.

[poolkeeper1]

Well calibrated it twice just to be sure, Now It's reading even lower Hah. So I got out the old test kit and Wala It say's 8.2 dead on also tested twice, So order a new probe I will. Thanks for the shoutout anyway, Least i know my tank is OK.
Bill

[Rizup]

Originally Posted by poolkeeper1

Well calibrated it twice just to be sure, Now It's reading even lower Hah. So I got out the old test kit and Wala It say's 8.2 dead on also tested twice, So order a new probe I will. Thanks for the shoutout anyway, Least i know my tank is OK.
Bill

[buy_baff]

Glad you figured it out.

[Stuart60611]

Does anyone see any problem taking the pellets off line, drying them out, and then later puting them back on-line?

[poolkeeper1]

Originally Posted by Stuart60611

Does anyone see any problem taking the pellets off line, drying them out, and then later puting them back on-line?

Not sure but you would most likely kill any live Bacteria that has colonised the pellets. And would be like starting over from scratch when you put them back. I would Check with WM and see if there is any Issues with doing that.
Bill
PS Thanks Buy Baff, Ordered a new PH and ORP Probe today.

[g8rorchid]

I just got my EcoBak today but no instructions! I asked Jon if they were going to come with them and he said yes. Sooo, can anyone give me instructions for them? I bought 500ml(I have a 90g) and will be putting it in a NextReef reactor. Do I NEED to rinse the pellets? Should I begin with half of the bag and slowly add the rest in? Does the outflow have to be by the skimmer? I have a Remora HOB skimmer, so if it is necessary I will have 2 items hanging from my tank. I have a sump with chaeto (which doesn't grow, hence the pellets) and planning on letting it flow out into the last chamber before being fed back to the display tank.

Sorry for all of the questions!!! Thanks in advance!!!

[milkman55]

I soaked my pellets in RO water for a day before I put them in the reactor. I used a liter of pellets for my 200 gal system and added them all at once. They seed slowly over several weeks, so no danger of an overdose. I ran the drain from the reactor to the inlet of the skimmer pump. Your skimmer will become more active with the EcoBak, so you want the discharge there and not going into the display.

I have been running them 11 days and have noticed cleaner glass and a large increase in skimmate.

[milkman55]

Poolkeeper1,

My pH has also decreased and I have checked it with two meters. My pH runs from 7.9 to 8.2 and it used to be about 2 tenths higher. Not sure if it's related to EcoBak. We have been very hot here in KC and the air conditioners running constantly, so I assumed that was the cause.

[buy_baff]

Originally Posted by milkman55

Poolkeeper1,

My pH has also decreased and I have checked it with two meters. My pH runs from 7.9 to 8.2 and it used to be about 2 tenths higher. Not sure if it's related to EcoBak. We have been very hot here in KC and the air conditioners running constantly, so I assumed that was the cause.

Probably co2 build up due to the house being closed up. I have the same issue so I waited tell the old lady wasn't home and drilled a hole in the wall so I could run the air intake to my skimmer outside. Worked like a charm. I made a little carbon filter for the outside so no chemicals that might be in the air would get sucked into my tank. Glad i did to because my landlord decided to spray some weed killer around the base of the house one day when I wasn't home. I noticed when there was a ring of dead plants all around the house. The weed killer was sprayed less than 2 ft below the intake so the carbon did it's job.

[poolkeeper1]

Originally Posted by buy_baff

Probably co2 build up due to the house being closed up. I have the same issue so I waited tell the old lady wasn't home and drilled a hole in the wall so I could run the air intake to my skimmer outside. Worked like a charm. I made a little carbon filter for the outside so no chemicals that might be in the air would get sucked into my tank. Glad i did to because my landlord decided to spray some weed killer around the base of the house one day when I wasn't home. I noticed when there was a ring of dead plants all around the house. The weed killer was sprayed less than 2 ft below the intake so the carbon did it's job.

That was my first thought, So at Midnight i was running an airline out the window hooked up directly to my skimmer air line. This morning there was no Increase at all so I started checking further. Turns out mine was just a bad probe, I have never been a fan of Neptunes Probes and this just make me even more weary of them. The probe is only 2 months old as It came with my new Apex, Not a good track record IMO it looked like the guts inside came loose and were flopping around when I looked at It.
Ordered a Pinpoint to replace It as I've had good service with them over the years.
I tested with a test kit and 8.2 like normal
Bill

[buy_baff]

I finely got me a hanna checker today and my po4 is 0.00 so the pellits are deff doing there job. My frag system is a diferent story my po4 is way high ( 0.14 ) in that system and deff needs some atention. I don't know why it's so high on this system it has a fuge and a reactor with gfo as well. I guess I need to cut back on feeding the fish in this system also there are a few large nems in there that get feed often. I'm probably going to order a couple liters of eco bak and start running it on that system as well.
-Bill

[poolkeeper1]

Originally Posted by buy_baff

I finely got me a hanna checker today and my po4 is 0.00 so the pellits are deff doing there job. My frag system is a diferent story my po4 is way high ( 0.14 ) in that system and deff needs some atention. I don't know why it's so high on this system it has a fuge and a reactor with gfo as well. I guess I need to cut back on feeding the fish in this system also there are a few large nems in there that get feed often. I'm probably going to order a couple liters of eco bak and start running it on that system as well.
-Bill

That's reassuring, I think I'll order one of those meters also, Just to see for myself what's going on in my system. I had pretty good indication of them working by the lack of algae on my tank glass, But the numbers are even better.
Bill

[DJREEF]

Originally Posted by buy_baff

The weed killer was sprayed less than 2 ft below the intake so the carbon did it's job.

Holy crap. That's the only thing that keeps me from doing something like this. The worthless mosquito trucks are spraying 1 - 2 times per week. I just can't take the chance of any of that crap getting into the system.

DJ

[buy_baff]

Originally Posted by DJREEF

Holy crap. That's the only thing that keeps me from doing something like this. The worthless mosquito trucks are spraying 1 - 2 times per week. I just can't take the chance of any of that crap getting into the system.

DJ

I just took a bottle and drilled some holes in the bottom put some filter pad over that dumped some carbon in put some filter pad over that put the lid back on with a hole in the lid for the air line. Works like a charm I am sure that after a direct hit like that it will catch anything before it gets to the tank. I was freaked when I saw the ring of dead plants. I changed the carbon out right away.
-Bill

[poolkeeper1]

Originally Posted by milkman55

Poolkeeper1,

My pH has also decreased and I have checked it with two meters. My pH runs from 7.9 to 8.2 and it used to be about 2 tenths higher. Not sure if it's related to EcoBak. We have been very hot here in KC and the air conditioners running constantly, so I assumed that was the cause.

Holy Crap, I got up this morning and my PH read 6.65, Even knowing the probe is bad I still get a sick feeling in my stomach.
If i were you I would double check your PH against a test kit or several If you have them. You may also have a bad Probe but It's been 100 + here every day too and the house has not had any fresh air in months. Not a good situation no matter how you look at it.
Good luck
Bill