K1 Filtration for rays plug!

[rudy]

I just wanted to put a plug in for anybody who is thinking of changing their set ups to run on K1 media. The stuff is a complete nightmare to make work in a sump (it gets everywhere so do your research on containing it or it will cause you floods, pump failures....etc... or maybe that is just me. Once however you get it contained and working it is unreal. It took me a few tries but I am glad I did.
The filtration and clarity of the water is Extremely noticeable. My ray tank with Bioballs etc always had this ting of dirt in it regardless of how much I dripped etc. With the K1 the tank is crystal all the time.

 

[rudy]

And of course the pics are not uploading so will do later

 

[Just Toby]

I just lost a ray due to K1 being part involved. It has previously clogged my pumps many times and I have spoken to big fish shops in UK with the same problem.

I lost a ray as the waste from my sump blocked with old snail shells and mainly broken K1 that floated to the top, it caused a flood and the power to go out whilst I was away, I am going to strip all the K1 out

 

[Dieselhybrid]

5 years. 0 problems

I'm a huge fan. The problems mentioned above can be avoided with strainers on pump intakes and by cleaning them regularly, also not having snails in your systems.

Using a screening/filtering divider between the bio chamber and the pump chamber can prevent broken pieces of k1 from clogging pump strainers. Something as simple as a sheet of matala cut to fit and wedged will suffice. This will prevent any debris migrating from the bio chamber to the heating/pump/return chamber. The pump in this chamber should still be connected to a strainer which is regularly checked and cleaned.

I could not recommend k1 more to anyone keeping stingrays. There are some risks with setup that can lead to problems. I believe the problems can be prevented with system design.

I have had a large cichlid around 12" die in a tank and rot while I was out of town on a work trip. My inexperienced sitter didn't realize there was a problem. It remained 4-6 days rotting in my 450. When I came home I could smell the death. The tank was slightly cloud and smelled awful. I took samples and tested and did an emergency water change.

ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 200+ No other fish died. This fish died because of being wedged between driftwood and the rear acrylic wall. A 12" rotten cichlid creates massive amounts of ammonia while decaying. K1 works so well it processed all of the fish waste for the week I was away, the waste from the sitter over feeding, and the waste from a giant dead cichlid. That kind of protection is priceless. I don't know another media with this capacity, especially capacity to process waste in volume from sudden spikes. It's an insurance policy that has shown its value to me. I'm sold.

 

[rudy]

5 years. 0 problems

I have had a large cichlid around 12" die in a tank and rot while I was out of town on a work trip. My inexperienced sitter didn't realize there was a problem. It remained 4-6 days rotting in my 450. When I came home I could smell the death. The tank was slightly cloud and smelled awful. I took samples and tested and did an emergency water change.

ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 200+ No other fish died. This fish died because of being wedged between driftwood and the rear acrylic wall. A 12" rotten cichlid creates massive amounts of ammonia while decaying. K1 works so well it processed all of the fish waste for the week I was away, the waste from the sitter over feeding, and the waste from a giant dead cichlid. That kind of protection is priceless. I don't know another media with this capacity, especially capacity to process waste in volume from sudden spikes. It's an insurance policy that has shown its value to me. I'm sold.

Funny you said that. I just had this fish die in my tank when I was away for week. (mother in law did not notice that there was massive frontosa stuck to the overflow) Came home and the fish was absolutely rotted and the tank had a film of grease on the surface. Not one ray dead. I always attributed the survival to the drip but I bet the K1 didn't hurt.

 

[rudy]

Also wanted to mention that any spaces in the sump that wanter must travel through and cannot get clogged I use japanese filter media. it is fine enough that it stops plastic from travelling through however course enough that it does not restrict flow. Will get some pics later today.
japanese filter media

 

[CANAMONSTER]

Y

Also wanted to mention that any spaces in the sump that wanter must travel through and cannot get clogged I use japanese filter media. it is fine enough that it stops plastic from travelling through however course enough that it does not restrict flow. Will get some pics later today.
japanese filter media

You mean Matala?

 

[Jez1992]

I disagree with Japanese matting and sponges. Only as they will need removing to be cleaned and then the k1 will go everywhere.

I silicone plastic knitting canvas over the baffles which allows water flows but never needs cleaning like a sponge does,

 

[Jez1992]

You can see the plastic canvas I mean in this pic, works greats, never clogs, no cleaning.

 

[Dieselhybrid]

Great ideas and information exchange here