White "bacteria?" Growing in NP reactor.

[mbdave]

I have a reactor with NP pellets the SWC product and I noticed today that I have some white substance growing in the reactor. It's not alot but it's catching in the grate in the top that keeps the media from escaping. I used vodka in the past and noticed the white streamers growing in my tank after sometime. I wonder if this is the same a bacteria growth? If it is it makes me wonder if it's also feeding the tank? Any help or same experiencees would help.
Thanks,
Dave

 

[Reefmack]

Hi Dave. It's probably the bacterial "mulm" that a lot of pellet users experience. Same type thing that you saw with vodka dosing. I never had it develop in my pellet reactor, but from what I read it's pretty common. I think it will eventually disappear. Do you have a lot of fluidization of the pellets? That is supposed to help to keep it from forming. Have you got the output from the reactor close to the skimmer intake? That's recommended.

 

[mbdave]

Hi Dave. It's probably the bacterial "mulm" that a lot of pellet users experience. Same type thing that you saw with vodka dosing. I never had it develop in my pellet reactor, but from what I read it's pretty common. I think it will eventually disappear. Do you have a lot of fluidization of the pellets?

(You mean "tossing" around? if so yeah they throw around pretty well and I might even turn it up a bit now see if I can get the stuff to pass.)

That is supposed to help to keep it from forming. Have you got the output from the reactor close to the skimmer intake? That's recommended.

(No its on the other side of the divider but I( can get a longer hose and route it there.)
Thanks,
Dave

 

[Reefmack]

Yep - tossing around is a better way to put it! I'm finally starting to see good things with mine, since hooking up a more powerful reactor pump - all the pellets are tossing now, instead of a trickle on one side of the reactor.

Short video of the flow in my reactor since I increased the flow:



They recommend the reactor output be close to the skimmer input to pull in the bacterial gunk from the reactor.

 

[mbdave]

Yeah my reactor is bigger but the pellets toss around about the same. Terry I have not had a trace of nitrate or phosphate yet and I feed 2-4 times a day with the tank going since Jan. 10th this year. Its amazing so far and the coral colors are very nice.

 

[Reefmack]

That result is worth putting up with some bacterial snot LOL!

 

[steved13]

+1 Definitely sounds like the mulm. I would raise the flow if you can, and get the return line closer to the skimmer intake. You could open the reactor and clean the screens and put the same pellets back in, it shouldn't interfere with anything.

 

[mbdave]

Well what I thought was silt in the bottom of my sump was for the most part snot. My tank is just fine at this time so I wonder just how much of that is being utilized as food?

 

[steved13]

It's supposed to be good coral food.

 

[mbdave]

Sweeeeeet. As my nephews would say.

 

[Reefmack]

If you reroute your reactor output to near the skimmer inlet you should help alleviate a lot or all of that snotty bacterial mulm. For some reason I've never seen any of the stuff, but my reactor outlet is very close to my skimmer inlet.

 

[mbdave]

The only requirement now is to lift my lazy hind end and go buy a hose. That is a whole lot to ask for I have gotten pretty lazy.......

 

[steved13]

Terry, after awhile try gently stirring your substrate, you'll probably find it kind of "clumpy" or "filmy" the bacteria chains like to cling to the substrate. If you vac it frequently you won't see it of course, but if you have an area that sits a little I'd bet you see it.

 

[mbdave]

I wonder how this would work in a FOLR tank at controlling nitrates?

 

[Reefmack]

Terry, after awhile try gently stirring your substrate, you'll probably find it kind of "clumpy" or "filmy" the bacteria chains like to cling to the substrate. If you vac it frequently you won't see it of course, but if you have an area that sits a little I'd bet you see it.

I just leveled a lot of my substrate Saturday (Pistol Shrimp and Damsel like to shift it) and didn't notice any clumping at all. I probably should look closer in the sump, but my reactor outlet is about 1/2" from the skimmer inlet - maybe that's why no mulm.

 

[Reefmack]

I wonder how this would work in a FOLR tank at controlling nitrates?

I can't see why it wouldn't work in a FOWLR.

 

[steved13]

+1 Should work just as well, I think because fish aren't as succeptible to nitrates and phosphates is why it's more popular for reefs.

 

[Rhodes19]

I'm tagging along on this thread.

 

[mbdave]

Performed my tri-weekly grid cleaning on my pellet reactor thought I would post some pic's. These pictures are from different angles of the grid at the top "discharge" of the reactor.

This is the side of the reactor not as much build up but it's there.

Dave

 

[Reefmack]

Were you still getting flow through the reactor? Itr looks pretty plugged up.