Calling all bio pellet users for advice

[Livinlocal]

I posted this on another forum so I can get as much advice as possible.

Bio pellet opinions/advice needed please. Currently running
So a little about my tank: 130 gallon display, 30 gallon sump w/10gal fuge, carbon in a mesh sock, bubble magus nac9 skimmer, po4 reactor, and my Bp reactor. It's mainly a sps tank with some Lps. I'm currently using nsw, dosing (bubble magus) and my perimeters are:
Cal-440
Alk-8.3
Mag-1380
Nitrate-0
Po4-.04
Ph-8.3

Calcium is tested with a Red Sea test kit, alk-Hanna, mag-salifert, po4-Hanna And the nsw I use is very very close to my tanks perimeters just for refference (scripps)

I recently moved into a apartment from a house(3 months ago) so I cannot store enough nsw for it to be worth my time or money, so I am forced to start mixing again. After much research; I am pretty set on the salt I am using which is "seachem aquavitra salinity"

So I have been running bio pellets since my move and have liked the results, but am switching to a salt that has a alk/kh of 10.0 and have always read that you don't want to go above 8.5 while running Bp or you'll risk getting burnt tips or even necrosis on your sps. I would like to keep running the biopellets, but am worried that the seachem salt is too high at 10kh for biopellets, so I'm wondering if I should take them offline?

After mixing up the salt in several buckets to insure all the salt was remixed from possible settling of salt from shipping; I mixed my first batch of salt to .026 but I am using a swing arm so my salinity may be off a little bit. I'm thinking my swing arm may be reading a little low but everything looks within equal balance of each other.
Cal-450
Alk-10.0
Mag-1500


So what do you think I should do? Keep the pellets online with that high of alk in my new salt? Take them offline? From my understanding it's only the ulns or "too clean" systems that have a problem with running bp's and a higher alk, and by no means do I consider my tank "too clean". I clean my glass every other day and feed heavily so would this be ok to have a alk of 10 and run bp's?


I am very torn on what to do, so any insight/advise would be greatly appreciated. I would like to keep the bp's since i like to feed heavy, but will ditch them if it's best, but I cannot keep using the nsw.

Thanks in advance!

[Funkateer_1]

What is the dKH of your actual tank? Even if you do partial changes with a higher alkalinity salt, your corals will probably pull that carbonate out pretty quick.

With ULNS systems, you usually wanna keep your dKH between 6.5-7.5. Mine usually hovers around 7. Potassium seems to be a really important element for keeping good colors too.

[Livinlocal]

Thanks for the reply; My dkh is at 8.3 in my tank and I believe even That is high for bio pellets so I am worried that 10 will be too high. I can stop dosing, but then I will have too big of a alk/dkh swing between each water change. Is there any way to lower just the alk/dkh?

[Funkateer_1]

A partial water change with 10dkh salt shouldnt affect your levels to much. Ive used salinity with pellet and zeo driven systems with no issues. Do you dose anything for kh?

[Livinlocal]

Yes I dose bionic 2-part daily with a bubble magus doser. My perimeters are very stable and don't fluctuate either. I posted my tanks perimeters in the first post if you happened to miss it.

[Livinlocal]

it wouldn't immediately change the dkh from a water change, but I would assume after 6 months it would stabilize closer to the salt perimeters right ?

[Funkateer_1]

It depends on your corals' consumption. If you have healthy SPS and coraline growing, your carbonate is always slowly going down. You might need to taper down a little on b-ionic #1 to make up for the salt but it shouldn't make much difference.

BTW if your aiming for NSW parameters, look into KZ Reefer's best salt. It is expensive but it is the best out there.

[Livinlocal]

How much more is it compared to the aquavitro ? I went with this st because it is supposed to replicate nsw but everything seems high. In really starting to think that my hydrometer is reading low.

[Funkateer_1]

How much more is it compared to the aquavitro ? I went with this st because it is supposed to replicate nsw but everything seems high. In really starting to think that my hydrometer is reading low.

Its $109.99 for ~120 gallons. Aquavitro is 220 gallons for $89.99

Aquavitro is high in Mg and trace. KZ is high in potassium and trace elements. Usually mixes to ~9dKH.

Get a refractometer, hydrometers are notoriously inaccurate. If your salinity is high or low it will effect your parameters, especially magnesium.

[Livinlocal]

Yeah that's too expensive for my budget. Il get a refractometer tomorrow but it looks like I'll have to take then offline.

[Funkateer_1]

I still don't think you should have to take the pellets online. Remember, when changing anything on a reef tank, especially one with SPS, changes should be made slowly and carefully. Biopellets are an important part of the biological process of your tank, especially if they have been running for awhile. Taking them offline suddenly can devastate your tank.

[Livinlocal]

Yeah if I end up taking them offline; I will root slowly by reducing the flow in the reactor over the next few weeks before taking them completely offline, and I may even take some out during the process. I am just worried about crashing my tank with a dkh of 10.0. It seems like the general rule of thumb with biopellets is to keep a low dkh. I haven't found anywhere that explains why; only that it will make your sps more acceptable to burnt tips and necrosis.

In my personal opinion I don't see how a higher alk/dkh would even effect anything since it is just essentially carbon dosing.

[Funkateer_1]

The idea of a high dkh is that its unnatural. NSW typically has a KH of 6-7. When dosing carbon, we drop organic levels to nonexistant levels, like the ocean. Ive used salinity for years and many other brands and never struggled with high alkalinity.

[Livinlocal]

Makes sense, and are you saying that you've never struggled with high levels; as in the salt mix? Or troubles with a high alk and biopellets? I'm also kinda confused because the seachem is supposed to replicate nsw and everything I read was that is has a lower dkh but not from my tests. Bad batch of salt possibly? Or maybe I didn't mix it enough ?

[Livinlocal]

Also; what if I took out half of my biopellets and only used half of the recommended amount ? Would that lower the risk of running the Bp'swoth a high dkh?