Anybody had a bad/disappointed experience with biopellets?

[Antics]

Adding onto what Dave said, I think that what T5s hope to achieve and what LEDs hope to achieve are not necessarily the same thing. In terms of results, we all want thriving reefs with corals that show great coloration and growth. However, the way in which T5s go about achieving this is obviously going to be very different than LED. I don't think its a question of good vs bad or ideal vs adequate. I've used LEDs and T5s and while I think LED has a number of great advantages (heat, controlability, form factor, upkeep cost) they also have many disadvantages (difficult to quantify results, high initial cost, and the issues Dave mentioned).

Speaking on a personal level, when I was considering getting back into the hobby I knew I was going the RSM route, and I specifically chose the C-250 over the E-260 because I wanted T5s and not LEDs. To each their own! This is somewhat off topic of the photosynthesis and chlorophyll but it relates to the over all goal of the discussion, which is to be successful in this hobby!

 

[cracker]

All very good info, Please continue the discussion .
As for nitrates it's zero. Don't have a recent po4 reading I will get all new tests this week. I do think it's there just tied up in the algae and in this old Lr I have. I think the rock was loaded up before I got it !
I really don't know how the skimate smells. I will check that out. I do know it tastes terrible. It's an older ASM G4x with a sedra needle wheel. I think I run it wet. I get a very dark color and can fill the huge cup 3/4 in a week plus a couple of days. Slime algae is a very good description of this stuff. In the pic it looks lite brown and the rock it looks white. I scrub it off and the rock looks pretty good . However in a few weeks it returns. Any way If I absolutely have to tear the tank down and cook or replace the rock, I won't be happy ! So I have the lights adjusted properly and running 7 hrs. I increase the flow big time. I got all the rock out the ref. I added some chaeto and hung a ecosmart 5k flood light over it. All I can do is wait and see what happens. That's Ok I honestly enjoy the challenge.

 

[PCDS]

really don't know how the skimate smells. I will check that out. I do know it tastes terrible.

does this mean what I think it does?!?

 

[MatroxD]

All very good info, Please continue the discussion .
As for nitrates it's zero. Don't have a recent po4 reading I will get all new tests this week. I do think it's there just tied up in the algae and in this old Lr I have. I think the rock was loaded up before I got it !
I really don't know how the skimate smells. I will check that out. I do know it tastes terrible. It's an older ASM G4x with a sedra needle wheel. I think I run it wet. I get a very dark color and can fill the huge cup 3/4 in a week plus a couple of days. Slime algae is a very good description of this stuff. In the pic it looks lite brown and the rock it looks white. I scrub it off and the rock looks pretty good . However in a few weeks it returns. Any way If I absolutely have to tear the tank down and cook or replace the rock, I won't be happy ! So I have the lights adjusted properly and running 7 hrs. I increase the flow big time. I got all the rock out the ref. I added some chaeto and hung a ecosmart 5k flood light over it. All I can do is wait and see what happens. That's Ok I honestly enjoy the challenge.

Yeah, don't break it down.. And lol,I hope you haven't tasted your skim.. [emoji14] [emoji14] [emoji14]

And yes, the reason I was asking about the skim is because if I remember correctly, it was when I was running Halides for some reason.. But, on pellets, your skim stinks and smells extremely different.. And you have to wet skim to rid all that stuff from floating in your water.. Take a look at the picture I'm attaching.. That is 4 days of skim.. It is with a skimz 251.. That skimmer, just for comparison and to think about it, is 11" in diameter,2 pumps and skims like nobody's business! It is rated for up to a 285 heavily stocked system by brs, and I think 780 heavy stocked by skimz. The point is, you need a heavy duty skimmer that is extremely easy to adjust. The picture shows the darkest i run it, so that it is liquid, but still concentrated.. Usually,I run it lighter and wetter.. But the goal is to get the stuff out of your system as fast as possible with pellets..

The annoying thing about slime algea, and me personally,a buddy broke it down to me, and I've pretty much followed with success.. He said "it's bacteria dude, so treat it as such, knock it out, and you may have to do it a couple times, but be done with it and not dick around, making your coral suffer".. And the pellets,I had an asm slimer on mine, and it did nothing to keep the level of mulm out of the system. And I even have a recirculation reactor for my pellets that I set to a slow trickle. Honestly, which you may want to seriously think about modding your pellet reactor to recirculation for more precise control. That one modification makes all the defence in using pellets, and I can't stress that enough...

So basically, before that,I had done all the flow increases, the black outs, the "it's your nutrient level" stuff, blah, blah.. And that's not against anyone,I just have an absolute stance on it.. I did two things.. First,I chem cleaned it.. That knocked it down.. Then, that's when I started overpowering my fuge..

It was at that point that I decided that I never really wanted to see algea in my display again.. I had fought it for long enough, and was literally sick of it.. This was over the course of about a year and a half.. So I just started with the mindset, that if it's going to grow, I'm gonna control where the ugly mess grows abd work on it.. I started with the sodium on mgr system and haven't looked back.. Now I'm running a full led fixture on the fuge, but it's very rare, and at the same time, annoying if I see even a single spot of algea in my display.. That tells me something really, really isn't right..And it's been like that for maybe 4 to 5 years..

So my advice, knock it out and be done with it.. Chemiclean, then 3 days later, carbon the Heck out of it to get your skimmer back up and running, and then, to keep it out of your display, do some heavy lighting on your fuge, our build an algea scrubber.. If you go the route with lighting the fuge, you're going to really need either a small sodium fixture(150 watts), or a full led grow fixture.. None of the little clamp on or screw in bulbs.. I'm talking about really, really making the stuff grow, keeping nutrient out of your system..

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[StirCrayzy]

Tagging along. What BP reactor are you using Cracker?

 

[cracker]

Lot of of good info Gentlemen. I get the part about red light to promote algae growth. I can add a couple of these red led strips I ran on the scrubber plus the flood light I have.I "could" put a serious 175 Mh light over the fuge. I think I will try the led strips 1st
.Matrox. what is your definition of a "full Led grow fixture" ?
Stir I have a reef octo 110 slowly added up to 4 cups for 200 gls.
As for the skimmer . I get the same color but not that much in 4 days. I will adjust and see how much and how dark I can get it. Now how does skimate taste? I DareYa !!!

 

[MatroxD]

Lot of of good info Gentlemen. I get the part about red light to promote algae growth. I can add a couple of these red led strips I ran on the scrubber plus the flood light I have.I "could" put a serious 175 Mh light over the fuge. I think I will try the led strips 1st
.Matrox. what is your definition of a "full Led grow fixture" ?
Stir I have a reef octo 110 slowly added up to 4 cups for 200 gls.
As for the skimmer . I get the same color but not that much in 4 days. I will adjust and see how much and how dark I can get it. Now how does skimate taste? I DareYa !!!

A full led fixture is one that runs 110 watts at least. Most of them in that range are equivalent in power to between a 300 and 400 watt hid fixture, but you gain two advantages over hid. One, no heat, and two, the intensity is actually better since it is closer to the plant(the cheato).. So it grows like crazy.. I use the mars hydro on my fuge, but I also have a vispar unit growing some tomatoes in a self built aeroponic system.. Something with some "kick" and real power to it.. And if you do go the hid route, hps does much better than halide because of the spectrum and power output..


And the skim is honestly quantity.. Realistically, you want a tea colored skim when using pellets. Mine is dark right now because I'm experimenting.. But typically mine is a bit lighter in color, and I collect more in that time..

Lol, and no, I cannot accept the offer/dare to taste some skim.. Lmao....

And fir your pellet reactor,I know ro makes two.. Which do you have? The recirc or single pass? And 4 cups of pellets is a lot! I run at most 16oz, and that is the extreme.. And that gets added all at once on initial start up. Usually it's more like 12oz, and that amount lasts at least a year, with a top off maybe once of 2 to 3 oz.. I have always thought and felt the single pass reactors for pellets were a joke(after using them frustratingly). The main and essential problem is, that the amount of force and flow you need to tumble your pellets smoothly, is far too much to sand out the effluent line.. Even on a regular basis, but much more so upon start up.. If that 12 to 16oz in the reactor, I barely have that thing open a third of the way(a nice little trickle water stream), and that keeps my nitrate at zero.. You don't need much at all going out and coming in contact with the pellets at all.. And then with the single pass, your throwing all that excess right on out, only hitting the pellets only one time.. The recirculation reactors are few, and cost a ton more(for pre fabricated), but they are worth their weight in platinum.. You can modify single pass reactors, and that's highly what I always suggest.. And then, you can and will see what those pellets really can do...


Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[cracker]

Good evening, I got the water tested today. Jason at "Orange Park Aquatics" is well trusted . so
sal 1.025.
Po4 0
No3 0
Ca 460
Kh 8.4
Mg 1280
I have zero nutrients? Well , I had 3 cups of pellets in the reactor . I took out a cup and will feed a little more. Matrox , do to financial restraints I have to work with what I have on hand.
The water filter is a 4 stage Oceanus. I have 2 new carbon cartridges, the Ro is still hanging, in there and the Di is new. The tds meter is still reading 0. Problem is I have all the patience needed and enjoy trying this and that. However My corals don't have the same luxury .

 

[MatroxD]

Good evening, I got the water tested today. Jason at "Orange Park Aquatics" is well trusted . so
sal 1.025.
Po4 0
No3 0
Ca 460
Kh 8.4
Mg 1280
I have zero nutrients? Well , I had 3 cups of pellets in the reactor . I took out a cup and will feed a little more. Matrox , do to financial restraints I have to work with what I have on hand.
The water filter is a 4 stage Oceanus. I have 2 new carbon cartridges, the Ro is still hanging, in there and the Di is new. The tds meter is still reading 0. Problem is I have all the patience needed and enjoy trying this and that. However My corals don't have the same luxury .

I hear you and understand completely.. That was a ton of pellets.. And the thing I was suggesting about the recirculation modification, it's pretty easy to do yourself. And really, all you need is some hose(the diameter of your feeding pump),a couple tees, and then I think, if I remember, two valves.. There's tons of YouTube videos on doing it, and examples.. And then, AVAST has an upgrade kit for their media reactors that you can base your mod off. But, believe me, I hear you on the constraints.. We all have them..

And your levels look good. But, it's prime for slime.. Unfortunately.. Let me finish this in a few

Ok, so the two things unfortunately about running low nutrients and pellets(like you, me, and many of the pellet users), is that it makes your system prime for slime algea.. And you then "have" to feed your coral in some sort of way.. But on the slime, I have read a ton on it, but, I never have been able to do anything concrete with mine if it ever shows up in a spot, besides, dial the reactor back a little, wait, and hope(which, for me, never does the job right)or just nuke it with chemi, and be done.. Usually, if you nuke it twice in a system with pellets, it usually won't rear it's pesky head again, unless something is very wrong..

For the food, that's where amino acids and the like come in.. Yes, you can feed more food to the fish, but for me at least, all that did was need with phosphates, and then,I never got the color and response I do from amino or dedicated coral food..

But that's honestly all I can think of about it.. I've had tons of personal experience with the slime over the years, so that's why I have the stance I do now with it.. And the thing about pellets that I had to find out, is that yes, they are great(honestly, they are what took my coral growing to the next level in confidence) but just like everything else, they do come with a cost..


Sent from my SM-N920F using Tapatalk

 

[MatroxD]

And on the t5 led discussion.. Red of any kind of light in my experience with plants, etc, can be overpowering.. You think there isn't much red, but in actuality, you don't need or require much at all.. And yes, you can mess up a lot with LEDs, simply because they are adjustable.. And it's very easy to do...

My guise and many of the great tanks over the years I have seen and observed utilizing led, is to think of them as cooler running Halides.. I honestly try to get a nice blue dominant color(for the longest I have always run the blues at 100, and only ramped over time the white/color channel, with that always being low), and then just leave it.. I may, after about a year of seeing how it performs, try another 10 to 20 percent on the color, but usually that isn't necessary and is counter productive.. I also do not do ramping over the day.. I give them full blast for about 6 hours, with a hour long ramp just to wake the fish calmly.. I run them just like a halide, on and off..


Now, when I added t5 in, it was more of a fill effect or desire I was looking for.. Yes, it has the benefit of adding more useable light to the coral(i use blue plus only), but that's not really my goal with them.. But I must admit, they are nice to have in addition to led..

But there are so many more things to worry about, that I try to keep it as simple as possible with lighting...

Sent from my SM-N920F using Tapatalk

 

[cracker]

Thanks Matrox There are a LOT of variables. Tonight I will do some research on slime algae.
Overall , thanks for the insight everybody!

 

[cracker]

well I was looking for slime algae And end up at" International Cannabis" site ! LMAO After that ,
I figured it was time to turn in for the night LOL

 

[MatroxD]

well I was looking for slime algae And end up at" International Cannabis" site ! LMAO After that ,
I figured it was time to turn in for the night LOL

Lmao.. Nice.. Ha ha ha.. Yes, probably a good sign to call it quits...

Sent from my SM-N920F using Tapatalk

 

[Mania25]

I'm just a beginner to salt water but I'm using biopellets and started off using the regular brown biopellets but then bought apparently the newest ones which are listed in the picture. All my readings are good, zero with everything and mg and calcium is where it is supposed to be, however regarding the biopellets, they are awful and stain everything, see pictures. My corals and fish are doing well apart from my rock anemone and Kenya tree which are starting to looked bleached. This can't be because of the light as I've always had the same light and they've always been bright. The skimmer is taking all the slime out caused by the biopellets degrading

.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cracker]

swish some of the pellets in a container and see if the brown stuff comes off them maybe,
In the 3rd pic this is skimate from the cup right?

 

[MatroxD]

I'm just a beginner to salt water but I'm using biopellets and started off using the regular brown biopellets but then bought apparently the newest ones which are listed in the picture. All my readings are good, zero with everything and mg and calcium is where it is supposed to be, however regarding the biopellets, they are awful and stain everything, see pictures. My corals and fish are doing well apart from my rock anemone and Kenya tree which are starting to looked bleached. This can't be because of the light as I've always had the same light and they've always been bright. The skimmer is taking all the slime out caused by the biopellets degrading

.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They(the all in one pellets) actually are known to do that typically and unfortunately.. I tried then when they first came out, and while my shedding was minimal, it was annoying, and reported heavily on another forum.. It led to those that continued utilizing them, to have the output of the pellet reactor go directly into a filter sock(fairly fine micron rating) to pick up all of the gfo that comes off the pellets..

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[MatroxD]

I'm just a beginner to salt water but I'm using biopellets and started off using the regular brown biopellets but then bought apparently the newest ones which are listed in the picture. All my readings are good, zero with everything and mg and calcium is where it is supposed to be, however regarding the biopellets, they are awful and stain everything, see pictures. My corals and fish are doing well apart from my rock anemone and Kenya tree which are starting to looked bleached. This can't be because of the light as I've always had the same light and they've always been bright. The skimmer is taking all the slime out caused by the biopellets degrading

.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They(the all in one pellets) actually are known to do that typically and unfortunately.. I tried then when they first came out, and while my shedding was minimal, it was annoying, and reported heavily on another forum.. It led to those that continued utilizing them, to have the output of the pellet reactor go directly into a filter sock(fairly fine micron rating) to pick up all of the gfo that comes off the pellets..

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[Mania25]

Yes that's the skimate that comes off them. I've got a filter sock one of those nylon ones which I had to swap for a clean one every two days as it get jammed and overflows. It's really messy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk