Your thoughts on Sechem Matrix?

[IsdaFish]

All my filters full of pot scrubbers.


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[that_fish_Guy]

I plan on upgrading my Aquaclears with some Seachem Matrix and if they actually perform as advertised, I will order them as soon as possible.

Seachem matrix is just pumice or however you spell it. It's no good imo. I would rather use, like mentioned pot scrubbers that's what's in all my HOBs along with biomax and filter sponge. in my canisters I use biomax and filter sponges. No issues imo seachem matrix is a waste of money. Not worth it.

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[swifty]

There are numerous advances in the hobby that are great (like water changing systems, improved conditioners, bacteria starters, etc) but others that just seem like money grabs. Ammonia and nitrate "removers" (which we all know wouldn't work), and claims like matrix providing so much more surface area than other media as mentioned.

There was a thread on this forum I found a while back where a guy mentioned a 300g display tank being filtered by 3 AC110s stuffed with sponges for years. The sticky at the top about sponge filters has numerous people with tanks filtered in conjunction with them or as the sole filtration. I wouldn't mess with what isn't broken.

 

[4D3]

I have used Seachem matrix, Aquaclay F4-10, and Marine Pure 1.5" spheres.

I found Matrix slowed the flow substantially more than Aquaclay and Marine Pure because it is very closely packed, also I found it got dirty faster than the others.

Marine Pure Spheres easily have the fastest flow rate due to their size, and they dont seem to clog.

(I have no affiliation with marine pure im just commenting on this because i have spent an absolute fortune on media over the years, I bought Matrix as soon as it came out and thought it was the best, then moved onto clay balls because the flow was faster and the denitrification was the same, then when Marine pure came out i bought it because it was a large ball so i thought what the hell! I have an Eheim 2262 with 4l Eheim Mech Pro, 2 blue medium sponges, then 10L of Marine pure balls........dont think i would use anything different now!!)

Here is a quote about MarinePure...hope that helps!

Advantages of MarinePure over other medias[FONT=Conv_HelveticaNeueLTCom-Lt]Anyone who has used a multitude of different filter medias in a wide range of application will know that bioballs will do the job of nitrification just fine, and these have ONLY 0.5m2 per litre of media at MAX!!!!!! so why use a higher surface area media?[/FONT]
[FONT=Conv_HelveticaNeueLTCom-Lt]Well for starters, a higher surface area media will assimilate more ammonia and nitrite per pass, meaning that overall water quality will be improved, and be achieved at a faster rate.[/FONT]
[FONT=Conv_HelveticaNeueLTCom-Lt]Secondly, depending on the design of the media, other heterotrophic bacteria, especially de-nitrifying bacteria, may be able to colonize the inner structure of the media to achieve de-nitrification, improving water quality.[/FONT]
[FONT=Conv_HelveticaNeueLTCom-Lt]Thirdly, and this will also depend on the design of the media, waste will be less likely to build up in a well designed media, reducing dead spots and mulm deposits, allowing better breakdown of waste and more efficient removal by other forms of filtration.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Conv_HelveticaNeueLTCom-Lt]In short, as a general media, the functionality of the 1.5” MarinePure sphere functions as follows:
[/FONT]

• the outer 5-10mm, being exposed to highly oxygenated water, achieves the bulk of the nitrification (removal of ammonia and nitrite)
• the remainder of the media is then free to be colonized by other bacteria, heterotrophic bacteria, most likely in the form of de-nitrifying bacteria. The water now passing through the inner structure of the sphere, laden with nitrate and relatively free of oxygen (as it has been used up by the nitrifier's in the outer portions of the sphere) is then processed by the de-nitrifying bacteria.
• because of the porous, open cell structure of MarinePure, not only is any mulm eventually pushed through the media reducing and effectively eliminating clogging, but old biofilms (that are thicker and less efficient at nutrient reduction) are flushed out of the media, resulting in a cleaner environment and more efficient nutrient removal.
• because of the massive internal structure of the MarinePure media, the application of probiotic, waste assimilating bacteria is more effective, especially in bare bottom retail environments and breeding systems, as the bacteria can colonize the media as well as the system, without being aggressively flushed off like in a trickle filter using bioballs.
• it holds water in in its internal structure when out of the water. for instance, if used in a trickle filter application, if flow was to stop, the media stays wet for a long time, keeping the bacteria alive.

[FONT=Conv_HelveticaNeueLTCom-Lt]I have actually done an experiment with a MarinePure ball I left sitting in the bottom of a sump, untouched for 6 months, i got it out, waited until it had stopped dripping water and blew the water out of it into a measuring cup. i got 15mls of water out of one MarinePure ball that was just sitting, locked up in the ball when exposed to the air, showing just how well this material holds water.[/FONT]
[FONT=Conv_HelveticaNeueLTCom-Lt]Interestingly enough, after 6 months of sitting in the bottom of a dirty sump, when I blew that water out of it, there wasn't any waste in it, it was clear water.[/FONT]

 

[mark.]

i use Matrix and it works well,and yes it does remove nitrates but you need enough of it to work (you cant expect to have 500 ml of it in a 200 g tank and have no nitrates)i have 2 liters in a 75g and have very little nitrates,as well there's proper flow rate for the nitrate remove to work.
it all depends on what you want and how much money you want to spend,there's a ton of things that will work.