Bio-pellet make the water cloudy

[gymbvolka]

This is the first time i use a FR with Bio pellet , previous only uses Cheato.

I have place the outlet of the FR near to the skimmer intake.

Today is the 3rd day and my whole tank is cloudy.

is this normal? will it subside within a few days?

I know this is one kind of bacteria bloom but will this harm my live stock and kill them?

What should i do now? Should i stop the biopellet?

kinda worry now.

Anyone can help?

[gymbvolka]

sorry i currently uses Nutri-Fix NP Bio Pellets 500ML and my flowrate is 1200l/hr with a 2060 SC skimmer

[brojj]

How much biopellets is in currently in your FR? What FR are u using? And what is the volume of your tank, what livestock is inside?

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[Solo77]

just monitor carefully. the skimmer suppose to help skim them. standby for water change and stop it if needs arise.

[gymbvolka]

just monitor carefully. the skimmer suppose to help skim them. standby for water change and stop it if needs arise.

When can i know is time to stop?

is it normal to get cloudy when using Bio-pellets?

How much biopellets is in currently in your FR? What FR are u using? And what is the volume of your tank, what livestock is inside?

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Using FR30 for my 500 L tank ( house around 10 fishes, tangs and angels)

I use 500 ML of DD Bio-pellets.

[jxlex]

Cut back the biopellet by 50% then weekly slowly add a bit more until ur final desired amount... No need to throw away, can keep in airtight container keep damp but not soaking in water Good luck

[brojj]

If u re using 500ml of biopellets at this point of time, i would suggest to remove 300ml of them, conduct water change, pump in air using air pump, air tubing to the display tank. U re having super bacteria bloom. Too much bacteria will reduce oxygen level in your tank and harm your livestock. It is ok if u dun have the air pump now. Get them tomorrow or now if you can. Monitor closely, if the fishes having difficult to breath, stop the biopellets FR. Too much biopellets used during this stage. Yours may take few days or longer to clear. Need to monitor. U can stop the air pump once the bloom subsided.

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[gymbvolka]

Cut back the biopellet by 50% then weekly slowly add a bit more until ur final desired amount... No need to throw away, can keep in airtight container keep damp but not soaking in water Good luck

Just took out around 350ml, the remaining i ziplock it.

Do i keep in the fridge? how long can it last if i leave it damp?

[gymbvolka]

If u re using 500ml of biopellets at this point of time, i would suggest to remove 300ml of them, conduct water change, pump in air using air pump, air tubing to the display tank. U re having super bacteria bloom. Too much bacteria will reduce oxygen level in your tank and harm your livestock. It is ok if u dun have the air pump now. Get them tomorrow or now if you can. Monitor closely, if the fishes having difficult to breath, stop the biopellets FR. Too much biopellets used during this stage. Yours may take few days or longer to clear. Need to monitor. U can stop the air pump once the bloom subsided.

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I do not have water to conduct a waterchange now.

is it a must to do a water change? and how many percent?

I have air pump now, will fix it in a while.

[Slayer213]

Its a bacteria bloom and common occurance when using biopellets. Similiar thing happened to me when first started using bp. Like fellow reefers reccommend... Use an airpump to boost up oxygen level, do a 20% wc, reduce the flow to the reactor(it should be tumbling gently, not violently). My tank cleared up on the fourth day, and i never deduce the amount of bp though. But monitor your fish for stress... On my case, the bacteria bloom did not have any ill effects on my livestock, just unsightly cloudy tank..

[brojj]

The purpose of WC is to reduce the amount of bacteria present in the water at this point of time.

[gymbvolka]

just to update on today progress so others ( reefers like me with the same problem) can also learn.

Today the main tank water is much clearer. i believe the cloudiness will be totally clear by tomorrow.

What i have done :

1. reduce the bio-pellet to 150-200ml from 500 ml

2. reduce the flow of the FR

3. install the air pump to increase oxygen level (All fishes breathing normal and started to feed again) thank you ReefFish Bro !

4. i do not perform water change.

What is my mistake.

1. using all the 500ml at one go. ( never read more before execute this plan)

As my aim was to reduce nitrate level ( very new to bp) ,my nitrate level reading was > more than 20ppm with high bio load, adding all the bio-pellet at one time causes a high bacteria bloom ( results very cloudy water )

I read further, if your nitrate level is low and less bio load, most likely cloudy water will not happen or slightly less cloudy. the cloudiness will go away in time.

It is advisable not to use with any other carbon source but activated carbon is ok. Maintain the water parameter as usual and change water as usual ( normal routine)

if possible wash the bp with distilled water or tank water, soak it for a while until the bp is ready to be in the FR.

I will perform my water change this weekend (weekly routine) and will slowly add in the bp after 1-2 week to test for nitrate level.

Thank you guys for sharing with me , i was worry and panic and nearly wanted to throw away the new FR which i just bought and turn back to cheato. lol

(now i am using both )

[brojj]

Thank you Bro gymbvolka for updating us on your status, sharing with us on your experience & what you have read/ learn. It is good to know that you are back on the right track. Biopellets actually works but why are there failures is because some steps are not being followed closely. Hope those who have fail once, try to recall what had gone wrong & take up the challange to introduce biopellets again but this time, be slow & careful and of course, don't forget the air pump, to pump in air when water goes cloudy & follow the procedure closely. I believe there are reefers here who will be willing to guide & share their suceess in using biopellets here.

[AngGuKueh]

YES reduce the biopellet its stated on the direction of use.

[brojj]

Sorri to hijack this thread. Juz to share my experience & my knowledge with those that are going to use biopellets. Introduction time just add 50-100ml enough. For smaller tank, 50ml should be ok. Wait for a week, during this one week, cloudy water will form. This is due to bacteria bloom as bacteria had already colonize the biopellets. Excess ones will be swimming in the water. The more u add intially, the worst it will be, bacteria need O2 to survive too. More bacteria will reduce O2 a lot. If we add a bit only, the situation will not be so bad. Pump in air if u feel uncomfortable or if livestock struggle to breath. Skimmer must keep on running. Clean it immediately once full & immediately on back. Skimmer provides another source of dissolved O2. The cloudiness will go away, at the most a few days. And, the bacteria poses no harm at all only danger is they reduce O2. Pump in air. U can off the air pump after everything normalised & resume adding the pellets slowly, per week 100ml, till your required amt. At this time, when the bacteria bloom stops, the bacteria colony are stable in the pellets and will adjusted accordingly to your bioload, it is now ok to 'overdose' a bit more for the pellets. Why overdose? U never know when you will need more bacteria in your pellets to handle extra eg: fish died somewhere and u cannot find it's body. U can contiune voka dosing, for me biofuel. This two has been done by fellow reefers & it is effective. Some might cause adverse effect, i had come across discussion here regarding some additives they used & have some issue. (Don't want to mention names, look out for this topic). Do not replace the pellets, only add in to replace the amt that have been eaten up by the bacteria. Also ensure all pellets are tumbling to avoid dead legs which cause H2S formation, which is fatal and will kills/ wipe out the whole tank. This can be resolved by putting in more flow into the FR. For smaller tank, the amt be be lower, maybe half of what i stated. Good luck.

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[erikokelf]

Sorri to hijack this thread. Juz to share my experience & my knowledge with those that are going to use biopellets. Introduction time just add 50-100ml enough. For smaller tank, 50ml should be ok. Wait for a week, during this one week, cloudy water will form. This is due to bacteria bloom as bacteria had already colonize the biopellets. Excess ones will be swimming in the water. The more u add intially, the worst it will be, bacteria need O2 to survive too. More bacteria will reduce O2 a lot. If we add a bit only, the situation will not be so bad. Pump in air if u feel uncomfortable or if livestock struggle to breath. Skimmer must keep on running. Clean it immediately once full & immediately on back. Skimmer provides another source of dissolved O2. The cloudiness will go away, at the most a few days. And, the bacteria poses no harm at all only danger is they reduce O2. Pump in air. U can off the air pump after everything normalised & resume adding the pellets slowly, per week 100ml, till your required amt. At this time, when the bacteria bloom stops, the bacteria colony are stable in the pellets and will adjusted accordingly to your bioload, it is now ok to 'overdose' a bit more for the pellets. Why overdose? U never know when you will need more bacteria in your pellets to handle extra eg: fish died somewhere and u cannot find it's body. U can contiune voka dosing, for me biofuel. This two has been done by fellow reefers & it is effective. Some might cause adverse effect, i had come across discussion here regarding some additives they used & have some issue. (Don't want to mention names, look out for this topic). Do not replace the pellets, only add in to replace the amt that have been eaten up by the bacteria. Also ensure all pellets are tumbling to avoid dead legs which cause H2S formation, which is fatal and will kills/ wipe out the whole tank. This can be resolved by putting in more flow into the FR. For smaller tank, the amt be be lower, maybe half of what i stated. Good luck.

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Very good info bro

[DeadmanZ]

Me too started biopellet 3 days ago.. Still doesn't encounter any cloudy water.. Just to check.. What would be a recommended dose for a estimated 250l tank? I'm planning to stop at 250ml..is it all right? Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk 2

[yufenie]

Sorri to hijacky this thread. I am in need of advise.

i just started out this hobby and i have heard that its good to have bio-pellet to reduce algae growth. I am also thinking of starting to introduce to my own tank - 120L

What are some of the brands i can consider?

[brojj]

Bio pellets basically works the same. There are currently 3 more popular brands being used here. NP biopellets, TLF( Two Little Fishes) & D&D. For biopelkets reactor, there are FR35, Reef octupus & JNS. Pardon me if there is any spelling mistake. Use google to read their reviews & choose one suitable for your setup. Btw, u will still need PO4 removal media to reduce PO4 as PO4 are being introduce faster than what the biopellets can handle, thro' food and fish waste. Biopellets primary role is to reduce NO3 & PO4 will fall as well because of the relationship they shared. But even then, manufacturers of biopellets still advise to use a indepedent PO4 removal media. D&D website got more info.

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[brojj]

Bro deadmanz, monitor for another 4 days, if no cloudly water, then add another 50 to 100ml. Then monitor for another week. No cloudy water, repeat again till u reach the required amount. Recommended dose by the manufacturor (NP) will be around 50-100ml every 100L if i did not remember wrongly. 250 -350ml should be ok. I am more kiasu. 700ml for my 380L, because of my 16 fishes, SPS, LPS, zoas corals & feeding 3 times per day, coral food every other day, in my 3ft. High bioload.

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[DeadmanZ]

Thanks bro reefish for such clear explanation.. So can I conclude that once the 'cloudy tank' period is over, it's safe even if I were to overdose on biopellet? Can I run Phosguard together with the biopellet for po4 removal? Thanks again! Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk 2

[brojj]

Yes, u can start to overdose but still same rule, slowly, 50-100ml per week. U can run Phosguard in a separated, different FR, separated from biopellets. Don't mix the 2 of them together.

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[DeadmanZ]

Understood bro.. Thanks! Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk 2

[Nickel]

Have a question re flow rate in a FR containing biopellets.

I have a Skimz Sidea FR (not sure volume but cylinder is 16 inches tall and 5 inches diameter). I put in about 250gm of biopellets and run via a 2000 L/H pump. The biopellets movement like volcano larva flowing, ie, smooth roll over each other and not bouncing up and down the chamber. Some 'dead spots' (though stirring very slowly) seemed to be at the bottom of the chamber.

Is the flow rate too low? What should be the flow rate or how should be the movement of the biopellets.

Is the volume of biopellets sufficient for my tank of 250 litres? Water was never cloudy after introducing the biopellets.

I am also using PO4 removal pellets in a separate filter bag in sump.

Kindly advise based on above what should I do to reduce PO4 further.

[SunkistC]

Sorry to hijack this thread.. I started running bio pellets for about a month and i noticed my filter sock getting choked every 2 to 3 days.. used to be 1 week plus before using bio pellets.. does running bio pellets makes the filter sock chokes easily?