Water Quality

[Tomt37]

Biopellets have a source of carbon in the pellets that create the bacteria in a slime around the pellet that gets cast off in the reactor revealing more carbon and allowing fresh bacteria to grow .. liquid carbon dosing on a stable colony in porous filter media doesn't result in the same churn of bacteria if kept low .. but too high carbon dosing might speed up the clogging up of the media

 

[Angelphish]

Basically serves the same purpose as the vodka injections into a denitrator right?

Yes.

Would it work in freshwater they were saying that you had to have a good protein skimmer which isn't an option for us ..

Protein skimmers can be used in freshwater if you use aquarium salt. $5 for 64 oz.

 

[Tomt37]

Totally .. and it will also directly reduce your organics from getting into nitrogen cycle .. if being used for denitrifying bacteria removal it would work best with the biopellets in which the bacteria are cast off .. the carbon food source ensures the denitrifying bacteria will flourish and reduce nitrate through their respiration .. but the bacteria will also die and turn into decaying organic matter and feed back into the nitrogen cycle .. which is fine if you have a stable colony as the net effect will still be nitrate reduction .. if ur using biopellets the turn over is high and you want them out .. if using finely porous material you want nitrate reduction but not a massive swell in bacter blocking up the pores so no carbon or v low carbon is best

 

[Tomt37]

Sorry I'll keep quiet now lol

 

[Zilch]

So any opinions on media? The tiny pores in matrix/denitrate/whathaveyou clog quickly and require incremental replacement. However, say you were working with 6-9 feet of reactor, packed probably 60-70% with ceramic rings or something with less tight pores would not the same thing be accomplished? Given a slow enough flow rate wouldn't the aerobic bacteria chow down on the oxygen and allow the anaerobic guys to thrive further down the line? Does everyone just use Denitrate because it's specifically marketed for this purpose or is there evidence to suggest that it actually IS a better media in general for this application?

 

[Tomt37]

I'd personally opt for a range in segments .. something like denitrate or granovit first that will create tiny areas of anaerobic pores for bacteria even in aerobic water.. then as it moves down and oxygen depletes ceramic beneath And you can cycle the media at the top easier meaning the bottom media won't clog and be hard to get to

 

[Tomt37]

Having said that I've run just granovit in a tunze filter (similar to denitrate) alone for months and it worked well

 

[Angelphish]

So any opinions on media? The tiny pores in matrix/denitrate/whathaveyou clog quickly and require incremental replacement. However, say you were working with 6-9 feet of reactor, packed probably 60-70% with ceramic rings or something with less tight pores would not the same thing be accomplished? Given a slow enough flow rate wouldn't the aerobic bacteria chow down on the oxygen and allow the anaerobic guys to thrive further down the line? Does everyone just use Denitrate because it's specifically marketed for this purpose or is there evidence to suggest that it actually IS a better media in general for this application?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008...rds=pumice&dpPl=1&dpID=41DINIae23L&ref=plSrch

 

[kno4te]

So any opinions on media? The tiny pores in matrix/denitrate/whathaveyou clog quickly and require incremental replacement. However, say you were working with 6-9 feet of reactor, packed probably 60-70% with ceramic rings or something with less tight pores would not the same thing be accomplished? Given a slow enough flow rate wouldn't the aerobic bacteria chow down on the oxygen and allow the anaerobic guys to thrive further down the line? Does everyone just use Denitrate because it's specifically marketed for this purpose or is there evidence to suggest that it actually IS a better media in general for this application?

Can use othe types of media that are porous. I have done and used seachem denitrate. I've known it to be specifically used for this purpose. Other media not so much but ideally should still work.

Yes. The low flow allows aerobic bacteria to use up the o2 and then the Anerobic bacteria will thrive and use the nitrate. Supposedly located in the interior of the media.

Seachem techs have claimed that the material is specifically treated to reduce other harmful elements in the media. As well as it was chosen specifically to house anerobic bacteria. The media doesn't need to be replaced but if u notice the levels climbing up then will need to give a thorough cleaning. Maybe just all marketing.

 

[twentyleagues]

Can use othe types of media that are porous. I have done and used seachem denitrate. I've known it to be specifically used for this purpose. Other media not so much but ideally should still work.

Yes. The low flow allows aerobic bacteria to use up the o2 and then the Anerobic bacteria will thrive and use the nitrate. Supposedly located in the interior of the media.

Seachem techs have claimed that the material is specifically treated to reduce other harmful elements in the media. As well as it was chosen specifically to house anerobic bacteria. The media doesn't need to be replaced but if u notice the levels climbing up then will need to give a thorough cleaning. Maybe just all marketing.

Rough scrubbing with stiff bristle brush in tank water. Works well. Seachem said to do it that way.