bio pellets - another update - mod complete!

it's just weird that it was tumbling fine for about 3 weeks.....then boom....that is a good point though, maybe I should go back to without the sponge but then the tumble was uneven....

 

I found for that reactor a few mods help improve.
Removing the bottom sponge is a must, I found it gets clogged way too easily. I also removed the bottom red plate and superglued the shaft(inner tube) to the top of the reactor. It became one solid piece. I got perfect flow all the time and no clumping.
Only reason I dont use them anymore is i have found a way better product for controlling nitrates and Phosphates.
Look into BIO Cubes. No reactors, Works much faster and zero chance of crashing your tank from using too much.

 

Until you figure a way to mod it I'd just clean the sponge and still use it. There's a great brs mod somewhere here and they used a funnel at the bottom instead of a sponge. I want to give that a shot just haven't gotten around to it

 

how did you remove the bottom plate?

 

I took it apart. Bottom red plate just comes off, might have to force it a bit.

 

just read through most of the thread on the biocubes on reef central. I'm not a chemist or scientifically minded, but it sounds like snake oil to me....way too many outrageous claims. I'm am very happy that you have found it works for you and your system but I'm very skeptical....

Is anyone else out there using this product?

 

I tried to pull it, it looks like it should come off but was afraid I'd bust something. I'll try again. I did just take out the bottom sponge and better tumble...I think the pump cleaning may have helped with more even tumble. Had to dial it down...I guess the sponge just takes a while to clog since there was a noticable improvement in the tumble at first.....this hobby is hard for those of us that are mechanically impaired

 

I never had very much luck with the TLF reactor when I first tried bio pellets, here is a video of somebody who has a mod for one, I never tried the mod, I had already started using a Super Reef Octopus reactor which tumbled pretty good but i didn't like that if you need to back off on the effluent it would effect the tumbling of the pellets. I am sold on the recirculating style

http://youtu.be/Kh7LZExaMrA

 

Get a better reactor. I use this one, but there are many good options.

Hydra Aquatics BioPellet Reactor

 

Not just me theres about 15 of us in the toronto area all using it and every one of us has had similiar results. we all love the product.
Read about it on Aquariumpros, and MASA(Marine aquarium of south africa) forums. lots of user feedback with great results. Remember i hear what your saying and remember everyone said the same thing about bio pellets when they first came out. MAny were skeptical now almost everyone uses it and swears by it. Remember you can either jump on the bandwagon after everyone tells you its ok to or you can try new products out for yourself as well. Bio cubes were designed and created for use in our hobby specifially. Bio pellets were not but found to work with our hobby.
Just my 2 cents.