NP Reducing BioPellets 250 ml to 1,000 ml — Nitrate and Phosphate Control - DVH

DVH's NP Reducing BioPellets are the original: DVH claims to have been the first in the world to supply this media to the professional industry — public aquariums, zoos, aquaculture — long before the copycats. The pellets are made from 100% pure, biologically degradable polymers with no fillers and no antioxidants, and they run in a fluidized reactor such as the Aquaforest AF110 or in a filter cartridge. Three sizes: 250 ml (8.5 fl oz), 500 ml (16.9 fl oz) and 1,000 ml (33.8 fl oz). Color and shape vary from batch to batch — that's normal, straight from DVH.

How it works

The principle is immobilization: dissolved waste — mainly nitrate and phosphate — gets turned into bacterial biomass. The aerobic bacteria that colonize the pellets pull their carbon from the pellet and their nitrogen and phosphorus from the water, so nitrate and phosphate drop together. Anaerobic layers also develop inside the media, adding true denitrification on top. The bacterial surplus gets eaten by filter feeders — sponges, corals — or pulled out by the skimmer. DVH calls it the "solid vodka method": allow 2 to 4 weeks for the bacterial population to build up enough to bring levels down.

The edge over vodka and sugar dosing

With liquid carbon dosing, bacteria grow everywhere in the system — to the point of clogging pipes and tubing. With pellets, growth stays local, inside the filtration compartment. The pellet bacteria also outcompete cyanobacteria, and you drop the daily dosing routine entirely.

The ratio nobody writes down — and why biopellets "fail"

DVH's official note: your system must contain phosphate (PO4) to be able to reduce nitrate (NO3). Recommended NO3:PO4 ratio = 1 : 0.01. If your nitrates are above 20 ppm, keep phosphate at a minimum of 0.08 ppm or higher — by feeding more, pulling your phosphate-removing media, or adding phosphate. In plain terms: biopellets that "do nothing" are almost always running in water where phosphate has hit rock bottom.

DVH's official warnings

• Place the pellet reactor's output in front of the skimmer: it limits how many bacteria enter the system and adds gas exchange (CO2 out, O2 in).
• "The pellets should never be used without sufficient aeration" — run an air pump or a skimmer, or you risk low oxygen and low pH, especially at night.
• Heavy feeding: pair with a phosphate adsorber, or step up to the All-in-One Advanced BioPellets, which DVH recommends by name — most foods carry more phosphate than nitrogen relative to what gets consumed.
• Some phosphate adsorbers deplete alkalinity and drag pH down; iron-hydroxide-based ones such as RowaPhos don't have that flaw.

Maintenance

Top up with fresh pellets every 6 to 12 months to replace the digested substrate — the signs: a look inside the reactor, or nitrates creeping back up. These pellets have a higher molecular weight than most competing products, so they last longer in the filter and need topping up less often. DVH does not publish a per-litre dose in its documentation; if you see one somewhere else, it didn't come from the manufacturer — email us your tank volume and reactor and we'll size it with you.

Available sizes

• 250 ml (8.5 fl oz) — UPC 094922672506
• 500 ml (16.9 fl oz) — UPC 094922675002
• 1,000 ml (33.8 fl oz) — UPC 094922671042

Why buy from ReefSolution

In business since 1999, with over 118,000 orders processed since 2010. In-store advice in Laval, QC, shipping anywhere in Canada.

The mandatory companion for any biopellet setup: the Red Sea Algae Control Multi Test Kit NO3-PO4 — DVH tells you to test nitrate and phosphate regularly, and that's exactly what this kit measures.

Our advice

Biopellets are a product made to bring your nitrates down. You put them in a reactor and they kick in after a few weeks. They feed a bacteria that eats the pellet and feeds on your nitrates at the same time. So your nitrates will come down.

Careful not to drop too low on nitrates. Running too big a quantity is bad — it drives your nitrates too low, to the bottom. High nitrates are no good, but nitrates that are too low are no better. So use them with caution.

— Stéphane, Aquarium ReefSolution

Frequently asked questions

How long before biopellets start working?

2 to 4 weeks on average according to DVH — the time it takes for bacteria to colonize the pellets in numbers large enough to pull nitrate and phosphate down.

Why aren't my nitrates dropping with biopellets?

The classic case: no phosphate left. DVH calls for a NO3:PO4 ratio of 1 : 0.01 — and a minimum of 0.08 ppm PO4 when nitrates are above 20 ppm. With no phosphate, the bacteria can't do their job.

Do you need a skimmer with biopellets?

DVH is categorical: never run them without sufficient aeration, from a skimmer or an air pump, or oxygen and pH will drop — especially at night. The skimmer also exports the bacterial surplus.

How often should you top up biopellets?

Every 6 to 12 months according to DVH, to replace the digested substrate. Nitrates creeping back up is the most reliable signal.