Who has long term success with biopellets?

[kraig949]

I have read this but I don't understand it. That is like saying there isn't any good bacteria in the tank already. I haven't seen any proof/studies that bacteria in the bottle out competes whatever is in the tank. I think this is just one of those "sayings". Hell, the bottled bacteria doesn't even reliably shorten cycling time.

 

I think the reason behind dosing some form of bottled bacteria when carbon dosing is that you want all your beneficial bacteria to consume all the carbon before bad bacteria has a chance to get some of it. This i believe is the reason behind people getting massive cyano outbreaks when carbon dosing, bad bacteria is consuming the carbon faster then beneficial bacteria.

[Tamberav]

I think the reason behind dosing some form of bottled bacteria when carbon dosing is that you want all your beneficial bacteria to consume all the carbon before bad bacteria has a chance to get some of it. This i believe is the reason behind people getting massive cyano outbreaks when carbon dosing, bad bacteria is consuming the carbon faster then beneficial bacteria.

 

But there are people who don't dose bacteria and carbon dose and don't get cyano. I have used vinegar, vodka, and biopellets and never saw a difference between adding bacteria or not (I tried it with both MB7 and biodigest). I can't imagine a cap full would make or break it vs a tank full of live rock.

[gahumphrey]

Did you try a smaller dose or tumbling slower? Did you work your way up?

 

In my experience, they have to be "dosed" correctly as anything else. The recommended calculators are pretty much crap since its all going to depend on feeding/bioload, circulation within the reactor, and skimmer size not solely tank size.

Yup. tried all varying levels. About a month ago I started to reduce the amount. Tumbling has always been a slow roll (making sure there is movement but no violent tumbling).

[gahumphrey]

Did you try a smaller dose or tumbling slower? Did you work your way up?

 

In my experience, they have to be "dosed" correctly as anything else. The recommended calculators are pretty much crap since its all going to depend on feeding/bioload, circulation within the reactor, and skimmer size not solely tank size.

I did try a smaller dose and a slow rolling tumble. Tried dramatically increasing my feeding. Dosed with Phol's Xtra and Zeovit Amino LPS. Also dosed with Seachem Reef Fusion 1&2 and Brightwell Trace.

 

Two days after pulling the biopellets some polyps finally extended from my purple sea whip gorgonian. I haven't seen the polyps since a couple days after I bought it which was three months ago. Now the polyps are fully extended. My Eauphyllia LPS are extending further and my zoanthids and palys are starting to color up a bit. the Red goniopora is much happier as well. Having full polyp extension on my birdsnest and my red and blue stylos are extending. Pretty much everything is improving except my acans. They look pretty pissed still.

 

I know it's not exactly a scientific experiment but it looks like things are starting to do better. Going to give things a full couple months to make a final call but for now it looks like the pellets won't be going back in.

[Tamberav]

I did try a smaller dose and a slow rolling tumble. Tried dramatically increasing my feeding. Dosed with Phol's Xtra and Zeovit Amino LPS. Also dosed with Seachem Reef Fusion 1&2 and Brightwell Trace.

 

Two days after pulling the biopellets some polyps finally extended from my purple sea whip gorgonian. I haven't seen the polyps since a couple days after I bought it which was three months ago. Now the polyps are fully extended. My Eauphyllia LPS are extending further and my zoanthids and palys are starting to color up a bit. the Red goniopora is much happier as well. Having full polyp extension on my birdsnest and my red and blue stylos are extending. Pretty much everything is improving except my acans. They look pretty pissed still.

 

I know it's not exactly a scientific experiment but it looks like things are starting to do better. Going to give things a full couple months to make a final call but for now it looks like the pellets won't be going back in.

 

Did you even need biopellets to begin with? Sounds like your tank isn't that dirty

[seabass]

Pretty much everything is improving except my acans.

You might want to take note of what your nutrient levels are right now. Sure, levels might have been too low; but if you allow them to get too high, you might start to have other problems. Finding the right balance (not too low, and not too high) for your livestock is key.

[gahumphrey]

You might want to take note of what your nutrient levels are right now. Sure, levels might have been too low; but if you allow them to get too high, you might start to have other problems. Finding the right balance (not too low, and not too high) for your livestock is key.

Yep, great idea. I do regularly use AquaticLog to track my parameters and have been more religious about it lately. I also added my DeepBlue Professional Nitrate and Phosphate pads back into the filtration. In my head I like to imagine they're working really well. :-)

 

Did you even need biopellets to begin with? Sounds like your tank isn't that dirty

Yeah, I really don't need them now. When I set up my big tank (80G Shallow) I figured I'd use the "best defense is a strong offense" approach. I did a ton of best practices in filtration studying before I set up the new tank and I was lured by the recent raving of biopellets. I set them up about 4 weeks into the initial cycle and everything did awesome - for the next 4 weeks. Then slowly things started to not look right. I had crazy insane growth at first. Then after about 8 weeks after the biopellets things slowly took a turn for the worse. Zoa and Paly polyps erroded. My leather shriveled up.

 

Now I wish I would have just stuck with GFO, Carbon and my skimmer. two steps forward - thirty steps back...

 

Will keep y'll posted...

[Tamberav]

Yep, great idea. I do regularly use AquaticLog to track my parameters and have been more religious about it lately. I also added my DeepBlue Professional Nitrate and Phosphate pads back into the filtration. In my head I like to imagine they're working really well. :-)

 

Yeah, I really don't need them now. When I set up my big tank (80G Shallow) I figured I'd use the "best defense is a strong offense" approach. I did a ton of best practices in filtration studying before I set up the new tank and I was lured by the recent raving of biopellets. I set them up about 4 weeks into the initial cycle and everything did awesome - for the next 4 weeks. Then slowly things started to not look right. I had crazy insane growth at first. Then after about 8 weeks after the biopellets things slowly took a turn for the worse. Zoa and Paly polyps erroded. My leather shriveled up.

 

Now I wish I would have just stuck with GFO, Carbon and my skimmer. two steps forward - thirty steps back...

 

Will keep y'll posted...

 

Ah ya... biopellets aren't really needed or even wanted for LPS/softies in most cases. Sounds like it was starving them. I think they are best in SPS dominated tanks with high bioloads or tons of feeding.

 

I use them in a macroalgae/NPS tank. Before the pellets kicked in my nitrates were off the chart (over 100 which is the highest test kit went to), last I checked they hang around 10 even with the pellets (probably my skimmer limiting it, which is fine since I want some nitrates). I use them so I can feed tons of food.

[Najay343]

Having used them for over a year, I find they work too well. It is too easy for them to remove all of the nitrates and phosphates and drop them to absolutely nothing. You need to run a fairly low Alk level and even then bleaching and necrosis is possible when the corals are starved for nutrients. I'm feeding my corals every day and still corals barely hang on.

 

I used to run GFO, Carbon, and biopellets but that lead to zero phosphate and higher nitrate. Now I just do biopellets and activated carbon for clear water. Its best to lower them both in balance and then hold it around a few ppm of nitrate and .03-.1 phosphate. The holding part is what is so hard. So far Im just running a VERY small amount of pellets, probably 1/8 cup for my approx 16 gallons of total water and that still might be too much. From various reading I've done it seems that people that use standard reactors recommend putting them on a timer so that they only run for a small amount of time each day. The better solution is a recirculating reactor that reuses the water to cause the fluidation but only draws in and releases a tiny amount of filtered water at a time.

Good info. I am now using two IM desktop reactors. Added second one today. Activated carbon in one and biopellets in the other. I know I have a nitrate/phosphate issue because my tank is over run with alge and my lawnmower Blenny somehow became a carnivor and eats shrimp not alge. Question though, By what I have read it seems the biopellets need time to cycle in their own way. How long does this usually take? And how often do you change them out? My soft corals are thriving but I got some SPS birdsnest a couple weeks ago and last week noticed the tips turning white meaning death/stress. Still lots of polyps remaining so I am trying to turn things around. The loss of flesh is not from the Lack of nitrates or phosphates by any means but curious if you have any ideas on the matter?

[tetraodon]

ive been running biopellets for 8 months now, but due to not properly setting it up has caused a bunch of issues. i have micro algae, and cyano, so its been a battle.

 

Good info. I am now using two IM desktop reactors. Added second one today. Activated carbon in one and biopellets in the other. I know I have a nitrate/phosphate issue because my tank is over run with alge and my lawnmower Blenny somehow became a carnivor and eats shrimp not alge. Question though, By what I have read it seems the biopellets need time to cycle in their own way. How long does this usually take? And how often do you change them out? My soft corals are thriving but I got some SPS birdsnest a couple weeks ago and last week noticed the tips turning white meaning death/stress. Still lots of polyps remaining so I am trying to turn things around. The loss of flesh is not from the Lack of nitrates or phosphates by any means but curious if you have any ideas on the matter?

it can take a while from what i know couple weeks to a couple months usually, but birdsnests are also not as finicy as other sps, have you checked any parameters lately? biopellets suck alk up like no tomarrow