Anybody have any experience with either of the Aqua Medic nitrate reductors? Thinking of trying one.
Aqua Medic Nitratreductor
- Thread starter matubula
- Start date
Hi all,
Matt I've never tried these, but I've quite a lot of research on de-nitrifying coils and why they don't work very efficiently in practice.
Have a look on the reef forums, de-nitrifying coils and Berlin and Jaubert Plenums had a bit of vogue and then died a death. Have a look here <http://www.reef-face.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=747>.
The real answer is plants (and they don't have to be physically in the Aquarium).
cheers Darrel
Matt I've never tried these, but I've quite a lot of research on de-nitrifying coils and why they don't work very efficiently in practice.
Have a look on the reef forums, de-nitrifying coils and Berlin and Jaubert Plenums had a bit of vogue and then died a death. Have a look here <http://www.reef-face.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=747>.
The real answer is plants (and they don't have to be physically in the Aquarium).
cheers Darrel
It doesnt matter now anyway, the ebay listing was taken off. For £65 I would have taken the gamble.
Plants with roots in the aquarium is a possibility. The tank is open top, but the luminaires light is quite well focussed into the tank. I did use grow Hemianthus c(something) and some B&Q houseplant on the tank background.
Plants with roots in the aquarium is a possibility. The tank is open top, but the luminaires light is quite well focussed into the tank. I did use grow Hemianthus c(something) and some B&Q houseplant on the tank background.
This guy was a wiz with Discus in the 70,s he let the roots or runner as I called them run in to the tank said they took every bit of clap out.
He breed them when no one could a bit of a nut case but a very good fish keeper
Sold me my first eheim and paved the way for me .
He breed them when no one could a bit of a nut case but a very good fish keeper
Sold me my first eheim and paved the way for me .
Hi all,
Matt £65 would have been a good deal as they cost several hundred new. I think the main problem with them is the difficulty of adjusting the flow so that denitrification occurs. You tank would be fine for some emergent plants. I've got a couple of Cyperus plants etc. you can have. PM me when you are back home, and I'll post them up to you.
Have a look at this from PC <http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=28619&p=178253>.
cheers Darrel
Matt £65 would have been a good deal as they cost several hundred new. I think the main problem with them is the difficulty of adjusting the flow so that denitrification occurs. You tank would be fine for some emergent plants. I've got a couple of Cyperus plants etc. you can have. PM me when you are back home, and I'll post them up to you.
Have a look at this from PC <http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=28619&p=178253>.
cheers Darrel
I've heard about using terrestial plants to clean the water which seems logical, and im no botanist, but wouldn't the plants in the tank do the same job?
plants
Hi all,
Yes plants in the tank is the best option, it's just Matt doesn't have any substrate, and he keeps Panaques that are going to chomp all the moss, java fern etc planted on the wood. It is a bit like keeping Oscars or Pacu, where the plants can't be in the tank. If you have a sump you can put the plants in there, and then have a 24hour lighting to maintain photosynthetic oxygen production.
You can think of plants like any other "filter", they can be internal or external.
The great advantage of planted trickle filters is that you get the biological filtration advantages of the plants and the oxygenation effect of the trickle filter (Matt has a wet and dry Eheim as his "trickle" filter).
If I can I would always go for growing plants in the aquarium and a trickle filter.
cheers Darrel
Hi all,
Yes plants in the tank is the best option, it's just Matt doesn't have any substrate, and he keeps Panaques that are going to chomp all the moss, java fern etc planted on the wood. It is a bit like keeping Oscars or Pacu, where the plants can't be in the tank. If you have a sump you can put the plants in there, and then have a 24hour lighting to maintain photosynthetic oxygen production.
You can think of plants like any other "filter", they can be internal or external.
The great advantage of planted trickle filters is that you get the biological filtration advantages of the plants and the oxygenation effect of the trickle filter (Matt has a wet and dry Eheim as his "trickle" filter).
If I can I would always go for growing plants in the aquarium and a trickle filter.
cheers Darrel
Agree about plants in the tank thats what I do
I find the Panaques do leave them alone but mine ar'nt as big as Mats
Pete
I find the Panaques do leave them alone but mine ar'nt as big as Mats
Pete
Hi all,
For those who seen Pete's post on his planted "sponges", it is a fantastic idea and post and well worth a look.
<http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=656>
cheers Darrel
For those who seen Pete's post on his planted "sponges", it is a fantastic idea and post and well worth a look.
<http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=656>
cheers Darrel
Emergent Plants
Hi all,
There are some really good images of emergent plants in this blog, in fact quite an interesting read all round.
<http://www.tuncalik.com/2010/01/indoor-plants-for-water-purification-in-aquariums/>.
Here is his low tech L134 tank
<http://www.tuncalik.com/2009/07/my-aquariums-at-home-july-2009/>.
cheers Darrel
Hi all,
There are some really good images of emergent plants in this blog, in fact quite an interesting read all round.
<http://www.tuncalik.com/2010/01/indoor-plants-for-water-purification-in-aquariums/>.
Here is his low tech L134 tank
<http://www.tuncalik.com/2009/07/my-aquariums-at-home-july-2009/>.
cheers Darrel
If you have got the space and time then it might worth trying out one of these
http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=26
cheers
http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=26
cheers
Great links, thanks. Ive seen those 'algae scrubbers' on MKF and those planted tanks look great, im really starting to like these ripariums.
In the summer I want to set up a sump for the tank since potentially I have 110x50x70cm of space under the tank. Id like to include a few features like an 'algae scrubber', 24h lit refugium and some sort of OHF/trickle filter.
BTW Darrel, im very impressed that you remember/recall my setup exactly, kudos.
In the summer I want to set up a sump for the tank since potentially I have 110x50x70cm of space under the tank. Id like to include a few features like an 'algae scrubber', 24h lit refugium and some sort of OHF/trickle filter.
BTW Darrel, im very impressed that you remember/recall my setup exactly, kudos.
Hi all,
Matt, I've just got a good memory, and I remember your filter posts, and why you got the Eheim wet and dry, "solids" pond pump etc.. I like your approach, I think if you are going to go down the route of keeping fish like your Panaque, you need to do it like you mean it.
Algal scrubbers are mainly used for marine, because there are a very limited range of higher plants (macrophytes) you can use, really only Red Mangroves (Rhizophora mangle) and Sea grasses (Zostera, Posidonia & Halophila ssp.).
People do use Mangroves, but obviously the range of algae is much higher with Reds (Rhodophyta) and Greens (Chorophyta) using different light spectra etc. They both work the same way but in fresh water macrophytes give you the advantages of having roots and being much more efficient nutrient sinks.
I've got a lot of scientific papers etc. from the day job if people have specific questions.
cheers Darrel
Matt, I've just got a good memory, and I remember your filter posts, and why you got the Eheim wet and dry, "solids" pond pump etc.. I like your approach, I think if you are going to go down the route of keeping fish like your Panaque, you need to do it like you mean it.
Algal scrubbers are mainly used for marine, because there are a very limited range of higher plants (macrophytes) you can use, really only Red Mangroves (Rhizophora mangle) and Sea grasses (Zostera, Posidonia & Halophila ssp.).
People do use Mangroves, but obviously the range of algae is much higher with Reds (Rhodophyta) and Greens (Chorophyta) using different light spectra etc. They both work the same way but in fresh water macrophytes give you the advantages of having roots and being much more efficient nutrient sinks.
I've got a lot of scientific papers etc. from the day job if people have specific questions.
cheers Darrel