Nitrate removing filter media.
- Thread starter Eupterus
- Start date
not sure there is such a thing.. maybe try using plants would be the best...
I have heard that poly-filter works well, but not sure.
I have heard that poly-filter works well, but not sure.
Nitrazorb can work pretty well for smaller tanks and is rechargeable. Won't eliminate them but it will lower them.
Seachem matrix and pond matrix is supposed to help reduce them as well. I know my nitrates have always been on the low side using a combination of matrix and nitrazorb.
Large fluidized sand beds can work too if the water flow is slow enough. As the water rises slowly through the water column 02 is stripped from the water creating an anaerobic zone at the top(end) of the filter. I've never tried one but there are lots of folks who do and claim they can work.
Denitrators work but are very finicky and expensive.
Water changes are still the cheapest most effective means IMO
Seachem matrix and pond matrix is supposed to help reduce them as well. I know my nitrates have always been on the low side using a combination of matrix and nitrazorb.
Large fluidized sand beds can work too if the water flow is slow enough. As the water rises slowly through the water column 02 is stripped from the water creating an anaerobic zone at the top(end) of the filter. I've never tried one but there are lots of folks who do and claim they can work.
Denitrators work but are very finicky and expensive.
Water changes are still the cheapest most effective means IMO
Seachem matrix is filter media dedicated to break down amonnia and nitrite into nitrate.
The only proven way to remove nitrate form the water is through water changes and plants.
I dont trust that filter media that is supposed to remove nitrates, i mean if it actually worked im pretty sure everyone would be using it.
The only proven way to remove nitrate form the water is through water changes and plants.
I dont trust that filter media that is supposed to remove nitrates, i mean if it actually worked im pretty sure everyone would be using it.
^ to add on
Any media can house denitrifying bacterias, etc Ceramic rings, bioballs.....
Just make sure the flow rate is slow.
Any media can house denitrifying bacterias, etc Ceramic rings, bioballs.....
Just make sure the flow rate is slow.
Gruntking;5116751; said:
Maybe everyone should
I'm not saying Seachems claims are completely true ( and no I don't work for them either) but my nitrates have been lower since using matrix. They claim the media is designed so the inner core of the media becomes an anaerobic zone. I'm sure the higher the flowrate through the media, the lesser the effect. Either way, I just know my nitrates went from about 30 ppm at a water change to around 15-20 and my fish have gotten bigger so something is helping...
Once i added Nitrazorb to the equation they are closer to 10 ppm at each change....
There are lots of proven ways to reduce nitrates without plants or water changes. Lots of guys on Reefcentral seem to dedicate half their lives on nitrate reduction alone. For saltwater, water changes can get expensive quickly if you have alot of water to change. They ll use any means possible to reduce them, from denitrators to deep sand beds to chemical medias.
Mostly overkill for freshwater since water isn't nearly as expensive as it is in salt systems to change water, but it can be done. It can get expensive as hell, but it is possible
Seachem matrix/pond matrix does work to help lower nitrates.
All my tanks are low nitrate tanks filled with large fish.
All my tanks have a sumps as primary filtration.
All the sumps now have a min 10 gallons of matrix as it's only bio media.
The key I found to make this work, was to lower the flow rate from the pump to maximize contact time between the water and the media so as to allow denitrifying bacteria to colonize the low oxygen internal pore structure of the matrix media.
I found at 5x turnover I was getting very little if any nitrate reduction. It wasn't until around 2-3x turnover per hour that I noticed that one particular tank always had low nitrates compared the others. I slowed the flow down on the others, and within about 6-8 weeks the other tanks registered the same low nitrate conditions as the other tank. I know that slowing the flow down even more would be beneficial and you could probably get away with using less media, but I had to balance the mechanical filtration side out as well.
All my tanks are low nitrate tanks filled with large fish.
All my tanks have a sumps as primary filtration.
All the sumps now have a min 10 gallons of matrix as it's only bio media.
The key I found to make this work, was to lower the flow rate from the pump to maximize contact time between the water and the media so as to allow denitrifying bacteria to colonize the low oxygen internal pore structure of the matrix media.
I found at 5x turnover I was getting very little if any nitrate reduction. It wasn't until around 2-3x turnover per hour that I noticed that one particular tank always had low nitrates compared the others. I slowed the flow down on the others, and within about 6-8 weeks the other tanks registered the same low nitrate conditions as the other tank. I know that slowing the flow down even more would be beneficial and you could probably get away with using less media, but I had to balance the mechanical filtration side out as well.