Brightwell Aquatics Bio Plate in an existing reef?

Glenn Siegel · Mar 26, 2023

I am going to elevate my skimmer in my sump and was recommended to add a brightwell aquatics bio plate to also help with bacteria levels. I have a mixed reef that has been up and running for a few years though. Is it ok to add a new bio plate to an existing reef tank for the dual purpose of raising the height of the skimmer while keeping the bacteria levels maintained (which they pretty much are now anyway without it).
Thanks - here is the product....

Xport-BIO Biological Filtration Plate - Brightwell Aquatics

Plate Dimensions - 9.25" x 8.25" x 1.5" Xport-Bio is great for tanks that have minimal aquascape, or heavily stocked. The biomedia plates can be put just about anywhere within the system to allow more surface area for biological filtration, resulting in faster conversion of ammonia and nitrite...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

blaxsun · Mar 26, 2023

I probably wouldn't use these to prop your skimmer up as they can be somewhat fragile. Just something rubbing against it can cause it to break apart where it makes contact (I have the MarinePure blocks which are more or less the same thing). You can still add these anywhere else though.

Glenn Siegel · Mar 27, 2023

blaxsun said:
I probably wouldn't use these to prop your skimmer up as they can be somewhat fragile. Just something rubbing against it can cause it to break apart where it makes contact (I have the MarinePure blocks which are more or less the same thing). You can still add these anywhere else though.

Anything different you would recommend to prop up the skimmer?
Also any thoughts on adding these to an established system - can it throw things off in the tank (don't want to throw off any of the chemistry and cause any issues with the coral and/or fish)?
Thanks for your input!

I never finish anythi · Mar 27, 2023

Just use egg c

Glenn Siegel said:
Anything different you would recommend to prop up the skimmer?
Also any thoughts on adding these to an established system - can it throw things off in the tank (don't want to throw off any of the chemistry and cause any issues with the coral and/or fish)?
Thanks for your input!

Just use egg crate .

Troylee · Mar 27, 2023

Acrylic, pvc, or egg crate work fine

blaxsun · Mar 27, 2023

Glenn Siegel said:
Anything different you would recommend to prop up the skimmer?
Also any thoughts on adding these to an established system - can it throw things off in the tank (don't want to throw off any of the chemistry and cause any issues with the coral and/or fish)?
Thanks for your input!

Anything, really (egg crate as some have suggested). There are also companies that make skimmer-specific risers if you're trying to match things aesthetically.

There are no problems with adding these to an established system. They do take time to "seed", and some (Polyp Lab) have an option to "pre-season" with bacteria. Most of the bio media will convert ammonia to nitrites and nitrites to nitrates, so you may find that over time (weeks, months) you end up with higher levels of nitrates (which is not necessarily a bad thing) - but no ammonia and little if any stray nitrites. You may also find that your nitrate levels drop as well.

Check the recommended amount for your size of tank and start with less (half), as you can always add more. Every tank is different so the manufacturer recommendation is a starting guideline. I have probably 3-4x as much in my tank as recommended, but I also have a lot of fish and a much higher bio load.