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Ecobak/Bio Pellet Questions

GDawson

GDawson

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1) Do the target bacteria actually eat the pellet in the reactor (coat it) or do the pellets slowly erode from tumbling contact and release into the water and form a food source?

2) In less than a month the pellets in my reactor have slowly come to a standstill. The Maxijet 1200, the recommended pump, is no longer insufficient to tumble the pellets. Not sure why. At the beginning I had to restrict flow but as the month went on I've had to open the valve full throttle. The lines are clean and the pump has been cleaned. Water flow from a test run not attached to the reactor is fine. Thoughts?

-Gregory
 
1 The bacteria form a biofilm on the media and slowly break it down

2 Shake the reactor, or otherwise break up the media and you should be fine.
 
sfboarders said:
What size hose (ID) are you using and what kind of reactor? How many ml of biopellets do you have?
Click to expand...

I'm using a standard BRS reactor that has been modified to use EcoBak (removed sponges and cut mesh to cover the openings of the main chamber). I'm also using the recommended pump, Maxijet 1200. The total amount of EcoBak is 500ml (approx 14oz vol)

I don't have the time/will to shake the reactor tonight.....my new job (YEAH!!!) is kicking my a$$. Overtime already and it's time to go to bed now. Feed fish, dose RN, sleep......

-Gregory
 
Think an Eheim 1250 (320gph) is to much power for the BRS dual GFO / Carbon reactor?

its a little more powerful then the Maxijet 1200 (295gph) that is recommended, but its also quieter... From what I have read, it seems its more beneficial to have a stronger pump...
 
I had that same setup. After awhile the pellets get bacteria and dont tumble anymore. The hose doesn't put enough flow to tumble the pellets. I even put a quiet one 4000 and it still did not tumble. I ended up upgrading to an avast mr5 18" and using an eheim 1250.
 
Shaking doesn't seem to be doing the trick. They'll tumble up one side a little after the shake but then settle back down and sit there. I've take the entire unit apart to see if there are any clogs in the mesh but everything looks good. The tubes and pump just aren't big/strong enough to push the bacteria laden pellets around.

Upgrading is out of the question right now (no funds). As long as the (very slow) flow continues through the unit I shouldn't lose the culture that has already formed. Right?

If anyone has any inexpensive DIY solutions I'm all ears!

-Gregory
 
Mine is still tumbling perfectly. I did notice that when I started it up initially, that there was a lot of pellets impeding flow at the exit screen. I had to turn the flow on/off and jiggle the canister several times to get all the floaters down. Once that was done, flow went up.
 
Yep, they floated at for the first couple of days and had to be jiggled back into place. Then they tumbled perfectly. Now they just sit in a non-moving lump at the bottom of the reactor.

On the plus side I'm starting to see a decrease in the nitrate levels.

-Gregory
 
I'm using the BRS reactor and cut some screen material to modify the original GFO/GAC canister. The head height is basically zero (reactor on floor, sump-pump on floor). There is about 3ft of the tubing going in and out. Is your setup much different?
 
Pretty much the same, except the tubing is prolly closer to two feet. But the rest is dead on........converted BRS reactor, check.....plastic mesh, check........zero head/reactor on floor next to sump, check. The reactor and pump were pretty new as well. Only used for 2 months for GFO.

It was setup on Sat 4/2.

-Gregory
 
I got it to partially tumble when I left the reactor tilted. You might wanna try using bigger ID hoses and fittings to see if that will help any.
 
@sfboarders - I have it tilted at a 45 degree angle. There's a little tumbling but not much. I need to look at bigger hoses and pump. Did you use EcoBak or BRS?

@Gomer - EcoBak vs BRS might be the issue. 1cp vs 1 1/2 cps shouldn't be that much of a difference. I was going to start with BRS but was given a gift card for Amazon.com and they sell EcoBak. Didn't think there would be a difference between the products but that's all we really have to go on..

-Gregory
 
Small off white cylinders.....I don't have a measurment but they are pretty small. When I get home tonight I can let you know.

-Gregory
 
Not sure if you have access to a scale, but if you do, see if you can measure the density of those pellets. I'll do the same next week. (just a wild ass attempt at understanding why you are having issues lol)
 
I am out of product and weighing used product won't be the same. However, any insight you can give on my *issues* would be welcome by my wife. :)

-Gregory
 
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