biopellets clumping constantly?

Ok so I have the Next Reef smr1 reactor with biopellets in it. For the 1st week they were tumbling great now for the past 5 days the continue to clump up, I replaced the sponges on day 1 with the plastic screens from michael's, and added a bigger pump, changed from the stock pump to a mj1200. But still they clump up, any ideas? or is this normal and will stop eventually?

 

Mine did the same thing. Never could get them to stop clumping. What pellets are you using? I was using EcoBak.

EDIT: I was also using a NextReef reactor with a MJ1200.

 

I was using a BRS reactor that I had modded. I eventually took them offline cause I never could get them to tumble, they would just clump like you're talking about.

 

using the two little fishes npx biopellets

 

i use tlf npx bio pellets, and use a tlf reactor. Been running mine for about 8 months now, No clumping issues really.They clumped a bit at beginning but after a day it was fine. I had to mod my tlf reactor to get a better tumble. search youtube a few mods for it already. I use a maxijet 1200.

 

the tlf reactor was cheaper too, only got the next reef reactor in hopes it would make the tumbling better/no leaks, but so far im going insane with it

 

i had a 150 TLF reactor, tweaked with screens, running ecobak...it clumped with a 357 gph pump on it. at first it ran fine but once bacteria built up clumping started. after reading this i wonder if ecobak pellets clump more than other brands. i do think they are different than other brands, heavier from what i have seen.
i now have a aquamaxx bio pellet reactor, hooked to the 357 pump. i had it turned down at first but had to turn it up because the pellets where clumping. turning the pressure up worked. and i still have more pressure available.
i wonder if ecobak pellets weight is an issue? or that they actually build more bacteria on their pellets? and this is part of the clumping problem? since they didn't start to clump from the start.

 

I am using Dr. Tims Biopearls in a BRS reactor with an MJ1200 and just love it. No clumping issues. It is necessary to clean the "screens" of the reactor once in a while to keep a good flow going.

 

I have been looking at the DR. Tim's pellets has anyone else used them with good experiences? And has anyone else used the tlf npx biopellets and had clumping issues?

 

I feel the issue is the use of modified GFO and GAC reactors. I was running a modded NextReef MR1 as well with Dr. Tim's pellets and had issues with getting them to tumble completely from day one with a ~750gph pump. After spending a few weeks trying to get the pellets to tumble properly, i switched to a Reef Octo BR-110, and it has performed flawlessly since I hooked it up.

I do not believe the weight of the pellets is the issue, but really the uneven flow from the base of the reactors. I found that the MR1 would only keep 1/2 of the pellets tumbling and just on two sides. I assumed the issue was the outputs being to small. I enlarged the two holes and I was still having an issue with keeping the pellets tumbling properly. My next step was putting a small piece of vinyl tubing on the bottom where the two enlarged holes where and drilled four smaller holes in 90 degree increments. This actually made the tumbling issue even worse. This is when i decided to go with a reactor built for pellets and not a media reactor with a few slight mods. After running the Reef Octo BR-110 for about 2 months, I have yet to see any clumping and have barely any flow going through the reactor.