Looking for opinions on using BioPellets

[Etaloche]

I actually think I did this recently when I decided to start dosing a bit of vodka in preparation to have pellets running. Must've dosed a little too much and woke up to hazy water and a copepod population explosion in my tank. The other thing I noticed is that the small bits of cyano and algae that started to grow completely disappeared. Seems as though the bacteria bloom over competed them for nutrients and starved them out or maybe the pods ate them? In any case in my experience the opposite happened where an overdose completely starved out the cyano. Didn't notice any browning and if anything my corals looked happier than ever once the water cleared up and light could penetrate the water properly again.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Originally Posted by brisco

It seems that is the idea with the Hydroton and biopellets just build on that idea but give the bacteria a food source as well.

Actually wet/dry is purely for aerobic bacteria (ammonia & nitrite consuming) whereas Hydroton also provides an anaerobic environment inside the porous clay balls for nitrate consuming anaerobic bacteria. Wet/dry systems worked for fish only tanks but were nitrate factories so bad for reef tanks.

[Bugger]

I ran a wet dri with a reef never had any issues. It's totally fine to use unless somehow dead fish or full pieces of shrimp somehow end up in it

[brisco]

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

Actually wet/dry is purely for aerobic bacteria (ammonia & nitrite consuming) whereas Hydroton also provides an anaerobic environment inside the porous clay balls for nitrate consuming anaerobic bacteria. Wet/dry systems worked for fish only tanks but were nitrate factories so bad for reef tanks.

What I was getting at is that is Hyroton is similar in that it gives the beneficial bacteria a place to colonize, similar to a wet/dry, but I guess that it provides for both aerobic and anerobic. It does not provide a food source. It that all correct or I am missing something?