N/P reducing pellets (solid vodka dosing)

[reefrad]

has anyone noticed any improvement with the new next reef bp reactors? it sounds like the input is slightly larger but is that all it really takes??

[DJREEF]

Originally Posted by daveonbass

I live in texas too...thats why I'm trying to only use the one pump on them. What were your NO3 levels before you started, and has anything changed yet?

NO3 is 60ppm. Its been only 6 days, and I'm ramping them up slowly so as to not create a bloom. I have too much to lose fishwise if things get out of hand. I doubt if anything has changed considerably. I must qualify that these are the Vertex version of the bio pellets, but they look identical to NP's new formulary. I suspect that they r the same stuff, and i have heard rumors to that effect, contrary to the manufacturer's claims.

DJ

[SimonSKL]

Originally Posted by reefrad

has anyone noticed any improvement with the new next reef bp reactors? it sounds like the input is slightly larger but is that all it really takes??

They are also using blue acrylic for the main body to keep the light down inside the reactor to facilitate bacterial growth. I am using a cover around my reactor to see if it makes any difference. Got to love this hobby. So many things you can experiment with

[rutz81]

Originally Posted by reefrad

has anyone noticed any improvement with the new next reef bp reactors? it sounds like the input is slightly larger but is that all it really takes??

I have been using the new style NextReef reactor since I started these on 5/25. I have not had any issues and they are keeping my levels at 0. I feed flak about 4 times a day and frozen, 1 time a day every, other day. I did not have any bloom, algae or other problem. It may be because my tank had very low nutrients to start with(was only 3 month old tank when I started) or because of the new design of the reactor(more flow/more tumbling), but, either way the amount of pellets in my reactor is slowly decreasing. They have probably gone down about 1/2".

One thing I might also mention is that I seeded my tank with MB7 according to the dosing on the bottle, and now occasionally dose the maintenance dosage. So, maybe my pellets got colonized from the bacteria that was already in my water?

[Timoweb]

I have had 500ml of the N/P Biopellets in for a week now and I am noticing some of the SPS in the tank have better polyp extension than before

Pellets not tumbling in the reactor but I have been giving it a shake twice a day, think I will get a larger pump to try to move them about.

[Rwpdunne]

Originally Posted by DJREEF

I'm not sure if you're going to be able to see anything, but here goes anyway.

Less than 24 hours worth of dry foam in the cups.

DJ

Thanks for sharing the pictures it will be intresting to see how it works out for you using them this way
best of luck

[Stuart60611]

I just got off the phone with Aquarium Specialty and learned some new interesting information. The design of the biopellets has been changed and are now being sold so that the new pellets are much smaller than the original so as to make them easier to fluidize. Aquarium Specialty just received the new version. I am uncertain whether the formula of the new biopellets is any different.

[euromomtx]

Is it possible to use the old and new pellets together?
I was getting a bigger reactor and ordered some new pellets but was still planning on using my old pellets from the smaller reactor

[thejuggernaut]

Originally Posted by Stuart60611

I just got off the phone with Aquarium Specialty and learned some new interesting information. The design of the biopellets has been changed and are now being sold so that the new pellets are much smaller than the original so as to make them easier to fluidize. Aquarium Specialty just received the new version. I am uncertain whether the formula of the new biopellets is any different.

smaller size = more surface area per liter of pellets. Only problem I can see is if you are trying to use both the old and new pellets...enough flow to churn the largers ones might blow the smaller ones to the top of of the reactor..or in the case of mine (removed top foam cause it kept clogging up) out of the reactor

[SimonSKL]

Originally Posted by Stuart60611

I just got off the phone with Aquarium Specialty and learned some new interesting information. The design of the biopellets has been changed and are now being sold so that the new pellets are much smaller than the original so as to make them easier to fluidize. Aquarium Specialty just received the new version. I am uncertain whether the formula of the new biopellets is any different.

From an oversea forum a fellow reefer posted an email from Dennis van Houten, exporter of NP Biopellets from The Netherlands about the replacement as below last week.

"The replacement bags are scheduled to ship this week to Hong Kong. We will ship the brand new formula that contains only 100% pure active product, no fillers."

I assume the replacement bags are the new smaller version. Not sure if the exporter implied the problem batch or old version contained fillers. Since the new version is smaller and more easy to fluidize, does it mean the original recommended flow rate (i.e. ~300GPH) is not adequate for the old version and thus explains many of the inconsistent results reported. What is the recommended flow rate for the new version?

[DJREEF]

Originally Posted by SimonSKL

From an oversea forum a fellow reefer posted an email from Dennis van Houten, exporter of NP Biopellets from The Netherlands about the replacement as below last week.

"The replacement bags are scheduled to ship this week to Hong Kong. We will ship the brand new formula that contains only 100% pure active product, no fillers."

I assume the replacement bags are the new smaller version. Not sure if the exporter implied the problem batch or old version contained fillers. Since the new version is smaller and more easy to fluidize, does it mean the original recommended flow rate (i.e. ~300GPH) is not adequate for the old version and thus explains many of the inconsistent results reported. What is the recommended flow rate for the new version?

Well, they kinda had to do something. There are 3 new products scheduled to hit the shelves at local suppliers in the next couple of months that are all pure product - not cut with corn based fillers. I really want to check the new Warner stuff out.

DJ

[euromomtx]

so are the old NP pellets full of cornbased filler?
anybody see any recommendations on wether mixing old and new is okay or not recommended?

[DJREEF]

Originally Posted by euromomtx

so are the old NP pellets full of cornbased filler?
anybody see any recommendations on wether mixing old and new is okay or not recommended?

That's the consensus thus far.

DJ

[Tony Romano]

Originally Posted by DJREEF

Well, they kinda had to do something. There are 3 new products scheduled to hit the shelves at local suppliers in the next couple of months that are all pure product - not cut with corn based fillers. I really want to check the new Warner stuff out.

DJ

Good info DJ!

OFF TOPIC - I am in Sugar Land, where in Houston do you live?

[DJREEF]

Originally Posted by Tony Romano

Good info DJ!

OFF TOPIC - I am in Sugar Land, where in Houston do you live?

On the other end - Conroe.

DJ

[DJREEF]

Originally Posted by euromomtx

so are the old NP pellets full of cornbased filler?
anybody see any recommendations on wether mixing old and new is okay or not recommended?

Mixing the two shouldn't b a problem. They are essentially the same thing.

DJ

[AquariumSpecialty]

Originally Posted by DJREEF

Mixing the two shouldn't b a problem. They are essentially the same thing.

DJ

DJ, you are correct and I confirmed it with the NP Biopellet folks just to make sure. We posted this info in our Sponsor Forum yesterday.

Thank you,

[CorkPullerPHL]

So Dj, am I correct that you went from skeptic to fan? That would mean something to me as you've been pretty unbiased through much of this conversation....

[GregC]

I have been following this thread for quite some time, and I am seriously considering giving this a shot, one of the things I have been thinking about and wondering, is if the tank at some point will become dependant on these pellets for filtration. Basically if they are removed at some point, would the potential for a serious tank crash be a realistic possiblity?

[euromomtx]

Greg I would think it depends on how much you rely on the pellets for filtration. Massice amounts of rock and sand with a little bit of pellets might not make as huge of an impact if the pellets are removed as a smaller amount of rock and sand with lots of pellets? Perhaps removing them in stages would be best.

[elijaher]

Seem like there is to many different size of the bio solid pellets. Which is best suit?

[TheFishMan65]

I think whatever is cheapest. I will be tryng the polymorph method soon.

[DJREEF]

Originally Posted by CorkPullerPHL

So Dj, am I correct that you went from skeptic to fan? That would mean something to me as you've been pretty unbiased through much of this conversation....

I'll b a fan when I actually start seeing the numbers come down. I'll test this weekend when I have a spare 10 minutes. Until then, at the very least, I'm happy with output from my skimmers.

DJ

[daveonbass]

well I've removed about half of the pellets. Gone from 500 to 250ml.

the pellets I took out seem to be the same as when I put them in months ago. There was no slime of any kind on them either. They are more or less the same size as well.

the reactor is also interesting. At full flow it seems to tumble less than it did with more pellets. That seems a little odd.

I was wondering what anyone thought of about me "grinding up some of the pellets and adding it to the tank or to the reactor to see if it could speed up "seeding" the pellets. Dose this seem like an option?

[rutz81]

Why don't you get some MB7 or other bacterial supplement to help seed the pellets. Not so sure about the grinding of the pellets, not sure if that would be beneficial.

Originally Posted by daveonbass

well I've removed about half of the pellets. Gone from 500 to 250ml.

the pellets I took out seem to be the same as when I put them in months ago. There was no slime of any kind on them either. They are more or less the same size as well.

the reactor is also interesting. At full flow it seems to tumble less than it did with more pellets. That seems a little odd.

I was wondering what anyone thought of about me "grinding up some of the pellets and adding it to the tank or to the reactor to see if it could speed up "seeding" the pellets. Dose this seem like an option?