bio pellets anyone try this?
- Thread starter ibew41
- Start date
novahobbies
Well-Known Member
Thinking very seriously of trying this system on the seahorse tank.
novahobbies
Well-Known Member
Bingo.
novahobbies
Well-Known Member
Remember seahorse tanks are generally considered to be "high nutrient" due to the inherent bioload of these slow eaters and heavy waste producers.
spanko
Active Member
I agree here with Nike. I think the advantages of a macro algae seahorse tank would far outweigh the ULNS tank for the nutrient uptake by the plants as well as a wonderful environment conducive to pod breading. But I can also understand someone not wanting to have the challenge of maintaining a macro algae tank and going the other way too.
nikesb
Active Member
The reason I asked is that many people use carbon dosing mainly for SPS systems with very few using carbon to control algae outbreaks. Since SPS systems require high flow, i figured that was out of the equation. Now if it were zoas and softies, they should benefit greatly from a high nutrient system
novahobbies
Well-Known Member
Both valid points. But part of the reason I'm tempted to try this stems from the recent research that indicates that the bacterial growth itself is used as a food source for some types of coral...as much or more so than the microfauna we typically associate with coral food! Also, I don't think carbon dosing or biopellets are ever going to produce the true "ULN" system that SPS keepers try to achieve. At best, biopellets in conjunction with macroalgae (I have C. racemosa and C. taxifolia in my tank) may just offset the heavy feeding and excess waste that is usually involved in seahorse aquariums.
If this tank had no coral whatsoever, I would probably consider a pure macroalgae tank and let the stuff run wild. In fact that IS the general plan when I set up my pipefish tank. But since this tank has a combination of polyps, corallimorphs, soft corals, select LPS and even a rogue Montipora in it, I don't want the macroalgae growing willy-nilly all over the rock. I'm looking for another form of nutrient export precisely because I keep the macros trimmed back, and the bioplastics look like an interesting way of doing the job.
Nike, this is for an existing tank BTW. I don't know if you've ever seen it if you're not in the seahorse forum too much, but this is the tank in question. Tank's been running for 15 months, seahorse has been in for 8.
Back to the original question....I wish someone who HAS used this could chime in -- I'd love to hear some more reports about the effectiveness of the product and the amount of time involved in seeing any effects!
If this tank had no coral whatsoever, I would probably consider a pure macroalgae tank and let the stuff run wild. In fact that IS the general plan when I set up my pipefish tank. But since this tank has a combination of polyps, corallimorphs, soft corals, select LPS and even a rogue Montipora in it, I don't want the macroalgae growing willy-nilly all over the rock. I'm looking for another form of nutrient export precisely because I keep the macros trimmed back, and the bioplastics look like an interesting way of doing the job.
Nike, this is for an existing tank BTW. I don't know if you've ever seen it if you're not in the seahorse forum too much, but this is the tank in question. Tank's been running for 15 months, seahorse has been in for 8.
Back to the original question....I wish someone who HAS used this could chime in -- I'd love to hear some more reports about the effectiveness of the product and the amount of time involved in seeing any effects!
spanko
Active Member
Long read here Nova but some good info.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1847060&highlight=bio+pellets+success
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1847060&highlight=bio+pellets+success
novahobbies
Well-Known Member
Good source of info indeed. 53 pages? Piff, I say. A "Long Read" is a Robert Jordan series.
nikesb
Active Member
when you say that carbon dosing wont ever reach ULNS, I completely disagree here. My first time vodka dosing, my corals brightened up to the point where they became a light tan/khaki color. this is the first sign of nutrient difficiency which is already past ULNS. i had no macro algae when i ran vodka and i reached .00 phosphates tested on the larger hanna meters. its only now after 4-5 months that my sps are starting to show some kind of color again
novahobbies
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by nikeSB http:///forum/thread/384515/bio-pellets-anyone-try-this#post_3369019
when you say that carbon dosing wont ever reach ULNS, I completely disagree here. My first time vodka dosing, my corals brightened up to the point where they became a light tan/khaki color. this is the first sign of nutrient difficiency which is already past ULNS. i had no macro algae when i ran vodka and i reached .00 phosphates tested on the larger hanna meters. its only now after 4-5 months that my sps are starting to show some kind of color again
Sorry, I suppose I wasn't clear. I was referring to the carbon dosing schedule I am using for my seahorse tank. 'Twas not meant to be a blanket statement.
Originally Posted by nikeSB http:///forum/thread/384515/bio-pellets-anyone-try-this#post_3369019
when you say that carbon dosing wont ever reach ULNS, I completely disagree here. My first time vodka dosing, my corals brightened up to the point where they became a light tan/khaki color. this is the first sign of nutrient difficiency which is already past ULNS. i had no macro algae when i ran vodka and i reached .00 phosphates tested on the larger hanna meters. its only now after 4-5 months that my sps are starting to show some kind of color again
Sorry, I suppose I wasn't clear. I was referring to the carbon dosing schedule I am using for my seahorse tank. 'Twas not meant to be a blanket statement.