Bio pellets and Chalice

[AdInfinitum]

I want to hear from some people out there who are running bio-pellets and are getting good growth from their Chalices. 

I have used carbon dosing for years in fish tanks to control nutrients in all forms. (vodka, vinegar, sugar and various blends)  Since I have moved into reefing I have experimented with these as well but other than in the case of very low level dosing I have found that my chalice react poorly when I am dosing (slow growth and/or recession, lightened colour, in the case of a few frags death) which reverses (well other than the death thing) when the dosing ceases.  Also bleaching in Australomussa, although there are probably fewer people out there with them to comment.

Anyway, since I have been running pellets I have been seeing the same reactions in the same corals as when I am adding carbon in other forms.

I don't really want to abandon the pellets (sweet SPS colours) so I would like to hear that you other pellet users are having great success with Chalice and Australo's so I can look elsewhere for the cause.

Ok modifying this because I remember that DV is a pellet guy Say No More...

How about pellets in a high nutrient environment where they are being consumed a a fairly high rate rather than maintaining a low nutrient system where it appears that they last for a very long time.

I've got no science here just observation and speculation. 

 

[Darryl_V]

Maybe try and move affected chalices to lower light, they really dont need much at all.  If you can spot feed that is a good idea.  Also make sure the tank is well feed in general.  I used to dump in some mysis after the lights had gone out once in a while to try and broadcast feed the lps with out the fish getting it.

 

[AdInfinitum]

I moved the one that I could into much lower light and the ones that I couldn't I placed some rock overhangs to shield them.  The Australo I have in the darkest spot I can find (I really don't want to lose that one).

If I have to up the feeding despite nitrates still being very high it seems to defeat the purpose of the pellets at this point.  Perhaps the pellets and/or carbon dosing in a reef are better suited to a maintenance role rather than being employed for remediation?

 

[unibob]

What are your levels at? Have you stripped something from water quickly?

 

[AdInfinitum]

NO3 40-50 ppm, total P 10ppb (have shut off GFO to try to raise this number)

When I switched from liquid carbon dosing to Bio-cubes I got an improvement in coral condition but not the improvement in NO3 reduction I was hoping for.  When I switched from the Bio-cubes to the pellets (since they seemed to be the more popular product) I have gotten similar results with the NO3 but have reacquired all of the negative effects (bleaching LPS, Cyano etc.) of high level liquid dosing without the same level of control to dial the dosing up or down as required.

If the cubes were actually a superior product everyone would be using them (the "wisdom of the collective" theory) so I am clearly doing something wrong with the pellets although I did my due diligence and followed the accepted best practices.

 

[spyd]

It would be more to your advantage to get those nitrates down much further and spot feed your LPS IMO. I have found that I can only grow some LPS in my main display. Only 2 acans that are actually thriving in my display and about 4 or 5 chalices. The rest of my acans had to be moved to my "frag" tank in a lower flow environment and are now all doing well. Plus, I am able to feed them directly without any fish interfering. A couple of my chalices in my display stay all most dormant. They do not recede but they don't grow much either.

I think if you can control those nitrates and increase spot feeding, your mixed reef will thrive. Unfortunately, it is very tough to balance both SPS and LPS in one tank. I also feed Oyster Feast once in a while in my display and it definitely triggers a feeding response in my LPS all most instantly. Even SPS seem to enjoy it. All in moderation of course as I like to keep my PO4 to 0.

As for lighting, all in-direct lighting for my chalices. The only one that seems to enjoy direct light is my Miami Hurricane. The rest colour up the nicest in shade or off to the sides of the tank.

 

[AdInfinitum]

Ok... Why ask for advice if you're not going to take it. 

I didn't pull the plug on the pellets as much as I wanted to... I am feeding like a wild man, NPS and fish are very happy... GFO still off... phosphorous still under 10ppb...skimmer cranking out vile ooze...chalice and Australo still pale...

Something is happening....yet to see if it is something good or bad....