Bio Pellets - High N Low P

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by Metrontech

ok...running BP for around a month (shy a few days)

I had a high nitrate issue (60ppm) which is why I started and lowered them with a full clean on my sump (sucking up junk and waste) and tank and I have been able to get my nitrates to around 15ppm and steady.

If I didn't run GFO I would get high phosphates (I know we all would but this was not normal)

I took out my GFO and was hoping the BP would take over. It seems after getting my Nitrates lower with water changes and cleanup I have also gotten my phosphates low without GFO - 0.05

Currently running 1.5 cups of BP in a 2 fishies 150 reactor

Measured my Phos today and they are 0.05 and nitrates are around 15ppm

Would you say they are kicking in?

Seems like they are working, but maybe not enough yet to lower the nitrates more?

Just looking for some insight...

Thanks again

Sorry won't be much of help but biopellets are known to only lower nitrate and not phosphate. They do reduce phosphate but by a very little ratio compared to nitrate.

Another suggestion that I can put forward is that you may want to dose microbacter 7 while running biopellets to make sure that good bacteria grow and bad ones (e.g. cyano) doesn't start consuming the carbons.

You may want to include some more info (tank size, are the biopellets tumbling properly, type of tank, is the output of the reactor near or plumbed to the skimmer, etc.).

[Metrontech]

Thanks for the reply

I am running a 120 with a 5 sump

Reef Octopus 150 skimmer in sump. BP reactor is pointed directly to the skimmer and getting good skimate

Chaeto and Aqua Carbon 2.0

I realize the BP don't remove much phosphates, hence the post...

I have added 3 rounds of Bio Clean (same idea as the microbac 7)

I am assuming the phosphates have dropped with the water changes and cleanup of the sump...

BP are tumbling and not sticking, never had that trouble...

Anyone else chime in?

Originally Posted by mrhasan

Sorry won't be much of help but biopellets are known to only lower nitrate and not phosphate. They do reduce phosphate but by a very little ratio compared to nitrate.

Another suggestion that I can put forward is that you may want to dose microbacter 7 while running biopellets to make sure that good bacteria grow and bad ones (e.g. cyano) doesn't start consuming the carbons.

You may want to include some more info (tank size, are the biopellets tumbling properly, type of tank, is the output of the reactor near or plumbed to the skimmer, etc.).

[Myka]

Biopellets lowers nitrate and phosphate, but about 16x the nitrate (by atomic weight) as phosphate. That's ok though because we usually want nitrate around 1-2 ppm, and phosphate around 0.08 ppm or lower. So that is a reasonable ratio.

I'm surprised you've seen such a big change so quickly, I would have said it would take twice that time for the nitrate to come down that far. Just keep going, but if phosphate or nitrate bottom out you will want to remove some biopellets as you can get nutrients too low and/or get cyano if you use too much.

[Bblinks]

You will have to be patient with it, it could take up to 3 months for it to kick in.

[kaboom]

All all Microbacter7 equal, or is there strain that are better than others. I wonder what some of the good brands are?

[Metrontech]

Seems the last few days since I did another round of good bacteria my nitrates have dropped again.

Thanks for the replies