Daisy Chaining 2 TLFs Phosban Reactors and Bio Pellets

J

jklyczek

Member
So I am looking to pick up 2xTLFs Phosban reactors soon and I am going to daisy chain them together off one MJ900 pump placed in my sump. What does everyone think about running carbon in the first reactor and TLFs NPX Bioplastics in the second. I am torn between the bio pellets and GFO and have read that they both work great. I am leaning toward the bio pellets based not only on them removing phosphate but also supposedly nitrates while at the same time breeding beneficial bacteria. Figured I would leave it up to the gurus on CR. Let me know and thanks in advance for any input.
 
They are really two completely different beasts. Do not make the mistake of comparing GFO and biopellets. Please spend as much time as you can researching and reading posts about others experiences with bio pellets before even considering them. For now you would be best set with GFO in one reactor and carbon in the 2nd canister after the gfo. The reason for this is that the carbon will help to trap the fines of GFO that are released over time so they do not get introduced directly back into your tank.
 
I've been running gfo and carbon for the last month and a half and my tank already looks 231482934275 times cleaner. brs has some nice ones that are pretty cheap
 
Thanks all. Ya I started researching about a week ago and see testimonials on both. Either way I need the carbon but a lot of people say GFO is not the best with clams. Biopellets are in essence the same as carbon dosing if I have read correctly, the bacteria consume the material that the pellets are made of and reduce your nitrates and phosphates. An added bonus to the biopellets is that the waste that the bacteria produces is used up as a food source by your corals. So not only are you reducing nitrates and phosphates but you’re feeding your corals at the same time. This would replace the carbon dosing I have been doing (Vit C) while at the same time slightly lowering my nutrient levels. I would start with 1/4 of the recommended pellets and either way I am going to use minimal amounts of carbon so I dont lose all my trace elements. Does anyone know if the MJ900 would be enough to go through carbon and still tumble the pellets in a second reactor or should I go up to the MJ1200?

Thanks Fishbeard/Kyjoma for the response.

FYI- my skimmer is a RO diablo 160 and I have it on a 75g standard with ~30g sump. Bioload is medium reef. Skimmer should have no issues taking the extra load if I went with bio pellets.
 
Didnt mean to leave you out gonebad, just had to actually work at my job and didnt see your post since mine was half written lol
 
MJ900 will not be enough for your biopellets to tumble. MJ1200 will be better choice but it depends how much biopellets you will be using. I run 500ml of pellets in TLF 550 and MJ1200 was not enough after about a month. With time pellets get heavier and colonize with bacteria and are harder to tumble.
 
Then the 1200 it is. I will only be using ~ 100 ml to start with and may eventually go up to 200ml but the flow rate will be reduced since it will have to go through the carbon reactor first. I think it should still have enough pressure to tumble the second one since I will be using minimal amounts of carbon.

@MMreef- How fast does the output water flow back into your sump? I have heard mixed reviews but with such a heavier tumble in comparison to GFO shouldnt the flow be decent back into the sump? Thanks again.
 
well I am going to daisy chain two reactors together so it will go through the carbon reactor first and then the bio pellets. The carbon can have as much flow as is necessary but I will restrict it in order to have the appropriate amount of tumble in the bio pellet reactor. From what I understand the biopellets need to tumble a decent amount. If I get the tumbling amount spot on, how much discharge should come out of the 1/2" output line on the biopellet reactor (the one that will go into my return chamber in my sump)? Hope this clarifies, I am trying to soak in as much info as possible prior to purchase.....
 
I don't think you should restrict any flow out of output. Once you get desired tumble that's the flow you go with. Make sure that you have your output from biopellets close to intake of your skimmer. I have my reactor plummed via manifold out of my return pump and I estimate about 400 gph going through it.
 
Awesome, thanks. I am placing the pump in the same chamber of my sump as my return and then I will have the output from the reactors flow right into my skimmer chamber. Thanks again.
 
After careful consideration I shall be going with GFO and not bio pellets. Thanks and appreciation to FB, Dre, and Mmreef who were all extremely helpful in this!!!
 
Good choice Joe. Those bio pellets could give u a lot of problems. Also don't tumble the carbon too much. It's not like gfo. It will break down over time. It will tumble against it self and can release into the water. Check brs they have a video on it. The gfo can tumble all day.
 
i had gfo and biopellets in series with a mj1200 on my 90g mixed tank. the biopellets clumped alot.i had to put a filter on the mj1200 to give me more time before shaking or rinsing the pellets so they would tumble. i took them offline for vinegar dosed via dosing pump. Currently i am running biopellets on my 20g cube to use up all my pellets, they're keeping my tank clean. But after i run out ill be buying a 3 head doser to run 2 part and vinegar.
 
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