New reactor design for bio pellets reactor

[Coleus]

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

I have never had mine clog, and never clean it. The only maintenance is to pour in more pellets when it gets low (about every 3 months).

If your reactor is tumbling properly, there is no mulm. All the bacteria stays with the pellets as they slowly dissolve. I've heard that tumbling too fast is not good either.

Also, I use MB7, which seeds the right bacteria for these pellets. And I have never had a cyano problem either, and I use the full 1000 ml bag for my 100 g tank. The trick, I think, is to ramp up slowly, and heavy use of MB7 initially.

any chance you can show us how your pellets tumble?

So i guess the key for success is fast flow and soaked pellets very well

[phi delt reefer]

coleus - have a look at the new reef dynamic biopellet reactors. dedicated tumbling pump which has enough suction to pull in water from your sump as well. its hard to explain but you will understand after you see the videos on their product page. there is some very good info on bio pellets and there use that you might like to see.

http://www.reefdynamics.com/Reef-Dyn...s-p/bpr135.htm

[Coleus]

Originally Posted by The Grizz

I too have 1000 ml in my reactor and have not had them clog up but I am running a 2500 gph pump dedicated on them as well.

2500 gph, wow that is crazy haha. I used mj1200 on mine, probably that is why it is keep logging

[Coleus]

Originally Posted by phi delt reefer

coleus - have a look at the new reef dynamic biopellet reactors. dedicated tumbling pump which has enough suction to pull in water from your sump as well. its hard to explain but you will understand after you see the videos on their product page. there is some very good info on bio pellets and there use that you might like to see.

http://www.reefdynamics.com/Reef-Dyn...s-p/bpr135.htm

thanks, will check this out.

[The Grizz]

With my reactor filled with 1000 ml of pellets it's a little more then half full & with the pump on the pellets only get to about 3" from the top. The only time I tune off the pump is to put more pellets in.

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by Coleus

any chance you can show us how your pellets tumble?

So i guess the key for success is fast flow and soaked pellets very well

OK, will try to get a vid of it and post the You-tube link here.

[Coleus]

here is link to mine http://www.youtube.com/embed/UaEi5WkkMUg

I think the tumbling is ok but eventually it will clog because of the mulms. I am using MJ1200 pump right now but if i put a higher pump, the pellets get tossed to the top and clog right there or passed through the screen.

[Reef Pilot]

OK, here is mine. Sorry for the really crappy vid, though. Only had my BB available. That line in the middle is the water line in the sump, in case you were wondering. But it does show the amount of tumbling in my UF-20. It is only about half full now, and needs to be filled up again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU94i...QKxohK_Q4dg-E2

[Coleus]

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

OK, here is mine. Sorry for the really crappy vid, though. Only had my BB available. That line in the middle is the water line in the sump, in case you were wondering. But it does show the amount of tumbling in my UF-20. It is only about half full now, and needs to be filled up again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU94i...QKxohK_Q4dg-E2

Ok i don't get it, mine pellets are tumbling similar to your but after a week or so, mulms start to get clogged at the top screen

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by Coleus

Ok i don't get it, mine pellets are tumbling similar to your but after a week or so, mulms start to get clogged at the top screen

Sorry, but I missed what brand pellet reactor you have? Mine is the Vertex UF-20 using a Mag 5 pump, but also running through my chiller. It has 3/4 diameter tubing, so can handle quite a bit of flow. It is tall, and takes a very small footprint, which I like, too.

I replaced (as recommended for bio pellets) the top and bottom foam screens with mesh. If I left the foam ones in place, for sure they would clog. When I fill it with 1000 ml pellets, it is tumbling about 2 inches below the top, but not high enough to stick to the mesh screen and clog.

I do wash the pellets in warm water and soak over night first before adding to the reactor. I started off very slowly, though, and took about a month or more, before I filled it up to the top. And I use that MB7 as mentioned before.

But, no, have never had them clog, and always tumbled nicely, even after a few power outages (up to 6 hours), they always started up fine. And I don't have any mulm anywhere, in my tank, or sump. I also feed the output of my reactor to the input of my skimmer.