Once a month as in dumping in pellets once a month? Um, nope! You fill a reactor full of the pellets. You decide how much you want to run depending on your tank size and fish load. The pellets will start to be consumed by bacteria which also consumes Nitrates and Phosphates at the same time. You do not need to dump out the pellets and replace them (like GFO or carbon; not like that at all). Just let the pellets get consumed and as they deplete, top up your reactor as needed. They do not deplete that quickly actually. I have been running a liter of pellets for about 3 months now and still do not see a need to top up the pellets. In theory these pellets should last a year, so you're really looking at maybe $16 a month to run these. I'm not sure how much Nitrate reducing chemicals or ZeoRocks are but for $16 a month to have my nitrates dropped to zero seems like a smoking deal to me. Also, you can not overdose these pellets to just fill that bad boy (your reactor) with pellets (but make sure the pellets tumble!!).

The initial purchase price is high but you get a LOT of longevity out of them.

Kien pretty much nailed it down. You don't replace these, you just let them get used up.

When you get a chance read my thread (yeah, it's long, but you don't see anyone complaining about DOUG'S thread, so .. um .. yeah, so there. MINE has stuff like pictures and regular test results and stuff.)

@Doug - I was just getting at that I don't think the Coral Snow had anything to do with the LPS issues she had shortly after. Binding agents blah blah blah whatever, it's all good. :) But thought it worth mentioning that when I hear torch lost a head and so on, I immediate think brown jelly disease. It's a nasty nasty phenomenon, happens every so often though. Lost some Euphyllia myself this way. :( One day the coral is fine, the next day it is literally gone and if you don't notice the brown jelly right away it too will disappear thus leaving behind no evidence of what transpired. Just a dead coral skeleton. :(

FWIW, I do Coral Snow every day. No issues that I know of, just cleaner looking water. It should be a fairly safe thing to use if you ever wanted to try it again, Carmen..

I nailed it.. hehehehehe.. sorry, that was really juvenile of me.. :lol:

Anyway, as you've already mentioned Carmen, Kevin has got them running at the store now, have a look at them as that pretty much demonstrates exactly how they work. You will see that in a month from now the pellets are still there, doing their thing.. and in two-three-four months from now the pellets will still be in there doing there thang :biggrin:

Actually that doesn't sound so bad then Kien...perhaps something I will check out!

Tony, I PROMISE I will read your thread okay! I am sure it's full of excellent information! Thank you for all your insight into the pellets!
As for the coral snow...I refuse to believe it was a coincidence. I have read of others having similar occurences right after adding the coral snow...not exactly sure what the "bad combination" was that caused the LPS losses but it was all too ironic for it to suddenly happen right after adding it. Perhaps it is a combination of the snow and something else in my particular tank at that particular time but...I guess I will never know and am hesitant to try it again. I did check for brown jelly and dipped. (I have seen brown jelly before). But these corals literally just fell off their skeleton in one day.
The pellets are something I will consider if the nitrates do not resolve. I do have to remember that this is a new system and I tend to rush things a little working at the store and such. Just too easy to bring something home every week.:redface: I will try to check those nitrates today.
Thanks guys!

I wouldn't suggest to you the pellets if I thought there was any reason to be hesitant.

The coral snow thing - it really doesn't matter to me if you use this or not as it's a total cosmetic thing for the most part - sort of like whether you use 10k or 14k lights - it's totally personal choice; however - from all I understand about it, in my mind there's no way it did your LPS in.

Unfortunately what you describe is a typical LPS way to go. It's RTN in a way like for SPS, but on a bigger scale. I've seen that happen on torch, frogspawn and other Euphyllia sp., candycane, brains, etc. It can literally happen overnight. I'm 100% certain that was coincidence for you.

But like I said ... I'm not trying to convince you to use Coral Snow. It's not a product you *need* to run.

Pellets on the other hand ... you will be amazed at what possibilities they open for you.

Retested my Nitrates and they are still high...around 25. So....I picked up some NP Biopellets! Thought I better snag some from RC since I am sure they will be sold out within a few days! They were a very POPULAR item this week at the shop.
I need to do some reading on them (ie Kien and Tony's thread!) and I had planned on using a TLF reactor for now...since I have access to one.:wink:

I think they will work out nicely for you. There are two sort of key learnings I can distill out of that whole thread of mine for you:

1) The pellets need to be fluidized in your reactor, dancing and churning around all the time
2) Don't worry about the overall volume of pellets at first, just get the TLF reactor say about 1/2 full. It's more important that they are fluidized in the reactor than it is how much you have of them.

Smaller learnings maybe include:
1) Presoak the pellets overnight before using so that they're good and waterlogged, otherwise you'll have startup issues with them floating to the top
2) Cut the foam sponges in half, or go and get some quilting mesh to use instead. All you want to insure that pellets can't get to where you don't want them - but sponges are a little bit too restrictive and are also more prone to clogging over time.

Any questions with them - ask away! We're here for ya'!!!

So I did indeed pick up some of the N/P Reducing Pellets from RC last week and tracked down another TLF reactor to use for now.
(And Tony I have read through 21 pages of your thread...may take me a few more days...:wink:)
I retested my nitrates today and they are still around 20.
Hooked up the reactor with a MJ1200 and giving it a go. Already noticing some clumping at the very top so I will likely have to remove some of the pellets tomorrow.
http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r...chTank0001.jpg

Also grabbed a Canary Wrasse since I have some pyramillid snails that I need dealt with and the last time I tried one they seemed to keep the pests in check.
http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r...chTank0009.jpg

Kevin treated me to a couple of Fire Shrimp...love the little guys. Thanks Kev! Couldn't get a good pic cuz they are in the back part of the rocks.
http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r...chTank0024.jpg

And thought I would snap a pic of my tiny little sps collection. Starting slow and easy but they are looking good so far!
http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r...chTank0021.jpg
http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r...chTank0020.jpg

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r...chTank0026.jpg

Very very nice.. :mrgreen:

Says the girl on page 33 of her own thread :p

Everything is looking nice. BTW, you have wayyyy more SPS than I do. So you're now "one of them". Deny all you like. You have fuzzy sticks in your tank!!!!!!

WoW lookin Good :cool:

And yet...you've read them all haven't you Tony...must be something more to mine than just pellets!:lol::wink: JK...Your thread is jam packed full of very informative stuff...about pellets!:biggrin:

:surprise:You know once you get a few fuzzy sticks...they kinda grow on ya!:redface: But...I don't think I'd be calling me "one of them" just yet!:wink:

Thanks Josh and Shawn!

Welcome to the Dark Side! :twised:

Hmm, let's see. Stage 1 ... "Denial." Check!

Congrats on sliding down that slippery slope. :)

PS. I have read every single page of your thread. In some cases more than once!

:redface: Ya think??? Aw Come on, you all know I am still and always will be a sucker for the softies and LPS! (Assuming my new pellets don't kill off all my LPS Tony!!:neutral::lol:).........perhaps I am in denial....hmmm...:redface:

So I even have TONY hooked! Every page? More than once?:surprise::lol:

Carmen, the tank looks great! But beware the power of the fuzzy sticks!

It starts the same way for everyone: buy a few frags and lose a couple but the others don't die: they grow! They grow so fast compared to LPS you start to believe. I can grow SPS! Then the little frags grow into small colonies and you begin to wonder why they are considered tough to keep. The small colonies grow into beautiful large colonies and you start to think you are the "WUNDERBAR OF SPS".
Then it happens: You wake up one morning and one or more of your beautiful big colonies is bleaching out. You don't know why! There is no apparent reason for it. Next thing you know they're dead and you're humbled. This scenario plays over and over and over again. But can you give them up? NO! The fuzzy sticks have a mystic power about them. You buy more to replace the ones you lost and so on.....and so on......and so on.....................

Oh Lance! You make me want to stop NOW! Freakin me out! I know that sps is abit of a gamble...I lost a bunch when I tried them in the 72G. Hence the reason I am not convinced I want to be a sps junkie! Perhaps a happy mixed reef would be ideal for me...if I can keep everything happy. That is probably a challenge in itself!:wink: Perhaps the reason this hobby is soooo addicting is the challenge! If it were "easy" we wouldn't be so inclined to keep throwing money into it and trying over and over...:smile:

No, don't stop. We're just teasin' ! Just have some fun with it. :)

Sexy tank! :biggrin:

REALLY? cool! no one has ever called it sexy! :lol: Yay me!

that is a great description!:biggrin:............................. ......of the tank I mean:wink:

Carmen, I'm just givin' ya the gears! :lol:
SPS, although frustrating at times, are very rewarding corals as they grow so fast when conditions are right. "The trick is keeping them happy".

Definitions of S.P.S:

1. (short ver.) - Short Polyp Stony

2. (long ver.) - Read below.


:mrgreen:

Grrr......so I've been distracted from the tank these days. I just can't spend as much time as I would like on things. And this morning I came down to a cloudy tank..... new canary wrasse has been MIA and so I believe that may be contributing to my issues today. Skimmer was semi-full last night but I just didn't get to emptying it and it over-foamed all into the sump (touchy skimmer...I think I need to empty it more regularily...) Tank is super cloudy. Will try to do that but...once again...life just has things kinda tough these days to spend quality time on the tank maintenance...Just ripped out my skimmer (which is no easy task) and gave it a thorough cleaning incase that is contributing to the overfoaming issues) And now I have to find some time today to do a water change.
For now...I need to go get a prescription for a strep-throat that has been killing me for 9 DAYS! Stupid walk-in clinic JUST got around to calling me today!!!!! And ofcourse the Dr. wouldn't give it to me when I went in 4 days ago because it "may be just viral"!!! AHHHHHH.......my throat is killing me and I hate walk-in clinics! Sorry for the vent....!!!!!!!:sad::neutral:

Ahhh strep is nasty!! :( Hope you feel better soon! Sorry to hear of the walk-in clinic. I find they can be so hit and miss. Last time I had strep it was really just the wait that was the killer, but once I got in, the doctor (she had a wicked Scottish accent) was all "Och! Aye that be a wee spot'o grungy in therrrrrre" (I had the nastiest looking throat). Anyhow, good luck.

FWIW, my canary wrasse goes MIA very often. What happens though is that if startled, or sleeping, or even just needing a nap in the daytime, they'll swim right into the sandbed and bury themselves instantly. I've only once gotten to witness it happen, he literally just swam into the sand. There was a small "poof" of sand for about a second but once it cleared there was literally NO indication whatsoever that there was a wrasse hidden in the sand at that spot. There are many times I come down to feed the tank and he's gone to bed, he'll be the only one I can't spot, but then the next day he's out swimming again as if nothing abnormal ever happened.

So, ... hopefully this is the case here too.

They are potential jumpers though. I lost my first canary wrasse to jumping. I had an eggcrate cover for the tank but it apparently was no impediment to his trajectory. :(

Sorry you're not feeling well step really sucks :sad: Hope your canary shows up.

Ok lets see if I can get this straight.
1 the pellets take away PO4
2 take away nitrates
3 do they drop the ALk in the tank.
4 does this replace the phosban that I use.
5 do you have to soak over night to waterlog them.
6. is it cheaper to run the biopellets vs the Phosban since the phosban actually last about 5-6 days depending on how much po4 in your tank

Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No, but it's probably better to do so (I never bothered though)
Yes

:mrgreen:

ok then I guess that im going to be buying some way to go TOny making me spend more money. YOU, Kevin,Carmen from RC hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm dodgy lol
how much are they for the big pack

Ya Strep sucks!!! And after 9 days...it's a doozy!:sad:

Unfortunately I have gone through 3 canary wrasses now...:redface:. Always to jumping but this one is not on the floor...It did have a wound so perhaps it dug into the sand and never came out? Funnt mine have always jumped through the mesh too! I think they must jump STRAIGHT UP!!:neutral:


Thanks Laurie.

I too succumbed to the pressure to jump on the bandwagon! :redface: You might as well Mike...everybody's doin it!:twised: I think they cost about $115 for the big bag. Or you can buy them in the kit with the reactor $230ish???not sure on that one though...

It's the new fad Mike! Gotta have the 3D TV, a netbook and the N-P pellets.

hey netbooks are cool. as for NP-pellets, i won't touch them with a 10 foot pole.

Vertex UF15, 1 Ltr of NP pellets , Pump, and Plumbing (for in-sump). $269.99
Kevin

Kev you are a Jack lol and I have a reactor and i will just need the pellets once im back from Edmonton. and plus i have some stuff to buy WINK WINK and i have to get some salt with Laurie in Edmonton. ya spend money like its nothing.:smile:

Hmmmmmmmm
 

Might have to bite the bullet on this as well once I get the rest of the cash from my 155 BF that just sold.

Hey Carmen hope you feel better soon

Thanks Kev! Couldn't remember exact price!:wink:


And Mike what's the point of having money if you don't spend it! :wink::razz:

Thanks Greg.

HOLY Crap! What do I do if my nems are spawning or spewing or something?? I think I know why the tank is cloudy! I went to start my water change and noticed my nem spewing cloudy stuff. Completed my W/C and now the other one is too!!! Is it gonna nuke my tank????? They are looking aweful. Some of the corals look ticked. Fish are okay. But I just did a Nitrate test and it's now 40!!!! WTF!????
Here's a video: (if it works)
http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r...chTank0007.jpg

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r...chTank0004.jpg
http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r...chTank0001.jpg
The other nem looking crappy before it started spewing too!
http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r...chTank0008.jpg
http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r...chTank0011.jpg

Oh, wow Carmen. Not sure what you could do other than make a big batch of water to keep changing it. Especially if your nitrates are spiking. Hopefully it won't last long.

1) Don't panic
2) Keep your skimmer working
3) Carbon and lots of it
4) Don't panic
5) As big a water change as you can handle tomorrow. No sense in doing it now, let them finish ... it will take a while.

Been there! Not a pleasant smell is it? Actually it's fairly .. um .. unmistakable. Weird how some things are universal.

Don't panic! It will be OK.

Oh .. they will have a "spent" look to them for a few days. They're not dead or dieing, they're just .. yeah, "spent." (Insert Austin Power impersonation here..)