New reactor design for bio pellets reactor

[Coleus]

Yesterday i cleaned my bio pellets reactor and got to say i did not like cleaning it so I did some searching for new toy and see this thread

http://reefbuilders.com/2011/10/23/a...in-biopellets/


With the unique way of side spinning pellets, I am curious if it will reduce pellets clogging problem, thus reduce the cleaning part.

Your thoughts?

[Reef Pilot]

I have a Vertex UF-20 with a Mag 5 pump (also run my chiller off the same pump), and it works beautifully. I ramped mine up gradually, but eventually had the full 1000 ml Vertex pellet bag in it, and it was tumbling nicely right to the top. I have been running it now for about 6 months and have never had any pellets clumping or clogging. What's important though, is not to use the sponge filters. Instead I used a mesh both top and bottom.

[The Grizz]

I have 3 NextReef MR1 and I imagine its like most other reactors, water flows in threw 2 holes in the bottom. From what I see of these is there is a series of small holes in 4 rows inside where the pellets are. I could easily see this working much better and might just have to modify one of my reactors to give it a go.

[Coleus]

hmm interesting, don't you get clogging with all the mulms got created? I ran mine on deltec fr 509 with no sponge but eventually it will clog up over time.

[Coleus]

Originally Posted by The Grizz

I have 3 NextReef MR1 and I imagine its like most other reactors, water flows in threw 2 holes in the bottom. From what I see of these is there is a series of small holes in 4 rows inside where the pellets are. I could easily see this working much better and might just have to modify one of my reactors to give it a go.

what interesting me in this design is that it spin the pellets around instead of tossing it up toward the out let, which make it less logging. I am not sure how to modify my reactor to make it spin like that

[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.

[Lance]

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

I have a Vertex UF-20 with a Mag 5 pump (also run my chiller off the same pump), and it works beautifully. I ramped mine up gradually, but eventually had the full 1000 ml Vertex pellet bag in it, and it was tumbling nicely right to the top. I have been running it now for about 6 months and have never had any pellets clumping or clogging. What's important though, is not to use the sponge filters. Instead I used a mesh both top and bottom.

This is exactly what I do as well except I use a Mag 7 which runs the Vertex pellet rector, a BRS reactor for carbon and a TLF reactor for GFO.

[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.

[apexifd]

I bought one of these back in November, but still have not put it online yet. Also with potential tank upgrade, I might just hold it off till then.

Will provide a quick review when I have it up and running.

[Lampshade]

Mine ran great for a year in a TLF 500. I have about 500ml in my tank. Just recently the reactor has been fine, but the HOSE is the one clogging. I have this Tee'd off my return with LOTS of flow, but so much mulm builds up in the hose that once it clogged it was continuing to clog daily for a week or 2. I replaced the hose 2 times during this only to have the new hose clog and get cleaned out, swapped direction and it would run for another day. Anyways... to fix it I changed how the TLF used flow so that i could get a better less turbulent turnover. I removed the bottom plate, and since the top plate is attached with a rubber fitting, I directed the bottom of the downspout to the edge of the reactor. This causes everything to turnover in a nice roll, seems to work well. No more clogging .

These new reactors seem to do that(just sideways), and the large spout size looks like it would provide enough flow with a smaller pump. My TLF with a MJ1200 wouldn't get anything close to the turnover I wanted because of the small openings, these would probably work well with a MJ since there would be little back pressure.