Changing from NoPox to Bio-Pellets

[biojo]

So my old set up was the below

300ltr tank
Small refugium
Phosphate reactor
Skimmer
Seachem Matrix
Activated carbon in bags

So for years, I have run the above dosing no pox and levels where always the below, would vary slightly

KH 8.2
Calcium 425
Magnesium 1320
Phosphate 0.03-0.05
Nitrate 0.25-0.5
35PPT salt

The bottom 2 just add bit more or less NoPox on doser and ballanced it out

Corals grew, but on harder corals like

1 SPS duno type
forest fire coral
Red Plating Montipora
Purple plating montipora
Green Plating Montipora

they grew but never really saw the polyps

So with price of things going up NoPOX and with the refugium light on it always cause algae to grow in the phospate reator and on the skimmer making it leff effective, So the change went to Bio Pellets. Stopping dosing NoPOX, Refugium removed

Main reactor that feads skimmer to have Bio pellets about 10 weeks ago and slowly built up to recomended level, for abotu 3 weeks, some pellets have got smaller

I also added 2 small reactors for Rowaphos and activated carbon

My top 3 levels remain the same but
Phospate is at 0.1
Nitrate 60-80

I have never had levels that high before, so was hoping the pellets do kick in soon and get levels to where i normally would have them...but

Every coral looks heathier, more open

the green plate, fire monti, all look fury with how the polyps have extended
the puple and red monti are brighter and dont look ad hard on top

I was always under the impression levels that high corals didnt like?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'm personally not a fan of NOPOX vs DIY (cost, mostly), but it seems as if you were also dosing too much.

I'm also not a fan of biopellets since it is hard to control the dose and very hard to control the timing of effects on pH and O2, which are easy to do with liquid dosing by dosing at the peak pH and O2 times of the day.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I was always under the impression levels that high corals didnt like?

Some may not, but some tanks do great at 100 ppm nitrate and 1 ppm phosphate, and that level can be better than nutrients too low.

 

[biojo]

I'm personally not a fan of NOPOX vs DIY (cost, mostly), but it seems as if you were also dosing too much.

I'm also not a fan of biopellets since it is hard to control the dose and very hard to control the timing of effects on pH and O2, which are easy to do with liquid dosing by dosing at the peak pH and O2 times of the day.

In the past if I have used too much, you can usually see a white film on glass, or turning return pump off and on, lead to specks of bacteria coming out, but not witnessed this in years

I use a home made arduino doser, you basically tell it how much to dose a day in ML then how many times a day to dose

I have never tested PH, but its on my next project to add monitoring for it, and havent tested o2

Some may not, but some tanks do great at 100 ppm nitrate and 1 ppm phosphate, and that level can be better than nutrients too low.

Yeah I get each may like different parameters and need to fins a ballance, but in past Phos @ 0.05 or nitrates slightly over 1 and polyps wasnt extending. Its just left me slightly baffled as to something this high and everything looks happier.

 

[twentyleagues]

IMO nitrate being below 5 corals are not happy. 10+ and most are happy. Phosphate is less directly noticeable imo .05-.1 seems fine but so is .01-.05 and in the past I had levels detectable on an api so like .5 I think. Polyp extension on sps, lps big and fluffy nitrates in the75-100 range and color change on api test hannah out of range for phosphate.

Now, if I can believe my ancient hannah phosphate tester I am around .03-.05 and api nitrate 15-20. Everything seems happy. I currently only have 1 sps but its growing and has good pe. My lps grow like crazy and big and fluffy. Zoas also look happy.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

In the past if I have used too much, you can usually see a white film on glass, or turning return pump off and on, lead to specks of bacteria coming out, but not witnessed this in years

I use a home made arduino doser, you basically tell it how much to dose a day in ML then how many times a day to dose

I have never tested PH, but its on my next project to add monitoring for it, and havent tested o2




Yeah I get each may like different parameters and need to fins a ballance, but in past Phos @ 0.05 or nitrates slightly over 1 and polyps wasnt extending. Its just left me slightly baffled as to something this high and everything looks happier.

If nitrate is currently 0.25 to 0.5 ppm, that is, by my definition, using too much.