N/P Reducing Pellets ("Solid Vodka") - "Wow" ... 3 month update - Page 7

Lance · #61 01-14-2010, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delphinus

There was a bit of a tank upset on Sunday where I found the trigger in the overflow. Removing him from the overflow was a several hour exercise in where the sump had to be shut off, as I had to remove plumbing and the skimmer and the hood just so I could stand close enough to the overflow to maneuver a net inside the overflow.

Is he/she ok Tony?

Delphinus · #62 01-14-2010, 11:00 PM

Seems to be OK now. A few scrapes and scratches though, but looks mostly healed up now. I tried to upload a second video last night using a more-better camera but the upload failed and then my laptop died. So tonight's project is to see if I can resurrect it enough to try uploading to youtube a second time.

I've covered the overflows now but truth be told I don't know if that's better. I could just see a fish jumping and then getting stuck enough in the eggcrate that they just die instead of flop back into the tank.

Delphinus · #63 01-15-2010, 06:14 AM

Well, weirdness abounds. Looks like yesterday's readings are suspect after all.

I tried testing again today and got 13ppm. I tested my other tank and it was the same as it's ever been at 5ppm.

So, just for giggles, I tested the water in the reactor with the pellets, and noticed something odd. If I tested by putting water into the sample vial, I would get readings anywhere from 13 to 19 (did 4 tests in a row all with different numbers). If I tested by putting the probe into the reactor itself, I got steady readings of 7 again and again. So I thought (not initially putting two and two together), oh, ok, something in the tank is spiking the nitrate, but at least the reactor is doing its thing and reducing the nitrate.

But then I tested my sump without the sample vial, and got 7. So I tested the main tank and again got 7. Back into the vial, I got 13, 14 and other numbers.

Soooo .. I guess my testing is being thrown off by interference. I don't know if it's the syringe I'm using to collect 5ml of tank water, or the probe's sample jar itself that's causing the interference. It bears mention that I rinse the probe and the vial itself with tap water after every use before I put it away, so I don't think it's any residual left on the probe itself. Also weird that the 40g tank has steady readings of 5. Just for giggles I should see what reading I get if I just stick the probe in the tank water in that tank (I didn't think to try that tonight..)

banditpowdercoat · #64 01-15-2010, 01:37 PM

What kind of meter you using Tony? That amount of testing would have used a whole Salfert kit LOL. I HATE using the kit's

I love my PH meter, but my PH barely moves, so I don't need it really HAHAHA

Delphinus · #65 01-15-2010, 05:03 PM

I use a Pinpoint nitrate monitor. Yeah I hate colour comparison based test kits because I don't know if I'm looking at them in the right light or whatever. Titration ones (ie., where you drip something and count the drops or measure the volume dispensed until you see a colour change are a little better, because apparently I'm not colourblind enough that I can't tell the difference between red and blue, but apparently I am colourblind enough to not see the difference between one pink and another pink).

globaldesigns · #66 01-15-2010, 07:47 PM

Just an update from me.

Wow!!!! I can say the mulm is ridiculous, much more than just running zeolites. I am with Tony and running about half of the recommended of both Pellets and Zeolites.

When I pump the reactor it is like I dosed Coral Snow, lots of mulm and cloudy for a bit.

My wife stated last night, "your tank is becoming more colorful". I didn't ask her about it, she just commented. So I will give Kudos to the NP Bio Pellets.

And it has only been a couple weeks, I can't wait to see what happens in the future.

OceanicCorals-Ian- · #67 01-15-2010, 08:48 PM

Excellent results. Our newest order arrived today so they will be shipping out to everyone Monday. Those with back orders will also be looked after.

Ian

Quote:

Originally Posted by globaldesigns

Just an update from me.

Wow!!!! I can say the mulm is ridiculous, much more than just running zeolites. I am with Tony and running about half of the recommended of both Pellets and Zeolites.

When I pump the reactor it is like I dosed Coral Snow, lots of mulm and cloudy for a bit.

My wife stated last night, "your tank is becoming more colorful". I didn't ask her about it, she just commented. So I will give Kudos to the NP Bio Pellets.

And it has only been a couple weeks, I can't wait to see what happens in the future.

purplepolypeater · #68 01-19-2010, 11:52 AM

is anyone testing phosphates as well? afterall this product claims to reduce both and i am very interested in using this soon if the results prove fruitful.

Delphinus · #69 01-19-2010, 05:40 PM

Unfortunately I decided not to bother with phosphate testing. I always get a zero phosphate reading when I do a test, but I do get non-zero nitrate readings, so I chose to focus on what I can actually track. I don't know why it is that I always test out at zero for phosphate. I feed fairly heavy so you'd think there would be some, but I've used all different kinds of test kits and even a meter and the results are always the same. It could be the ball of chaeto I grow in the sump does a better job of sucking up PO4 than it does NO3.. that's the only theory I have on that.

For what it's worth it is on the eve of day 28 here, so I might as well post the NO3 numbers I got this morning. The tank seems to have clamped itself at 10 in the last week. I got a few readings of 7 on the weekend but they were sporadic readings, ever since then I can't get a reading of sub-10.

So I think what's happened is the pellets and tank have hit upon the equilibirium point seeing as it hasn't really dropped below 10 in any significant sense in the last two weeks. In other words, the amount they are able to reduce are matched with the amount the tank can produce. I had been using half the recommended dosage for starters for both pellets and zeolites, just to ease the tank into things ...I think it's time that I up the amounts to the recommended dosages and see how it continues on from there. So that will be this week's project.

Lance · #70 01-19-2010, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by purplepolypeater

is anyone testing phosphates as well? afterall this product claims to reduce both and i am very interested in using this soon if the results prove fruitful.

I never bother testing for phosphates. I've always got a "0" reading on both Salifert & Elos kits. I know there are phosphates in the system bound up in the rock, algae, etc. I find you need a top grade tester to measure phosphates.