With Pond Matrix, 0/0/0 after more than a week

[adamsfishes]

My aquarium has been running for only about 2 months, the last 6 weeks with fish in it.

The fish are 15 Thorichthys mixteco juveniles ranging from 1-5-3". I feed fairly heavily 3-4 times a day. There are also a small number of plants (some tiger lotus and some vals), but it's not enough to soak much nitrate.

After it cycled and I added fish, I was doing water changes every 4-5 days and getting measurable nitrate. I think the most I saw was about 20ppm, and it's been decreasing. Before the last one, I got zero. So I decided to let it go a bit.

After 8 days, I was still 0/0/0. Here is an image of the nitrate color after 8 days:



I decided to do a water change anyway at this point since the fish are so young. I'm going to do some more experiments in the future.

The only explanation is the Pond Matrix. It actually seems to do what it claims. I should mention, I have a really big sump for the size of my aquarium (44 gallon 36x18 sump), and it has a full 30 liters of matrix in the "wet" part. FWIW, I'm using Ultima II media in the "dry" part. This is a very effective setup IMHO.

 

[Fishy-Botany]

Do you shake up the nitrate bottleso before using them for tests?
If so, congrats

 

[adamsfishes]

Yes, I do shake all the bottles before testing.

I'm adding more fish, then I'm gonna wait a bit then try another test with a heaver bio load.

 

[rodger]

If your arm isn't sore shake longer

 

[DN328]

Yes, I do shake all the bottles before testing.

I'm adding more fish, then I'm gonna wait a bit then try another test with a heaver bio load.

I know this is an old thread, but any updates AdamFishes on how matrix is or isn't contributing to nitrate reduction? Thanks.

 

[Mr Pleco]

if you have zero nitrates , your tank isn't cycling or your test kit is bad.. even most tap water has nitrates.. unless your breeding or have extremely sensitive fish , why worry about nitrates as long as you have a regular WC routine. IMO

 

[Freshwater4Life]

I know this is an old thread, but any updates AdamFishes on how matrix is or isn't contributing to nitrate reduction? Thanks.

I Use matrix and I'd say it's the exact same as any other pourus ceramic bio surface. Nothing magical about it. I do use/like it tho.

 

[jaws7777]

I Use matrix and I'd say it's the exact same as any other pourus ceramic bio surface. Nothing magical about it. I do use/like it tho.

+1

 

[DN328]

Thanks guys. My ammonia and nitrite are always 0, so was appealling to see if I can increase anerobic bb to help with nitrate - aside from WC of course.

 

[jaws7777]

Thanks guys. My ammonia and nitrite are always 0, so was appealling to see if I can increase anerobic bb to help with nitrate - aside from WC of course.

Theres a couple threads going atm discussing this with algae scrubbers not anerobic bb but same goals, denitrate filters and purigen reactors.