What's the best fuel for the bioreactor?

[fishhooks]

I read that the giant turds are the best, but other than those, what organic matter burns the longest? Or does it matter? Thanks

[DeliciousD]

I used excess gel's/seeds I think. I used this for late game and it was very help charging all batteries, base, machines.

[MULTIPASS]

I like to grab the pink floater-things that are attached to boulders in the red grass areas. There are enough of those in easy reach to give you plenty of power to reach the mid-late game, then I switch to nuclear.

[Coops]

Reginald fish work well. I keep a containment tank full of them near the reactor.

[wilky]

Originally posted by Coops:

Reginald fish work well. I keep a containment tank full of them near the reactor.

I think Oculus (from the Jellyshroom Caves) provide more energy than Reginalds in the bioreactor. But Reginalds provide more nutrition when eaten.

Both fish are great for both purposes. If you have a tank of either one, then you are good to go.

[fishhooks]

Wow...those answers surprised me. So you guys all seem to use living animal-type organisms, rather than plants? I mean, I keep several pots around my reactor with Ming trees and Lanterns trees, and use those for fuel. They're self-replenishing, in a sense, since when I chop down the last of a Ming, or use the last Lantern Fruit, I can plant a piece back in the pot and it'll regrow.

So if you put a buncha fish in an alien containment tank, do they breed and re-fill the tank as you use them? Or do you have to constantly go on the hunt again when the tank is empty? See, I don't want to have to go chasing after a bunch of sea treaders waiting for them to take a dump in order to power my base. Nor do I want to constantly have to roam the sea gathering up fishies.

BUT...I fill my bioreactor with 4 lantern fruits, and it isn't even enough to get thru one complete cycle of water production...I gotta either keep feeding the machine, or else build 2 per base. I like the nuclear, and when I've used it, it seems like it never runs out of steam...I've never even had to change a rod.

So I guess that's what I should use...everyone here seems to prefer animal-based fuel for the bio-reactor, as opposed to plant-based sources.

Thanks for your replies, guys.

[wilky]

Originally posted by fishhooks:

Wow...those answers surprised me. So you guys all seem to use living animal-type organisms, rather than plants? I mean, I keep several pots around my reactor with Ming trees and Lanterns trees, and use those for fuel. They're self-replenishing, in a sense, sine when I chop down the last of a Ming, or use the last Lantern Fruit, I can plant a piece back in the pot and it'll regrow.

So if you put a buncha fish in an alien containment tank, do they breed and re-fill the tank as you use them? Or do you have to constantly go on the hunt again when the tank is empty? See, I don't want to have to go chasing after a bunch of sea treaders waiting for them to take a dump in order to power my base. Nor do I want to constantly have to roam the sea gathering up fishies.

BUT...I fill my bioreactor with 4 lantern fruits, and it isn't even enough to get thru one complete cycle of water production...I gotta either keep feeding the machine, or else build 2 per base. I like the nuclear, and when I've used it, it seems like it never runs out of steam...I've never even had to change a rod.

So I guess that's what I should use...everyone here seems to prefer animal-based fuel for the bio-reactor, as opposed to plant-based sources.

Thanks for your replies, guys.

According to the wiki, the Oculus has the best energy-to-size ratio of any item in the game, at 630 energy per 1 slot. So if you filled up the bioreactor with 16 of these, that would be 10,000 energy. (For context, a nuclear rod provides 20,000 energy.)

The Alien Containment tank allows fish to breed as long as there are 2+ in captivity. So if you only use a couple at a time, they will reproduce. Each tank holds up to 10 fish (and you can double- and triple-stack tanks for more fish).

Personally I recommend putting Oculus in a tank, but as aforementioned the Reginald is also a worthy candidate.

As far as the fauna, I think the marblemelons and bulbo fruit provide more energy than the fruits you named. But don't quote me on that, just check the wiki:

https://subnautica.fandom.com/wiki/Bioreactor#Fauna
https://subnautica.fandom.com/wiki/Bioreactor#Flora%20(Land%20Based)
https://subnautica.fandom.com/wiki/Bioreactor#Flora%20(Marine)
etc.

Keep in mind, though, that larger objects (such as marlemelons & bulbo fruit) use 4 slots in the bioreactor. The oculus and reginald only take up 1 slot.

[fishhooks]

@ wilky...that is some great info...thanks mate! I'll check those wiki sites. One last question...do the larger egg-laying critters also reproduce if I have 2 in a tank? (Would be kinda cool to have a tank full of Crab Squids...lol.)

EDIT: Just checked the wiki link you provided...thanks. Good stuff...but now I REEEELY want to add a Reefback Leviathan to my aquarium...lol.

[AgarthanTerrorist]

cuddlefish

[MarkJohnson]

Back near release time (Mid 2018) it was deemed by several people that Reginald's were the best for the bioreactor. But feed it what you have.

My first playthrough I was deep collecting on the side of a hill and noticed poo spread around on the seabed and it was falling continuously, but slowly. It worked well, but my oxygen bottles lasted longer than power. I built a scanner room and it would reset all of the time and I'd have to wait for a rescan.

[miklkit]

I place an outdoor growbed next to the bioreactor room and fill it with blood vines. Whenever the bioreactor needs power there are always more than enough to keep it going. Actually most any plant will work but they are not as efficient as animals. But they are much more convenient.

[Emurinus]

Oculi work the best. High bio energy and easy to breed.

[fishhooks]

Thanks for your responses, guys...that helps alot. Especially after consulting the wiki link wilky provided.

I decided that, when I use a bioreactor, I'm gonna stack a couple more rooms on top and put a 2-story containment tank in it. Then I'll stock it with a combo of oculus and reginalds. That should take care of my fuel requirements, plus provide a ready source of fish for curing purposes (for keeping in inventory for long trips).

I always build a greenhouse at every base and stock it with marble melons, lantern trees and bulboa plants. Keeps me fed, plus looks awesome from the water with all glass walls.

Thanks again.

[admiral1018]

I value what takes me the least time rather than what's the most absolutely efficient. In that case, I usually just plant two Lantern Trees in the bioreactor room and use the fruit as fuel. Easy, simple, mindless.

I prefer to use the high-energy fish from the Alien Containment for cured food instead.

[fishhooks]

Originally posted by admiral1018:

I value what takes me the least time rather than what's the most absolutely efficient. In that case, I usually just plant two Lantern Trees in the bioreactor room and use the fruit as fuel. Easy, simple, mindless.

I prefer to use the high-energy fish from the Alien Containment for cured food instead.

Yeah, that's what I was doing as well...for fuel and aesthetics (rooms look more comfy with some plants). But after consulting that wiki page, I think I'll put in some Bulbo trees and Marble Melon plants instead. Apparently, they have twice the energy value of Lantern fruit...they can take care of me AND the reactor...lol.

My only problem with the Lantern fruits occurs when I run my water purifier...a full load of Lanterns doesn't even power one full cycle of water production, so I have to baby-sit the thing to make sure it doesn't run out. But with some more high-energy fuel, I can take off and do something else while I'm purifying water. So I'll use a combination of fish and plants...that should take care of any concerns I have.

And of course, bases with a nuclear reactor are no problem...I just don't like using them at bunch of different locations...makes it easier to distribute rods if I know I only need them at 2-3 bases.

[Andreas]

With enough plants you don't need the water purifier ...