LA Fishguy Bio Pellets video

[kien]

Found this interesting video on Bio Pellets from LA Fishguy. Has a cool new reactor design, a decent experiment and a good theory on why bioPellets have been problematic for some people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLhmI...e_gdata_player

[lastlight]

Creative use of a single pump to recirc and also pull from sump and put it back I like.

They mention stripping things out too fast... I wish there was an answer for people like me with algae doing just fine and levels of p04 close to or zero on a meter and nitrates the same. I can't really adjust a reactor properly when according to tests these levels are super low (they mustn't be though).

[MarkoD]

Originally Posted by lastlight

Creative use of a single pump to recirc and also pull from sump and put it back I like.

They mention stripping things out too fast... I wish there was an answer for people like me with algae doing just fine and levels of p04 close to or zero on a meter and nitrates the same. I can't really adjust a reactor properly when according to tests these levels are super low (they mustn't be though).

They might be low because the algae has absorbed them. And then when it startts dying off, won't it release everything back?

[kien]

Originally Posted by MarkoD

They might be low because the algae has absorbed them. And then when it startts dying off, won't it release everything back?

I would agree. Without a nitrate sink like bioPellets or zeo or some such thing, the nitrates are being efficiently consumed by macro algaes in the tank thus giving you that zero or low reading. What you then have to do is harvest that algae or get something to eat it. I guess it's sort of like having a refugium in your display tank? :-)

Now having said that, it was suggested here and I've heard/read many times that you don't necessarily want your nitrates and phosphates to be zero. Various organisms need some level of these nutrients.

[Coleus]

*Sigh* now where can i buy this reactor lol. I think i should just unplugged the reactor and let the chaeto does it job and trim it more frequently.

[MarkoD]

Originally Posted by Coleus

*Sigh* now where can i buy this reactor lol. I think i should just unplugged the reactor and let the chaeto does it job and trim it more frequently.

Honestly. I've been just growing cheato and mangroves. Im maintaining 0 nitrates and very low phosphates no problem.