the official ECOBAK thread...

I'm not sure if any additive out there really makes the process faster... and YES you could seed a friends reactor.

 

failed to read sotoudt post correctly and then asked the same question

Steve

 

OK, did I have that confused a bit. I have no PO4 in my tank. But that is with no fish or coral.

If I have low phosphates(PO4) already, then ecoBACk will remove it. With low to no nutrients in the tank, there is no need to run GFO because what little exists is being removed by the fact that I have it running(hypothetically), but it does not replace GFO...correct?

 

I ran ecobak before I took my tank down. I wish I had longer term experience, but do not. Here is that thread to throw in here.

http://www.3reef.com/forums/general-reef-topics/my-warner-marine-ecobak-journey-89093.html

As far as cyano.... I did have a cyano bloom.... but it was my best guess that it was purley coincidental. I had very good water. Ran GFO and no nutrients and could barely grow cheato. But then I started dosing a lot more coral food. Phyto, Roties, Oyster eggs and Warner Marine Marine Snow. I was feeding pretty heavy. That gave me a cyano bloom and drove me to looking into bio pellets.

The cyano went away but then sort of came back with the pellets but then cleared up for good. So I certainly can't say it was the pellets. Perhaps there are other coincidental strories out there like mine. Sometimes that is how rumors get started.

 

Biopellets use P and N in a ratio, I want to say 1 to 16, but I think the OP could answer what the ratio is better.

Yes Biopellets remove Phosphate and yes they remove Nitrate. But they only remove them until the limiting one is used up.

 

Just understand that N and P are taken up in a set ratio in living things like algae and bacteria. However.... N and P are not produced and reduced in set ratios in our tanks. Other bacteria can reduce nitrates as well and if you are importing more P in food and water you could have some P left over.

If you have a DSB, lots of live rock, and a some macro algae.... you could be taking up so much nitrates that the bacteria we are trying to grow on the pellets actually become nitrate limited and can't take up any more P. So N and P are not necessarily connected and in some tanks GFO might still be needed.

For the record I had low PO4. GFO cleared up the rest and I did not need to use much. Ecobak reduced PO4 for me and I was confident that I would no longer need to run GFO long term.

 

Are there any specific reactors you recommend using for the biopellets/ecobak?

I use a TLF reactor and it works but I don't see it handling larger amounts of pellets well.

 

from the TLF reactors to the NextReef models depending on system size. The GEO and PM reactors are nice, too.

 

Jon been running mine for four months...I believe I read somewhere...perhaps even the label on the packaging, that Ecobaks may not need to be changed for as long as six months or more. Anyway of knowing more precisely when to change? Should it be done in increments? Any particular change in parameters I'd be looking for as an indicator?

Also, I have a bunch of pineapple sponges, feather dusters, pods growing and living in my reactor. Flow isn't hindered at all and is provided by an MJ1200. Regulated with 2LF ball valve. Should I clean the reactor of all growths regularly or should I let things be?

Thanks

 

sounds great! You will never "change out" the ecoBAK. It's volume will shrink as the bacteria consume it. If you notice the volume has dropped maybe 1 inch, then top it back off again. Nah, don't clean it... it's fine.