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How Do Bio-Pellets Work?
by
, 08-18-2010 at 12:55 PM (15611 Views)
In my previous article I briefly went through my personal experience with bio-pellets over the last couple months. In that article I listed off the benefits to use said bio-pellets in our reef systems, and if I knew of any negative side effects at this point I would have listed those as well. Rather than talk about what bio-pellets can do for your tank, I would like to attempt to explain (from my layman's perspective, forgive me I'm not a scientist) how these pellets work and how they are able to accomplish their tasks.
Bio-pellets are made primarily of a biodegradable polymer that "feed" and promote the growth and reproduction of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria which in turn use the pellets as a carbon source to consume nutrients (NO3 and PO4) in the water column. In a nutshell they are able to accomplish the same tasks as any carbon source (such as vinegar, vodka, sugar etc.) that we have been using in our reef tanks for years. In fact that act in a very similar fashion except for the fact that the chemistry of it all is locked away neatly in a reactor in the sump rather than using the entire system as a breeding ground.
John Warner explained it quite understandably to me and I will try and reiterate his statements:
With tradition carbon dosing methods such as vodka or VSV basically we are feeding and promoting the reproduction of bacteria cultures in our aquariums that consume nutrients and then through a regular life cycle, die off and are removed from the system by other equipment such as our skimmers. Traditionally, the bacteria lives everywhere in the tank. On the walls, in the pipes, in the overflow, on the rocks etc etc. If you have dosed a carbon source in the past you likely know what I am talking about. We then add vodka (or one of the other options) directly to the water column and it distributes throughout the system feeding and continuing the cycle of these beneficial bacterias. The only downside is that unsightly, stringy bacteria mess everywhere. This is caused because essentially by adding a liquid carbon source to the water we are treating the entire system as a large reactor, creating bacterial life cycles throughout the system. If you could look past the bacterial alternative to algae, it was no big deal. In fact, had I not come across a product that could provide me with the same benefits without the mess I would still gladly accept the one downside to carbon dosing and continue to use it as my main method of nutrient removal.
Employing a reactor filled with solid bio-pellets changes everything! Rather than staging the entire aquarium into an ecosystem of bacteria, a reactor allows us to provide those microscopic creatures with a "food dish" tucked neatly away in the stand. Now the bacteria congregate in the confined space of a reactor and continue the same life cycle as before without leaving their mess behind for us to look at.
Another huge benefit to using bio-pellets is the fact that you don't have to maintain a specific dosage, you don't have to slowly increase or decrease said dosage and best of us, you in no way run the risk of overdosing your system. Basically bio-pellets are like vodka that is packages in sealed in a bite sized jars and until the bacteria comes along to open and consume it, it merely sits dormant. Over time as the carbon source is depleted it will dissolve much like the media in a calcium reactor. Because of this it makes them more effective in removing NO3 and PO4. Its much more controlled and there is an unlimited supply of carbon available.
I hope that for some this helps break down the mystery of this product and helps gain a better understanding of how and why they work for nutrient control in our systems.
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