Who uses bio-pellets and why?

Been doing some research on this stuff and I understand what it does,but what i'd like to find out is some feedback from those that have used it or a similar product.What was the main reason that made you decide to use it?What benefits have you gotten from it?Would you recommend it?Have you had any bad effects due to using it?Any input would be appreciated.Thanks.


Don

 

I do because it reduces my nitrate and phosphate levels.

they have kept me below .5 ppm since the got running. I did have one spike when I upgraded my tank and changed sand, but thats expected.

The won't take you to ULNS levels but they get you close. I have a refugium also added after the biopellets(for other reasons then parameter problems), Macros still grow with biopellets. Although I have very little other algae in the tank, I scrap the glass every couple of weeks for diatoms.

I have noticed zoas seem to grow very fast in the system, but that may just be do the clean water that accompanies them, and may not be them eating bacteria from the pellets.


I would say where you normally have 10-20 nitrates bio pellets will drop you to tenths of a ppm.


bad effects:
if theres a power outage it will probably lose a lot of bacteria.
It another piece of equipment in the tank.
It really makes one slack of on water changes, since nitrates and phosphates aren't a problem.

 

What brands are you guys using? anyone use the Katalyst from Brightwell?

 

i use NP

 

My main reason for considering them is to reduce these as well,my test kits are not showing detectable levels of phos or nitrates and I im still fighting continueous algae problems.Knowing the nutrients are locked up in the 7 or 8 different species of algae that are loving my tank.I've taken many steps to erradicate it,but it just keeps on coming,and continueous manual removal is getting old very fast.lol

 

The 2 i'm looking at are NP and ecobak(sp?)

 

what test kits are you using?

it may just be the algae using up all the nutrients.

Biopellets will slow algae down and can make it reasonable to remove by pulling it out or scrapping it and netting. They will help just don't expect all your algae to die at once.

 

I am also thinking about using WM Ecoback since you can easily run it passively.

 

No,i'm fully aware there is no over night fix and the nutrients are being used up by the algae.I'm using fairly new API kits.I'm just still trying to hit this algae at yet another angle.And thanks for your input on this!

I'm also eyeing that one for the same reason,cause with either one,i'm gonna run it in the 3rd filter chamber on my nanocube.

 

I think I may try one of these types of pellets because of the extra bacteria floating around the tank. Can't hurt to give corals + pods more to eat. N+P would be another reason I would do it, if they were currently a problem in my tank.