Bacteria Dosing

So finished the reactor last night. Total cost was around R200, this is for all the fittings, perspex bubble plate thing and ball valves and everything excluding the pump. I'm going to use a 1200Lph pump that I will throttle down to 400Lph. Then when I disturb the zeolites I can open up the ball valve and pump 1200Lph to help clean the stones. The design I went for allows you to stir the stones and move them up and down.
 
I'll post some pics now, must just find the cable for the camera.

Here's the dosing routine I'm gonna go for:

Weeks 1 and 2: Place 200 g each week of NēoZeo for each 100 US-gallons (378.5 L) in
the entire aquarium system into an appropriate media reactor; adjust the rate of water
flow through the reactor to ~25 gph (94.6 lph). Add 2.5 ml MicrōBacter7 per 100 USgallons
daily.
Weeks 3 and 4: Add 200 g each week of NēoZeo for each 100 US-gallons (378.5 L) in
the entire aquarium system into the media reactor; increase water flow through the
reactor to ~50 gph (189.3 lph). Add 1 ml MicrōBacter7 and Reef BioFuel per 100 USgallons
daily.
Week 5: Add 200 g of NēoZeo for each 100 US-gallons (378.5 L) in the entire aquarium
system into the media reactor; increase water flow through the reactor to ~100 gph
(378.5 lph). Add 1 ml MicrōBacter7 and Reef BioFuel per 100 US-gallons daily.
Once the first 5 weeks of usage has passed, adjust the dosage of MicrōBacter7 and Reef
BioFuel according to the appearance of the system, the inhabitants, and as dictated by
the water parameters. Refer to the instructions on each of the afore-mentioned
supplements’ labels for additional information. Every six-weeks, change 25% of the
NēoZeo media and add 1 ml MicrōBacter7 and Reef BioFuel per 100 US-gallons daily
for one week before resuming normal dosing schedule.
 
Here the pics as promised, excuse all the cable ties as I glued some abs sheeting around the pvc pipe to make it look better and when I took the pics the glue still needed to dry. All the cable ties are now gone:

17284b87805a2a3bc.jpg


The whole thing assembled with pump.

17284b878084b55b5.jpg


The internals of the reactor.

17284b87809d2e7d8.jpg


Inside the bottom of the reactor, there's a 90 degree elbow facing down to evenly distribute the flow through the rocks. The handle on the top picture can be turned and pulled up and down to disturb the rocks. The reason I went for pvc pipes instead of clear pipes is mainly due to cost and pvc is easy to glue. Also brightwell suggest the reactor not be open topped and that the stones should ideally be kept hidden from light.
 
Fantastic Manic,please update us on the reactor performance.
 
Mekaeel said:
Very neat Manic! Nice job. :)
Click to expand...

lanzo said:
Blady nice diy job manic!!!
Click to expand...

Thanks guys. Well the reactor is up and running at the moment with 250g of NeoZeo rocks and the flow rate is at 100Lph. This is what brightwell suggest but I'm pretty sure this adding rocks in over 5 weeks and adjusting the flow rate is for established tanks so that you don't give the fish and corals a shock when your ammonia drops suddenly. I'm sure I should put all the rocks in at once. Anyone got any ideas.
 
it is cool to see the passion with which every new development in reefkeeping is imbibed. i was reading shimek amongst others and have found that a well setup dsb also does the work of carbon and bacteria dosing. it was interesting to chat to a person that said get rid of dsb and how terrible it was etc and when i asked where to get the bacteria etc he said he can supply them( i laughed because two years ago the same person was punting dsbs and phos reactors.) i think that various things appear like a craze and everybody runs after it not to be left out. i am remembering algae filters before that it was cheato, before that it was caluerpa, mangroves. i suppose i will try various things over time but at this time my goal is to setup and see if i can maintain uln with non carbon dosing
 
Manic said:
I'll post some pics now, must just find the cable for the camera.

Here's the dosing routine I'm gonna go for:

Weeks 1 and 2: Place 200 g each week of NēoZeo for each 100 US-gallons (378.5 L) in
the entire aquarium system into an appropriate media reactor; adjust the rate of water
flow through the reactor to ~25 gph (94.6 lph). Add 2.5 ml MicrōBacter7 per 100 USgallons
daily.
Weeks 3 and 4: Add 200 g each week of NēoZeo for each 100 US-gallons (378.5 L) in
the entire aquarium system into the media reactor; increase water flow through the
reactor to ~50 gph (189.3 lph). Add 1 ml MicrōBacter7 and Reef BioFuel per 100 USgallons
daily.
Week 5: Add 200 g of NēoZeo for each 100 US-gallons (378.5 L) in the entire aquarium
system into the media reactor; increase water flow through the reactor to ~100 gph
(378.5 lph). Add 1 ml MicrōBacter7 and Reef BioFuel per 100 US-gallons daily.
Once the first 5 weeks of usage has passed, adjust the dosage of MicrōBacter7 and Reef
BioFuel according to the appearance of the system, the inhabitants, and as dictated by
the water parameters. Refer to the instructions on each of the afore-mentioned
supplements’ labels for additional information. Every six-weeks, change 25% of the
NēoZeo media and add 1 ml MicrōBacter7 and Reef BioFuel per 100 US-gallons daily
for one week before resuming normal dosing schedule.
Click to expand...

So haven't really found an answer on the above dosing routine but I think it is for established systems. Since I'm starting my system from scratch should I not just put all the zeolites in at once?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom