Bio pellets to use or not to use- that is the question!

[PCDS]

Hi everyone,
I would appreciate your advice regarding the use of bio pellets in a media reactor.
With my DT I do not at this stage have any media reactors running, nor do I do any dosing. Just the skimmer, uv filter and water changes.
I am planning to have a small media reactor with probably bio pellets in my new nano tank, and I was curious about what you all felt about these.
I might get a bigger reactor for my DT. ( to help compensate for the nitrate factories)

 

[PSU4ME]

If this would be the only reactor you have then I'm not sure if I'd go bio pellets. What problem are you trying to fix? Usually it's a progression to bio pellets when you can't control phates and/or trates,

I like matrix, carbon or gfo in reactors...... Bio pellets are super finicky.

 

[DaveK]

My preference is to not use bio pellets at all. You don't need them for aerobic bacteria because you have all that live rock. It is possible to use them for a de-nitrification filter. In this case you run the water through very slowly, about the speed of a fast drip, and anaerobic bacteria will breakdown nitrate. While this sounds great, this type of filtration requires constant monitoring. If the water flow is too fast, the nitrates are not all broken down and you get nitrite out. Too slow a flow you get sulfate reduction and that rotten egg or swamp smell from the water. I like equipment where I can "set it and forget it".

Save your money on the bio pellets and put it toward something that will do a lot more for your system.

 

[PCDS]

Thank you. I think I'll stick to just the water changes for now.
( I was just reading about them and there was mention that they could be useful if your tank was slightly over stocked.)
I have been doing changes about once every 5 days -10% ( which is the size of the water container.) I thought with the bio pellets to help with the nitrates I could go back to weekly changes. I probably over feed too. My fish are all fat !! I am trying to control this!
I don't want something that needs a lot of attention- as you say I wanted to start it and then only worry about topping up the pellets.

 

[PCDS]

My preference is to not use bio pellets at all. You don't need them for aerobic bacteria because you have all that live rock. It is possible to use them for a de-nitrification filter. In this case you run the water through very slowly, about the speed of a fast drip, and anaerobic bacteria will breakdown nitrate. While this sounds great, this type of filtration requires constant monitoring. If the water flow is too fast, the nitrates are not all broken down and you get nitrite out. Too slow a flow you get sulfate reduction and that rotten egg or swamp smell from the water. I like equipment where I can "set it and forget it".

Save your money on the bio pellets and put it toward something that will do a lot more for your system.

Ooooh yes. My Apex fund!

 

[PSU4ME]

Look into getting a reactor and filling it with matrix by seachem. That will help you in the nitrate fight

 

[DaveK]

Look into getting a reactor and filling it with matrix by seachem. That will help you in the nitrate fight

In my opinion, this is yet another product you don't need if you have the recommended amount of live rock in your tank. Save your money.

Live rock is also porous and you will get plenty of bacteria growing there also, including ones that process nitrate. De-nitrification by bacteria is a slow process. While it's one way to do it, I think you'll do a lot better with other methods.Think in terms of macro algaes in a refugium and possibly algae scrubbing.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

If this would be the only reactor you have then I'm not sure if I'd go bio pellets. What problem are you trying to fix? Usually it's a progression to bio pellets when you can't control phates and/or trates,

I like matrix, carbon or gfo in reactors...... Bio pellets are super finicky.

This is great advice, and always a good question to ask yourself. Which tank is this regarding, PCDS? Are you currently having an issue with nitrates?

 

[PCDS]

This is great advice, and always a good question to ask yourself. Which tank is this regarding, PCDS? Are you currently having an issue with nitrates?

Yes, I really appreciate the advice. I am not a gadget person really. I was planning my nano tank mod for a long time and bought bits of equipment little bit at a time over the last year. One of the things I bought was a small media reactor.

My question was really regarding my main tank, and the problem with it is of course me, the owner! It is over stocked for its size.

Things are maintained by frequent water changes but I was thinking back to a couple of years ago when my maintenance schedule slipped ( initially due to illness)
I am slowly adding corals back into my DT and am looking into ways of maintaining better water quality.
With the nano tank as it has a much smaller volume I thought that this would be helpful ( I do have a skimmer for the nano tank as well)

I am having second thoughts about it now.

 

[PCDS]

My reading did suggest that it is more likely to cause problems if you tried to use it to correct a very high nitrate level in an established aquarium vs a new set up. On that note nitrates 0 on my DT today (4days after last water change) that can't be right. I'd like to think that the recent frequent water changes have paid off- but more likely defective test kit!

I'm getting a new test kit this weekend! And still getting next change ready.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

Is there any way you can reduce your bioload? This would probably be the best solution.

If that's not an option, a refugium with macroalgae would probably be the best next step. It's natural, pretty fool-proof if you go with an easy grower like chaeto, and it's cheap (chaeto is something like $10 USD for a huge ball).

If you don't have the room for a 'fuge, you could potentially look into carbon dosing (vodka, vinegar, sugar, etc). This is definitely an advanced method of phosphate and nitrate removal, but the consensus appears to be that it works when applied appropriately. ReefKeeping has a good primer on carbon dosing, which I would definitely recommend reading and understanding before moving forward. The basic principle, however, is that you supply a source of organic carbon to your tank (vodka, vinegar, sugar, etc), bacteria in the water use it to multiply, the bacteria then eat the nitrates and phosphates, and your skimmer removes the bacteria from the water column before they die and decompose into nitrates themselves.

Like I said, I would use this as a last resort, as it's a very advanced method of filtration that requires attention and a VERY good skimmer... but lots of reefers are having success dosing sources of organic carbon.

Interesting fact, bio-pellets are essentially carbon dosing, as they're an organic source of carbon for heterotrophic bacteria to eat.