EcoBak Pellet Journey

[Shadowramy]

Just received my 2 liters of EcoBak pellets from Warner Marine. Since this is still a relatively new process I wanted to document what was going on with my system as well as get info and experience from others using the EcoBak Pellets as well as other pellets.​

I am keeping a basic journal here: Warner Marines ?Magic Bullet?! but want to keep the "cliff notes" on R2R since it seems more experienced reefers are starting to use them here.

Day 1 -
Received my 2 liters and a freebee from WM. Since the ecobak is still not in stores yet there is not a label.

Here is an up close view of the pellets, notice they are more cylindrical and porous than the NP pellets.

NP Pellets

This will be a continuing article as time progresses throught to see if the EcoBak can live up to the manufactors claims and what, if any problems may arrise. My pellets arrive on July 7th, 2010.

The basic setup is 500ml of pellets to ~75 gallon of net water. I am running about 300 gallons of water so I went with 2 liters of bio pellets. I plan to run these in my old zeovit reactor, however I do not want to take Zeovit offline all at once, since the bio pellets need anywhere from 3-6 weeks to start working I was a bit afraid of completely removing my zeolites. However, I will stop the addition of ZeoStart2 and Zeobak.

I am going to start off with the Two Little Fishes GFO reactor, removing the sponges and packing the reactor to approximately ¾ full, thus allowing the top layer of the pellets to slightly “danceâ€.

After the first week I will remove 1/3 of my zeolites, followed by another 3rd in two more weeks and the final third after 6 weeks. Once all the zeolites have been removed, I will place the bio pellets from my TLF reactor into the zeovit reactor and add the remaining bio pellets to the zeovit reactor as well, additionally I will point the output of the zeovit reactor to the skimmer.

Goals

Right now my corals look pretty good, good color throughout the branches and good polyp extension, I want to maintain this. I do have some problem areas, sometimes I get bubbles on the surpasses of my rocks (carbon overdose), I do have a little of that red “waffle†algae and some algae on the egg crate of my frag tank.

* Maintain color througout the branches as well as tips.
* Keep polyp extension during the day.
* Remove bubbles on the Live Rock surpasses.
* Elimate all algae (waffle algae and algae in frag system)

I have selected a few different color and species of Acropora to use as identifiers throughout the process. I will photo these each week looking at the changes.
I will be starting the process on Thursday, July 8th, 2010.

Coral Photos Thursday, July 7th, 2010​

Larry Jackson Nausta - Teal Color with Purple Polyps​

Species Unknown - Deep Purple, white polyps, slow growing​

ORA Pearlberry - White, Purple, Blue coloring - fairly fast grower​

ORA Red Planet - Red/Pink, will shift tissue based on lighting to green - slow grower​

A.saramentosa - yellow to green based on lighting​

ORA Blue Tort and Tyree Pink Lemonade​

Will start the setup tomorrow​

 

[edwing206]

I'm really looking forward to seeing your progress!
I received my 1L of WM pellets last week but I'm waiting to set up my new tank to start using them.

Good luck!

 

[Maximus]

Mine should be here tomorrow. I hope they work well! Good luck to you.

 

[Alpha Aquaculture]

I'm starting them as well. I really like what your doing here in this thread. Very nice photos also. I would love to see a fts each week along with your identifiers. Do you have the output of your reactor going to your skimmer?

 

[Troylee]

Great write up thus far and awesome pics man.... I have a question for anyone using these I see Jon recommends putting the output at the skimmer..isn't that gonna skim and remove alot of the bacteria that we want???? Mb7 when dosed should be dosed into the display so it has a chance to intermengle before being skimmed away.... I'm curious about this....

 

[Paul_N]

Great write up thus far and awesome pics man.... I have a question for anyone using these I see Jon recommends putting the output at the skimmer..isn't that gonna skim and remove alot of the bacteria that we want???? Mb7 when dosed should be dosed into the display so it has a chance to intermengle before being skimmed away.... I'm curious about this....

I know I have the mulm coating my entire sump and also carbon in my reactor. I have read where people had issues in their display tank (I never have) when dosing vodka. The pellets keep the bacteria and carbon source in the reactor where they perform their function and then when they exit the reactor are skimmed out. I think these even take it step further in keeping the bacteria concentrated in the reactor. I am hoping I can use these on my 220 I am setting up and stop vodka altogether.

Great write-up! Will definitely be following along...1smile1

 

[subielover]

I got mine a few days ago, and will be starting up once I get back from next week's vacation. Great write-up and nice pictures, I am looking forward to seeing your progress!

 

[wishntoboutside]

great right up for a great product. I will be tagging along on this one for sure. Those pictures are simply amazing as well. As a vendor for Warner Marine I have sold a lot of this lately. It was even put in some of my tanks that i service with nothing but great results. So with this being said I stand behind the Warner product name and look forward to your results.

 

[ReeferRob]

Hoping for some great results. Currently dosing Prodibio and not completely sold they work well.

 

[solitude127]

I can't wait to start using this product. I've talked with Jon several times and he's a great guy to talk to. Nice write up and I'm looking for to your progress.

 

[Reefer831]

Wow what great taste of sps you got, very nice stuff!!!! I look froward to follow your progress, good luck on achieving your goals.

 

[Mavjoy]

Hoping for some great results. Currently dosing Prodibio and not completely sold they work well.

I'm also been using Prodibio and it works alright, but having something less time consuming is also very inviting..hehe. I'll be watching your progress as well.

 

[drtrash]

Nutrient levels?

 

[jerl77]

any updates?

 

[scrapz]

any updates?

woahh, slow down. it's only been a few hours


thanks for starting this thread, can't wait to see results. BTW, the purple unknown looks exactly like a purple monster?

 

[Mr E Wrasse]

Going to pick up my EcoBak from fedex in a little bit... Great looking sps... they don't really look like they can get any prettier though!

 

[Azurel]

Pics are great.....I have had mine for almost 2 weeks now.....Good luck and keep us posted on what you find out and those that use it can cross referance each other for info....

 

[Shadowramy]

DAY 1, 07/08/10
Day 1 started with figuring out how to add the pellets to the TLF reactor, since the holes in the reactor are rather large I need to modify it. I searched around Walmart looking in the craft section for something that would work and finally found a product called Caft-It for needle point or something. You get about 5 sheets for $2 for it was a nice deal.

I have heard of other modification to the TLF reactor that required you to glue different parts together, but I didnt want to do this because I want to use my reactor later for GAC. I simply placed the wheel on a sheet, trace it out then cut it with sissors. Flip the piece over and trimmed the edges. I also had to make the center cuts for the pipe that runs from the top to the bottom.

The wheels holes are just too big for the pellets, I am worried they will fall through - not that it really matter I supose.

Here is the Craft-It sheets I found in Walmart - I have enough of this to use on my Zeovit reactor later on.

Simply trace and cut, flip over and trim, and poke out the hole in the middle.

Fits perfect.

Put together

After everything was cut, I dropped it in, I temporarily plugged the top hole and started dropping the pellets in. After about 5 cups I realized that the reactor wasnt even going to hold half the bag. I would estimate that the reactor holds between 750-1000 ml. I may need to rethink this or add another reactor. When I finally got the reactor filled I hooked it up, pump in the last chamber of my sump and the output near my skimmer. I was told to soak the beads in DI water prior to use but I forgot, which I should have done because it took me a bit of time to get all the air bubble out of the pellets (I just banged the reactor until all the bubbles where gone). I finally got it to where the top portion of the bead are "dancing".

My problem, more than half the 2 liters is left

Hooked up

Close up

I will have to think everything over tonight to see if I just want to say "screw it" and pull the zeolits and load up the zeovit reactor with pellets or run another reactor. I dont think what I have right now is going to do much on 250 gallons of water. Maybe I will order a reactor and see how it goes.

 

[Shadowramy]

To answer a couple questions:

Yes the picture of the purple unknown is a Tyree Purple Monster, I just for got to put the name.

My current levels
ph 7.9-8.1
Salinity: 34ppt
N03 - .05
P04 - .05
Alk 8
Ca 420

I am using IO salt

About running the output to the skimmer: Jon and I talked for sometime on this, he actually wants me to try running like zeovit with the output toward to tank to see if the mulm can be used to feed the tank. This is what I understand from carbon dosing. The carbon source basically produces a bacteria that changes the chemical makeup of N03 and N04, this change is done in the reactor (??). Therefore the theory is that whatever chemical change has occured or the biomass that is leftover should be immediately removed from the system through skimming. However I dont really have a clear picture on what actually happens when dosing carbon, if someone could give me a good description I will use it.

Thanks

 

[rosebud161616]

Was there a reason that you decided to use the craft mesh instead of the sponges that are normally used in the reactor to keep the pellets in? Is it better to have the larger holes of the mesh (compared to the sponge)?