Biopellet vs UV

[jackalcleo]

Realised that this 2 setup doesn't goes well if operate together (still in experiment)

Would like to ask of opinon if you are to choose just 1 which one will leave it behind running? (Biopellet or UV)

And why would you choose that?

Please share.

 

[Ranz]

both serve different purpose, one is to control disease, one is to control nutrient. 

depends on what you are keeping, if fowlr and you have many expensive fishes, i will choose uv. 

if sps dominated tank i will choose biopellets. if you quarantine your fish properly u don't really need a uv. 

btw - uv and biopellets can operate together. you need to first let the bacteria to colonise the biopellets. once biopellet is working you can run uv. 

[jackalcleo]

Quite true on type of setup and decide which to keep. As for both working together i still have doubt and trying out. It seems to work but not to the best especially biopellet

[Metalian81]

Actually dont need both for FOWLR unless u do not want to see any unwanted algae growth... Prompt water change is more important... I have tried both 2 years back but give up as i rather wanna enjoy watching my fishes than spending too much time on maintenance... I'm having FOWLR of tangs and angels anyway... Just my 2 cents...

[jackalcleo]

I'm now changing around 40% water weekly and yes I see your point of just pure water changing.

If I proved that my UV causes my >100mg nitrate due to my dying biopellet bacteria may consider just use conventional freshwater maintenance schedule (filter wool change and water change)

[Angel Keeper]

But if your bacteria are already dying, your UV only speeds up the process...

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[Ranz]

in theory UV doesn't kill bacteria but alter their cells so the bacteria couldn't reproduce. 

so by right the skimmer should still be able to skim what bacteria is coming out of the biopellets. 

the setup should be biopellets output to skimmer input, and uv the last equipment before return pump. 

how big is your tank and what skimmer are you using?

 

 

[jackalcleo]

Tank is 5x2.5x2 and skimmer is deltec sc2060

[jackalcleo]

8 hours ago, Angel Keeper said:

But if your bacteria are already dying, your UV only speeds up the process...

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Strange enough when my uv is running my nitrate comes down no whether the amount of biopellet. Now with uv off the nitrate reading is coming down. Still testing. Once nitrate go below 30mg will turn on uv again

[jackalcleo]

57 minutes ago, jackalcleo said:

Strange enough when my uv is running my nitrate comes down no whether the amount of biopellet. Now with uv off the nitrate reading is coming down. Still testing. Once nitrate go below 30mg will turn on uv again

correction "nitrate never comes down"

[alons]

Couple of thing to consider:

1. Check your flow within the UV per the mfg recommendation, even do a test as sometime it's not so easy to calculate if you use the same pump for other equipment (like chiller etc), too fast not effective, too slow may have negative impact on bacteria

2. Check flow within the biopallet reactor, biopallet should hoover, but not too much, for sure not static, Biopallet are basically carbon based food that bacteria will feed from, in this process they consume nitrate  

3. i recommend you to use "special blend" (microbe-lift) on a weekly basis, this is live bacteria, will smoothen and accelerate the process you are trying to achieve, make sure you turn off the uv for a day or two after you top up

 

[Ref00]

Just curious. 

Does UV affect copper treatment in qt tank?

[Harlequinmania]

Just curious. 
Does UV affect copper treatment in qt tank?

Yes it will

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[christan1959]

Why would UV affect copper treatment?

[Ref00]

Yah. How does it affect

[alons]

You should turn off UV when treating with medications, same for cupermine 

[Ref00]

6 hours ago, he said:

Yes it will

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Will UV remove copper fm the system?

I undstd it only kill bacterial?

 

[christan1959]

UV should not affect copper

[Plasticgoat]

Uv will affect copper. The uv will unbind the copper in its safe form and the copper will become poisonous 

[Komerider]

I'm now changing around 40% water weekly and yes I see your point of just pure water changing.
If I proved that my UV causes my >100mg nitrate due to my dying biopellet bacteria may consider just use conventional freshwater maintenance schedule (filter wool change and water change)

If u r running bio pellets properly ur nitrates shld be zero to one. Won't need to change water so often just to keep nitrates low. I'm running reef octopus bio pellets with about 10 small to mid size fish bio load in a 70g with corals. I change 10% water prob 4-6 mths once for the fun of it.

I believe ur problem may be something I had initially. Having some bio pellets spinning doesnt mean ur nitrates r gng negative towards zero. U need to always maintain enough pellets which houses an X amount of bacteria to reduce a Y amount of nitrates per day.

Example: 50g of active bio pellets maybe dropping 2 nitrates per day. But ur tank produces 3 nitrates per day. The end result is that your nitrates will never drop.

The above happened when I kept only a half cup of balls running. My net gain in nitrates was always positive. Once I realized my problem I ensured one full cup or more was always colonizing bacteria and I had NP moving forward.

Also, the balls dun need to spin. Doesnt matter if they clump. Just run water thru them will do.

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[Komerider]

Plus I agree that UV and biopellets dun affect each other. The bacteria on the pellets won't go swimming thru ur UV. They just hang on and live their lives out on the balls.

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[Ref00]

19 hours ago, Plasticgoat said:

Uv will affect copper. The uv will unbind the copper in its safe form and the copper will become poisonous 

Thanks for the info.