EcoBak Pellet Journey

[Jon Warner]

Jon, I've been on the fence with trying the biopellets for some time. I am wondering what is different about your pellets and why I should purchase them? Lastly, do you believe 250mL package would be sufficient for a 65 gallon cube with 15 gallon sump, minus 35 pounds of rock and other displacement factors, or would it be better for me to size up?
Thank you!

well... without giving away competitive features, we started from the ground up early this year BEFORE everyone knew what was in the other pellets. We arrived at our product independently of what is in the competing product. We filed for a patent earlier this month, I feel our product works better... goes after PO4 more aggressively, releases less C in the waterstream, has a better crystalline pore structure and last but not least... is about $10 cheaper! Just check out the reviews online... and 250ml should be just fine for you... $25 to keep your PO4/NO3 crashed and nuisance algae held in check for a year!

note to Rev, mods... please delete this is you feel it's an inappropriate answer to ReeferRob's question.

 

[gilmour01]

i've been running the ecoBAK for over 2 months without using any GFO. phosphates are at 0 per hanna phosphate meter. i have a heavily stocked, heavily fed 75g sps tank.

cheers

 

[ReeferRob]

Finally got around to to testing the phosphates with Hanna and they're 1.09? Can't get trates down below 30. Was on Prodibio for 8 months with no results, now trying MB7 soon to dose Vodka....arlready not liking the hassle. Trying to decide if 250mL of pellets would be enough or should I have more?

 

[funny718]

Just took the plunge and put 500ml of ecobak after 24 hour soak. Then this afternoon i loaded up my NextReef MR1 shorty Reactor with a maxi jet 1200 not sure if I can get away with this setup any thoughts? Thanx guys

 

[funny718]

bump!

 

[JOSE CASAS]

I am thinking of trying the pellets. How much would I need for roughly 450 gals? Thanks in advance!

 

[ReeferRob]

I am thinking of trying the pellets. How much would I need for roughly 450 gals? Thanks in advance!

500mL per 100 gallons is what it says.

Anyone got any input on my question above? Would 250 be too little or should I go with a bit more? Also anyone using these with a BRS reactor? How's it work? or do I need to get a fancy schmanzy over priced acrylic reactor? Geesh $100 just for some plastic, yikes!

 

[Paul_N]

Rob, I am using 500ml in a Vertex zeo reactor that holds up to 1.5 L.

I got the reactor used. I know Warner makes one just like this also. I can honestly say if you can get a zeo reactor it is the way to go for two main reasons. These reactors have a internal cylinder that holds the pellets and you can (1) pump the pellets to make sure they never bind or the flow never channels through them (2) When you need to add more pellets you can just remove the internal cylinder without cutting flow or power to the pump for the reactor. You open the internal cylinder up and then add more pellets and then insert back into the reactor. No screws, or fittings to loosen or tighten. The only thing you need to do is get some plastic mesh from the craft store to place over the plates on top and bottom of the internal cylinder because the existing holes were made with zeo rocks in mind and big enough for the pellets to fit through.

What would be nice if someone (Jon...cough, cough :wink: ) could offer these without the pump and also mod the plates with smaller holes. When I set this up on my 225 I will not use the pump and put it on a manifold.

How much total water in your system?

 

[Curtie44]

I just got my EcoBak pellets running in my system tonight. I bought the NextReef SMR1 reactor and 1 liter of pellets from TB aquatics. Looking forward to seeing if these will live up to all the hype. I have been struggling with NO3 for a few months now and really hope this is the ticket.

 

[ReeferRob]

Rob, I am using 500ml in a Vertex zeo reactor that holds up to 1.5 L.

I got the reactor used. I know Warner makes one just like this also. I can honestly say if you can get a zeo reactor it is the way to go for two main reasons. These reactors have a internal cylinder that holds the pellets and you can (1) pump the pellets to make sure they never bind or the flow never channels through them (2) When you need to add more pellets you can just remove the internal cylinder without cutting flow or power to the pump for the reactor. You open the internal cylinder up and then add more pellets and then insert back into the reactor. No screws, or fittings to loosen or tighten. The only thing you need to do is get some plastic mesh from the craft store to place over the plates on top and bottom of the internal cylinder because the existing holes were made with zeo rocks in mind and big enough for the pellets to fit through.

What would be nice if someone (Jon...cough, cough :wink: ) could offer these without the pump and also mod the plates with smaller holes. When I set this up on my 225 I will not use the pump and put it on a manifold.

How much total water in your system?

My system???.....haven't exactly figured it out completely yet exactly,LOL I call it 60. What do you think 65 cube 15 gallon sump, MSX 160 skimmer, and BRS Reactor. DT has 30 pounds rock 25 pounds sand.....?

As far as reactors go, well Im just complaining as you've probably guessed. I can see the value in a skimmer like you have described, but most others not so much. Looks like Im gonna have to decide on one or another soon. Is ph 1.09 bad?

 

[Paul_N]

I say you round up call it 100 gallons and just use 500ml. They say you can't OD your tank so it will just last longer.
I here you costs. Almost everything I have is used except for my lighting. If I didn't get the zeo reactor used I would have just used a TLF reactor I had sitting around. I have finally stopped vodka and mb7 all together so we will see how it goes.

You can't possibly have a ph of 1.09??? What do you use to test ph?

 

[Shadowramy]

Update -

Okay I am on week 5 or 6 dont remember its been so busy. Anyways the pellets are working great. I have removed all Zeovit from my tank and have not added any zeovit additives in over 3 weeks! Corals are still maintaing well, I was thinking I would get a drop off in color like when the zeolites expire but everything is looking good.

I am now starting to see the green slime algae in my frag tank slowly disappear.

Things I have learned thus far

* better to have a more narrow reator like 3" then a bigger 4" reactor. Using the bigger reactor it was hard to get movement in the pellets, I had to do some adjusting and tweeking until the pellets looked like they where slowly swirly ontop of themselves (it is a very slow movement like when mixing cake batter how the batter moves up and down - but much slower. When I didnt have movement I was getting alot of slime at the top of the reactor. I still never had any "bloom" in my tank. Once I started the pellets I stop all other Zeovit additive (even zeobac).

* It really took me 5-6 weeks to see the slime start going away from my frag tank. In this time I only did very small water changes.

* Does it really work? Yes, just dont keep screwing with your tank, let the pellets do the work.

* Is my tank cleaner and clearer? About the same but my tank was already pretty clear and clean.

* I am only running GAC and NOT GFO. I have not taken any reading yet I kind of go by sight with my tank - I will have to run some test soon.

 

[ReeferRob]

I say you round up call it 100 gallons and just use 500ml. They say you can't OD your tank so it will just last longer.
I here you costs. Almost everything I have is used except for my lighting. If I didn't get the zeo reactor used I would have just used a TLF reactor I had sitting around. I have finally stopped vodka and mb7 all together so we will see how it goes.

You can't possibly have a ph of 1.09??? What do you use to test ph?

Lol, sorry that was supposed to be phosphates.

 

[Rotknee]

Worried about my Millies

Shadowramy do you have any millies in your tank? If so, how are they doing? Since adding the pellets everything but the millies seems to have improved.

I've been using the pellets (1L)in an Nexus SMR1 reactor and have them working at a nice slow tumble. I've been using the pellets for about 4 weeks now and have noticed a bit of cyano on the sand bed and my chaeto has been dyeing off in my refug. Polyp extension seems to have increased and I have watched my phosphates decrease from .03 to 0 using a Hanna meter. N03<5, CA 420, DKH 9, Mg 1350. Three weeks ago my pH was averaging between 8.1-8.2 and now it is ranges from 7.9-8.1. My reactor output feeds into the skimmer and I haven't noticed any large changes in skimmate production.

Note, I stopped using GFO and Carbon at the time I started the tablets.



150G SPS Dominant, Alpha 200 Skimmer, Ai Lighting, Profilux Controller and Dosing Computer

 

[Bruno]

Update -

Okay I am on week 5 or 6 dont remember its been so busy. Anyways the pellets are working great. I have removed all Zeovit from my tank and have not added any zeovit additives in over 3 weeks! Corals are still maintaing well, I was thinking I would get a drop off in color like when the zeolites expire but everything is looking good.

I am now starting to see the green slime algae in my frag tank slowly disappear.

Things I have learned thus far

* better to have a more narrow reator like 3" then a bigger 4" reactor. Using the bigger reactor it was hard to get movement in the pellets, I had to do some adjusting and tweeking until the pellets looked like they where slowly swirly ontop of themselves (it is a very slow movement like when mixing cake batter how the batter moves up and down - but much slower. When I didnt have movement I was getting alot of slime at the top of the reactor. I still never had any "bloom" in my tank. Once I started the pellets I stop all other Zeovit additive (even zeobac).

* It really took me 5-6 weeks to see the slime start going away from my frag tank. In this time I only did very small water changes.

* Does it really work? Yes, just dont keep screwing with your tank, let the pellets do the work.

* Is my tank cleaner and clearer? About the same but my tank was already pretty clear and clean.

* I am only running GAC and NOT GFO. I have not taken any reading yet I kind of go by sight with my tank - I will have to run some test soon.

Are you running your output in or above the water next to your skimmer?

Thanks

 

[blesk]

Just took the plunge and put 500ml of ecobak after 24 hour soak. Then this afternoon i loaded up my NextReef MR1 shorty Reactor with a maxi jet 1200 not sure if I can get away with this setup any thoughts? Thanx guys

Hey bro hove they work fore you in Mr1 shorty reactor i have one spare and think tu geth the pallets and uset in shorty leth me now thanks.

 

[Paul_N]

Are you running your output in or above the water next to your skimmer?

Thanks

I'd be interested to know this also. I have my output below the water line right next to the input for the skimmer pumps. I just want to make sure I am doing it right.

 

[Shadowramy]

The output is going to my skimmer, there are some pictures of it in the beinging of this thread.

Yes I have mille, right now I dont have much PE on anything, but that is mainly because I have two angle fish is my tank that nips at them. My frag tang does have milli's also with decent PE on them.

 

[Acronuts]

Well guys I took the plunge as well. After looking for something like this and reading about successes with a lot of the TOTM, of course they use other types, I jumped at the chance when one of the guys at WWC gave me the heads up.
I installed it yesterday on a NextReef MRI reactor with the 132 gph pump that comes with it. I am only using 1/4 of the 1 liter I bought. Why?
Several of reasons:
1. Want to go slowly to document any changes to my 180g, 255 total vol reef tank
2. Want to build up 1/4 every week until all of the 1 liter is used
3. After reading that some people are having algae problems when adding the full amounts to their tanks I figured that slower would be better


Initial install was fine except not having as much flow. The EB are tumbling in chanels but the rest is staying still. Therefore I may need to add another type of pump.
Spoke with Jon at WM and he stated that I should wait till I add the next 1/4 of EB before deciding on changing the pump.
I will also try removing the upper plate that comes with the reactor. As I see it, it may also reduce the flow inside the reactor.
Anyone else doing the same?
So far here is what mine looks like.



Juan

 

[blesk]

any one updates i have me coming next week wensday.