EcoBak EZ is a new line of biopellets from Warner Marine, designed to be used without the need for a dedicated biopellet reactor. Biopellets have proven to be an effective method for reducing nutrients in marine aquariums, especially for helping to export Nitrate and Phosphate from aquarium water.
Warner Marine already makes the popular line of EcoBak and EcoBak Plus biopellets, both of which have pellet sizes and shapes which are optimized to be fluidized in a dedicated reactor. The aggressive fluid motion of biopellet reactors is designed to help shear off the biofilm that develops on biopellets surfaces so that they can be exported by the protein skimmer.
What makes EcoBak EZ different is that instead of having a fairly regular shape, EcoBak EZ pellets are of several different sizes in length, different diameters, and some of them have a crinkled wavy surface. This diversity of shapes of EcoBak EZ is what allows water to flow through channels within the media when it is used in a simple filter sock or media chamber.
When used properly, biopellets such as EcoBak can be a very effective tool at keeping low nutrient levels in an aquarium water environment, and some people even find that biopellets can be too effective. This is how Warner Marine came up with the idea for EcoBak EZ as a “gentler” approach to nutrient reduction in a reef aquarium.
Clearly we don’t expect EcoBak EZ to be as proficient at removing and reducing phosphate and nitrate than a more spherical biopellet shaped used in an optimized biopellet reactor. But for those reefers looking to reduce just a small amount of nitrate or phosphate and for tanks that naturally have pretty low levels of nutrients, the passive use of EcoBak EZ might be more appropriate than going “all out” with solid carbon dosing.
