NPX biopellets...help !

[LuvbirdRN]

Have 110 gallon fully stocked reef tank, nitrates soaring so replaced phosban in my reactor with NPX biopellets followed all instructions, and having a terrible cloudy bacterial outbreak, did some water change and pointed circulation pumps toward surface to increase o2, fish seem ok but anemones and coral very wilted looking, been changing filter material frequently and reef octopus skimmer going crazy....help!

 

[willbratz]

Have 110 gallon fully stocked reef tank, nitrates soaring so replaced phosban in my reactor with NPX biopellets followed all instructions, and having a terrible cloudy bacterial outbreak, did some water change and pointed circulation pumps toward surface to increase o2, fish seem ok but anemones and coral very wilted looking, been changing filter material frequently and reef octopus skimmer going crazy....help!

You need to start with 1/2 of what they say you should be using then increase as needed

 

[LuvbirdRN]

NPX Biopellets

Thanks for the reply, already started with half of what they call for....still seem to be having a crisis. Any other advice you can give is appreciated. Skimmer going crazy bubbling over frequently water really stinks. LOL my house smells like a dead carp !

 

[willbratz]

Have you adjusted your skimmer down to help reduce the foam? Is your skimmer in a sump? Have you adjusted the pump to "just tumble" the plastics?

 

[LuvbirdRN]

NPX

Tuned the skimmer down as far as it will go it is in the center of 3 compartments in the sump. I guess it is going crazy getting rid of the bacteria. Water enters first compartment of sump which has live rock and algae through a filter sock which is clogging up about every 2 hours so I have been changing it. then flows to second chamber which has skimmer, then to third chamber which has uv sterilizer and return pump. Reactor with NPX is pulling and returning to middle chamber with the skimmer. Pellets in the reactor are at a very slow gentle tumble. Screens in reactor seem to be clogging with growth that must be bacteria, this growth appeared since last night and is stringy and visible at top screen. Tempted to pull the reactor but would like to survive this initial crisis as my nitrates are over the top >160 despite all my efforts. Good maintenance, water changes, careful feeding, good filtration, skimming, and good water movement in tank.

 

[willbratz]

If your running the Phosban with the black sponges in it. Take them out for now to help keep you from having to clean them while thing settle. If your skimmer is going crazy still. You may want to just let it overflow into the second chamber for now, and just let it aeriate the water.

I think with the sock filter your just gonna have to keep rinsing them. Are you using ro/di to rinse your socks with?

 

[Dav3]

It's possible the bacteria in the reactor is stripping the o2 out of the water column. I would pump some o2 into the display with an air pump for a short period. Output near a power head.

 

[Dav3]

If your running the Phosban with the black sponges in it. Take them out for now to help keep you from having to clean them while thing settle. If your skimmer is going crazy still. You may want to just let it overflow into the second chamber for now, and just let it aeriate the water.

I think with the sock filter your just gonna have to keep rinsing them. Are you using ro/di to rinse your socks with?

Yes. Replace the sponges with screens. The ones they sell online for the phosban reactor are just plastic knitting wheels. You can buy them at Michael's or any other fabric store for about a dollar or two. Just cut the center ring to fit over the center tubes.
I would leave the skimmer running as is. Get the junk out of the tank. Not sure on the collection cup of that skimmer but if it has a drain tube then just run it into a bucket or other container.

 

[MBliss81]

This happened to me too. All you can really do is make sure you have enough oxygen in the water (your protein skimmer should ensure this) and wait it out. Mine lasted about 6 days. My fish and corals were not affected, but I had a sand-sifting starfish that didn't make it. The good news is that after the bacterial bloom ended (about a year ago) my nitrates have been undetectable ever since, even without water changes (just an experiment I wanted to try, not recommended).

 

[mr_X]

Just wondering where those nitrates are coming from.