NP Bio-Pellets

I sent Garrett this link about NP Bio-pellets... and thought maybe others would be interested too...its explains everything about them quite well..just been using them myself for about a week now...I know it can take weeks or longer before you see any changes.

http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=5743

I like to know more about them my self to.

I had some interest in those NP bio pellets Joyce. They seem kinda spendy, but if they work they would be worth it. Joyce have you ran GFO from Bulk Reef supply before? I would like to see if one is better than the other. I can see the Bio pellets have a advantage to the GFO as they also remove nitrites.

No... I haven't used GFO...but I have an 125g and bought a 100ml bag for $99...the owner of Aquarium Speciality said I only needed a 50 ml bag which is $50 which isn't bad when you consider they last for about 6 months...he said some will dissolve so I opted for the larger to have on hand and not pay extra shipping...anxious to see how it will work down the road.

I would like to know if anyone had used the bio-pellets and if they had success with them...anyone like to comment?

I also been following bio-pellets, It look interesting, but it seem to be expensive for me hope it will go down in price. I am currently using Hiatt system with great success and cost a lot less.

Dont know anything about the Hiatt system..have a link for it that explains how it works?

http://www.maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=54660&highlight=Hiatt

If you have interest... I can show you how to set it up.

Thanks for the link...I will check it out...maybe down the road I would be interested...I will let you know...thanks for the offer.

Joyce

I just installed a ROWA Phos bag in the sump of my 29g, it is supposed to control phosphorus for 6 months. Cost $23. I hope will help with my Bryopsis Algae. It has an advantage that when it gets "full" it does not release Phosphorus back into the tank.

Should look in purchasing from Bulk Reef Supplies. They got some really good prices on Phospate removal product.

Like all Ferric Oxide they are made of Iron and other metal. They will sooner or later leach them into your tank and algae will take advantage of that.

I have some Hair algae in my tank and since I switch over to the Hiatt system. I am finnaly getting an upper hand. The hair algae start to get pale in color and my snails are taking it out. I am planning to get a fox face and more turbo snails to help me clean it up.

The green and red slime algae are all dead. Coral are growing...

Good luck with your algae battle.

Like all Ferric Oxide they are made of Iron and other metal. They will
sooner or later leach them into your tank and algae will take advantage
of that.

ROWA is supposed to be different, does not leach back, just stops removing and your Phos and silicates will start to climb again. But you are right Capt. most products do begin to leach back in, and generate what you are trying to remove.

Hope you are right Nannook... What kind of filtration system do you have?

Just saw Salty Supplies add for NP Bio-Pellets $59 for 500ml. Replace or add every 3 to 6 months.

Too expensive for me...

I have a 29g biocube, has a built in sump in the bulkhead with skimmer, live rock, charcoal pack and now a bag with this ROWA in it. Seems like my Bryopsis algae is stalled, not growing but not receding yet. From everything I am reading to stunt the growth, then let the grazing critters take it to minimum seems to be the best you can hope for.

Nannook wrote:I have a 29g biocube, has a built in sump in the bulkhead with skimmer, live rock, charcoal pack and now a bag with this ROWA in it. Seems like my Bryopsis algae is stalled, not growing but not receding yet. From everything I am reading to stunt the growth, then let the grazing critters take it to minimum seems to be the best you can hope for.

The only way to get some of the grazer on feed on it is to weeken it to a point where the toxin in the algae is low. If it is too green it mean that there are too much toxin in it. Why most animals like to graze on young not so green leefs on tree and grass is because it is easy to digest and less toxin in most cases.

If the algae are on the rock, I would take it out and scrub it. If the water is low in nutrient then the new growth will be weeken and the grazer will finish it off.

If some of the rock that does not have coral on it. I put it in the sump where there is no light to kill off the aglae. I used Hiatt system in combination with the bacteria to take up the Nitrate and Phospate. It works like the Bio Pellets, but system have been in the market for quite a few years. I add the hiatt to my setup which is very similar to your; It has been running for a year now and it is great. My coral is growing like mad and bryopsis is being beat back. My tanks never been doing this well for over 10 years of keeping reef.

Do you have pictures of how this system is set up or a link?

Here is the link I gave to Joice to get to the Texas forum. These guy are using the system and I have been talking to them and been comparing results with them.

http://www.maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=54660&highlight=Hiatt

Thank you for info Cap't.

Is this built as a do it yourself project? or do you buy this from a store complete?

This is a home made job... The only thing I buy is the carbon and a bacteria. You probably don't need the bacteria if you come and get some from me to seed your tank, but it just cheap. I think they sell the bacteria for $8 and the carbon is a the same price as other high grade carbon per pound.

You should come and see my setup before you start. Some people have strong opion on this setup so come and see my system in St. Paul before you do this. I can show you how to make the carbon container out of PVC that work just like the red torpedo they sell.

Don't buy anything else, but just the item I mention.

There is calcualtion on how much carbon you need depending on your tank size and type of live stock.

OK, I just add a few more Turbo Snails and it is finally cleaning up my tank of bryops....I give them a couple of more weeks. I am going to remove a few of them and sell them back to the fish store... They might starve if I don't have any more algae for them to eat. The key is to weaken the algae so that they are not too toxic for the algae eater to consume. It tooks Hiatt system one year to finally clean my tanks up after 3 years of operating problem... SPS, LPS, and soft are growing after three years of buying and dying.

I the success would be faster if I did not mess up on water circulation rate as require by the Hiatt system.

Is there any more news on how well the NP pellet works....

The link above is not working. Can you describe or take pictures of the DIY carbon cartridge? Is it made of PVC? Is there a website to order it?

Try this site where you can buy the stuff.... Like I said just get enough carbon per calculation and the min amount of bacteria. The reason is it does not take much bacteria if you are not trying to cycle in 24 hours. Do not buy anything else....

www.memory-doctor.com/Aqua/tribase.html

Make sure you have the right amount of flow... That is the key to this setup. They recommend you turn over your tank water 6 to 10 time per hour through carbon and bacteria. I found 10 time is more effective than 6 time.

Sorry I am not sure how to put picture on to this site.