Reef Discussion

[Susan Bates]

Hi everyone, I need some advise please, I purchased a reactor from fish street and had problems fitting it in my sump, after some adjustments it is in, when i got one for my second tank, i went for a different one to make sure it fits,a bubble magus, the problem is the fish street one spins really fast, and the bubble magus, the pellets just bop around in the bottom, both using the same pellets, which one is working right?

 

[Sam Parker]

pellets like to be tumbled fast. You may need to remove pellets from the bubble magus unit, or fit a larger pump to it.

 

[macca_75]

I'm led to believe the pellets on top need to look as if they are almost floating or bubbling, but not so fast as it's chaotic.

 

[Susan Bates]

I'm led to believe the pellets on top need to look as if they are almost floating or bubbling, but not so fast as it's chaotic.

This is why i am confused because one is just bubbling and the other is spinning

 

[athawoot]

If in a few weeks it's clogged up you'll know it needs to have more flow, if it's still good then it'll be fine, just need enough movement to not have it clogging up. Problem with some reactors though is that too fast means the pellets get stuck at the top and start clogging up there, so have to be mindful about that too

 

[Susan Bates]

If in a few weeks it's clogged up you'll know it needs to have more flow, if it's still good then it'll be fine, just need enough movement to not have it clogging up. Problem with some reactors though is that too fast means the pellets get stuck at the top and start clogging up there, so have to be mindful about that too

thanks for that, how much pellets would you recommend for a 400lt tank

 

[athawoot]

thanks for that, how much pellets would you recommend for a 400lt tank

I'd use recommended dosages the brand states but it will also depend on your bioload and what you want your n03 and p04 to be. If you go too much it will deplete them both.
I've only used tlf bioplastics and the continuum bio pellet fuel. I like the continuum stuff more though as it's like 1/3 or 1/4 of the pellets required compared to tlf pellets. Both work well imho but if reactor size is not an issue it's probably a matter of choice. Start slow and gradually get to the recommended rates cause it can make your water go cloudy if you dump a whole load of pellets in straight away, its fine to do so though just not visually pleasing for a few days

 

[Susan Bates]

I'd use recommended dosages the brand states but it will also depend on your bioload and what you want your n03 and p04 to be. If you go too much it will deplete them both.
I've only used tlf bioplastics and the continuum bio pellet fuel. I like the continuum stuff more though as it's like 1/3 or 1/4 of the pellets required compared to tlf pellets. Both work well imho but if reactor size is not an issue it's probably a matter of choice. Start slow and gradually get to the recommended rates cause it can make your water go cloudy if you dump a whole load of pellets in straight away, its fine to do so though just not visually pleasing for a few days

Thanks so much for your help, I have 2 tanks one reactor is from fish street, it is big, I had trouble getting it in my sump, and it spins fast, when i purchased one for my other tankI went with one with a smaller foot print, but it spins slow even after i put stronger pump on it, so i am not sure which is good, all so I purchased NP all in one biopellets they are a red colour, now i have a red film over everything even my yellow tang, i soaked the pellets for day before using them

 

[ezza]

Thanks so much for your help, I have 2 tanks one reactor is from fish street, it is big, I had trouble getting it in my sump, and it spins fast, when i purchased one for my other tankI went with one with a smaller foot print, but it spins slow even after i put stronger pump on it, so i am not sure which is good, all so I purchased NP all in one biopellets they are a red colour, now i have a red film over everything even my yellow tang, i soaked the pellets for day before using them

If you can turn the pump down a little, do that... but your Skimmer should be removing any residue from the pellets. My skimmate comes out a terra-cotta colour now too, but I find the pellets are better than the white ones I used to use. I started with about an inch of pellets in the reactor (maybe 50g?), you don’t need much. If you use too much, you will simply be filling your system with bacteria that isn’t being used or removed.