Help with my BRS Bio Pellet Reactor

I bought a new reactor from BRS, I opted to use the larger mag-3 over the maxijet. I set it up so the pellets are rolling gently and after a few hours they are just clumped together at either the bottom or the top. I have to disassemble the unit to break up the clump. I was first running one cup of pellets (the dose for a 50 Gallon tank), I then reduced to 3/4 cup of pellets, but this didn't fix the problem. I also tried rolling the pellets vigorously (to varying degrees, not just one try) at the begining in hope it would keep them from clumping.

My tank is a 65, the reactor is running on the mag-3 (have a ball valve to throttle the flow), about one foot of head. Also, its been up for only 2 days, and everything was brand new. Hoping someone has some ideas to correct this?

Thanks in advance,
Jake

 

Open the valve up more for some more flow.

 

Sorry Xmetal I should have mentioned it is all the way open now so can't get any more flow out of it lol.

 

It's almost as if there is a slime or film growing on the pellets? Does that make sense? I figured that is normal and why we keep them tumbling, so it won't build up on them? You can actually see it floating around if you shake the reactor.

 

There should be slime. Do any of the pellets just float? or are neutrally buoyant?

 

None seem to float on their own. Sometimes the clump gets pushed up to the top by the flow other times its clumped at the bottom. I'm about ready to toss the pellets and try another brand. I know it hasn't been long but I'm kinda stumped. I went with the mag 3 so I wouldn't have the issues of not enough flow.

 

What brand did you go with? Maybe try contacting them to see what they say.

 

Its the BRS brand, I'm gonna contact them today to see what's up. Thanks

 

I was reading on reefaddicts where his pellets got stuck together during the first few days then broke up on their own.

 

try completely stooping the flow. then slowly throttle it back up. there may be to much causing them to get stuck.