If I remember, from when I first started investigating using them, the reason you want to plumb it is not only because of the good for the bacteria, but primarily because of the co-polymers within the plastic. Basically what the pellet is made of, in addition to the actual mulm(the shedding that they do) that the pellets give off.. It supposedly is a lot, and something you don't get from dosing vinegar, vodka, etc(other forms of carbon dosing).
I can't remember, but for example, I dose vodka before using pellets. And the skim is vastly different, nastier(thus, I began overdoing my skimmer sizes ever since) and stinks a massive amount more.. I remember Jeff(reef dynamics) explaining it more eloquently, but basically that's one of the reasons.. And when you first begin or set up your reactor, you don't even have the bacteria count to consume what would normally not go into your system, so if the skimmer pulls it fast(wet skim), then you don't have it cycling in the system..
That's what I remember, as I've been using pellets for probably 4 to 5 years total I believe.. And it also makes a big difference the type of reactor, whether it's single pass or recirculation.. The difference is very much in the independent control of the effluent and tumble rate.. Recirculation is, as I have come to discover for media(even gfo, calcium rector and carbon) one of the most advantageous things you can implement in a reactor..
And in my reactor, I typically have to top off about 2 oz every 6 to 8 months. Of course this will depend on things such as your tumble, tank size, effluent(pass through rate), etc.. And then, even on this system,i have never run it at or equal to 50% open(more like 1/4 open) after the initial break in of the pellets. On setup of the reactor,i have water flowing through it, but pretty much just a trickle stream(the advantage of a recirculation reactor). Then, once that initial and crazy all of a sudden drop happens(its pretty amazing, as it always happens over the course of two days that it can potentially drop nitrate easily 20ppm or more, thus the danger in using pellets), I dial it in(the effluent rate via the valve), so that it drops very slowly. Then, it's pretty much just a thing of getting the rate to the level I want to maintain(basically testing every two days) Other than that, honestly, I don't touch it.
Its really a set it up and forget it thing as long as you have the right type of reactor and pellets.. No sticking, no muss, no fuss..
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