Bio pellet advice

Hi All: I've been running a biopellet reactor for approximately 3 weeks at this point. I've done a few (about 4-5 - 10% water changes). I've taken out 2 of 4 sponges in my canister. I just put fresh carbon and phosguard in the canister on the last water change. I rinse the sponges each water change. I've added a big new skimmer. Still I have minimal nitrate reduction. Oh, and I've also switched to RO water.

So, to my question - I started with 1/3 the number of pellets recommended and I was wondering when and how much I should add? I am very cautious at this time because my tank crashed when I first added the pellets due to low oxygen - I think this was due to insufficient tumbling (I added a stronger pump and they are tumbling strong now) and a weak skimmer. The output hose of the pellet reactor goes straight to my skimmer now and it is a much better and stronger skimmer than I had with the crash. Any advice from those using pellets or knows a lot about them is greatly appreciated!

 

As you know I am starting a BP reactor soon but I think I can help out.

It can take 4-6 weeks for the BPs to be fully seeded so I would keep an eye on your levels and they should start to drop soon, I know when I start out I will have a VERY LOW dost of BPs and will raise every 3-4 weeks until I reach my desired levels.

I would love to know about your BP setup, what Reactor, BP, Skimmer and pump are you using?

 

Yeah, with my BP reactor experiment nothing happened for about 2wks. Then my skimmer one morning had some nasty stuff in it. Not full just a lot darker and odoriferous. Volume did increase over the next few weeks. Then it started to fall off so, I bumped up the pellet level from half recommended to full.

I stopped using GFO when I started up the skimmer. The bacteria is supposed to pull Nitrates and Phosphates.

The other issue was a friend gave me some weird pellets to try out and I got an instant cyano outbreak. Back to Dr. Tims and no problems.

Like asked above, Canister, BP reactor, Pellet brand and skimmer size/brand. How big is the tank and how much pellets are you running.

 

It's a 404 (or 405) canister. I have a reef octopus 1000 hang on skimmer. My reactor is the little fishies (I think is the name) phos reactor that I'm tumbling the pellets in. I have an Eheim compact 1000 pump for it. I couldn't find a pump with 300-350 rate (recommended) so I got the Eheim which is rated at 265 gph. I started with a lower pressure pump (recommended for phosguard) and upgraded to the stronger one. I am using BRS biopellets. My tank is 54 gallons and it said on the package to use 1 cup of bellets per 50 gallons so I put in 1/3 cup. That is what is tumbling now. Does that help? Thanks for taking the time to help out!

 

when cycling bio pellets it is advisable not to do any changes and this includes water changes, otherwise it will take longer

 

Really??? now that's some advice I like to hear....I have not heard that....can others chime in on that? I'm not questioning your input it's just that I had not heard this.