47G SPS...Revamp

[rovster]

Sorry to continue with the derail here but was at a new LFS and noticed a product made by Sicce that looks identical to Siporax called BioKer. Anyone heard of this? I almost bought it on the spot lol. I didn't and figured I'd ask here first. Looked like repackaged and renamed Siporax.

 

[Reefvet]

Sorry to continue with the derail here but was at a new LFS and noticed a product made by Sicce that looks identical to Siporax called BioKer. Anyone heard of this? I almost bought it on the spot lol. I didn't and figured I'd ask here first. Looked like repackaged and renamed Siporax.

It's the same media that Eheim sells. It's ceramic, not sintered glass like Siporax or Matrix. Nice filter media for a freshwater cannister filter. I'd take a pass on using it for a reef tank.

 

[cFloor]

What's up Sahin, how's the tank doing?

 

[rovster]

It's the same media that Eheim sells. It's ceramic, not sintered glass like Siporax or Matrix. Nice filter media for a freshwater cannister filter. I'd take a pass on using it for a reef tank.

:thumbsup:

 

[joshky]

Hey Sahin, which lens did you use to take the fish pictures? Was it the Tamron 90mm or a new/different one? :fish1:

 

[Myka]

we're going to bore these guys to tears if we don't see some pretty pictures of coral soon.

Absolutely not! I like pretty pictures as much as the next person, but nerd talk on "new" methods is certainly more interesting.

 

[sahin]

What's up Sahin, how's the tank doing?

Hey man. Tank is doing alright. I've been unwell so havent been on the forum much.

Hey Sahin, which lens did you use to take the fish pictures? Was it the Tamron 90mm or a new/different one? :fish1:

I use the 90mm Tamron for 99% of the tank photography. I did take a bunch of photos about last weekend but all the pics were corrupted as the old Compact Flash card has gone faulty. I've ordered a new Kingston 4GB CF memory card.

Absolutely not! I like pretty pictures as much as the next person, but nerd talk on "new" methods is certainly more interesting.

Mindy has spoken, carry with the nerdy talk. No photos needed here...:lolspin:

 

[Reefvet]

The extra feeding has caused the Red Planet to become a darker wine colour red, but with nice green base... I guess its a nutrient balancing act; I want the brighter red colouration back, but retain the green base.

Its crazy though, I've gone up from 2-3 fishes to 11 fishes and have been feeding 3-4 cubes of frozen mysis per day, 3 x mixture of flakes per day on the auto feeder and a mixture of Nyos Gold pods/Coral Vitaliser/AquaVitro Fuel/KZ Amino Acids every 2-3 days...and I've dosed Seachem Nitrate some weeks back as well.

And there is still NO algae on the glass or rocks...I dont need to clean the glass for 2 weeks or more! No algae on the rocks.

PO4=0.01-0.02ppm NO3=0.2ppm.

I swear there is a black hole somewhere in my sump where all the nutriets vanish into...

This was the post that peaked my interest as it appeared to me you didn't realize where your current success was coming from.

... nerd talk on "new" methods is certainly more interesting.

I'll have you know I represent that remark ! :wavehand:

This method is anything but new. I simply have studied what's most efficient as Siporax and Sera are no longer marketed in the U.S..

Suffice it to say that Matrix is a good deal. Siporax is better if you can get it. Both are a very powerful tool to add to your system. Seeding bacteria is effective in getting this media up to a beneficial level over a relatively short, 3-4 month period. You'll know it's working as nitrates drop. Once you're there you no longer need to seed it. It will work without seeding. It will simply take a couple of months longer to get there.

Bacteria have never taken a fluid dynamics class so they will not follow the carefully calculated flow rates derived from the general number I posted. Bacteria will be abundant when their food source is abundant and they will diminish when the reciprocal phase of the cycle occurs. Math is useful up to a point when documenting biology. Observation will allow you to draw meaningful conclusions long after you let the numbers go.

Enough said. I'm off to observe the Hammerheads that have migrated to our local waters this year with El Niño.

 

[rovster]

I'm assuming carbon dosing with stones is a very powerful combination. What are your thoughts on this reef vet or do you feel they work well enough on their own?

 

[Reefvet]

I'm assuming carbon dosing with stones is a very powerful combination. What are your thoughts on this reef vet or do you feel they work well enough on their own?

When Sahin added Siporax to his sump and seeded bacteria to colonize it he created a very efficient, small and low management addition to his filtration. It will consume nutrients and reduce nitrates. With little maintenance it will continue to function, to some degree scaling itself relative to demand with no unwanted byproducts or side effect.

Carbon dosing introduces potential benefits but not without some common and perhaps problematic side effects. All of which have been discussed in other threads so I won't go into detail, but I will note one that's counterproductive to these media. Carbon dosing often increases sponge growth and they happen to love covering your nice Siporax and blocking it off very effectively.

So to answer you question. Yes, they can work well together. To add my perspective, no I wouldn't go there.

Matrix, Siporax and like media work best when nitrates are not extremely high. In fact if you have a nitrate level over 20 you want to take other steps to reduce that level first before introducing this type of media.

Carbon dosing, AIO pellets, sulphur denitrators and other methods are better suited to high levels of nitrates.

 

[pstank1]

I'm sorry you haven't been feeling well Sahin. You're tank seems to be on autopilot , so I'm sure it can handle a few days of neglect while you rest up.

 

[sahin]

When Sahin added Siporax to his sump and seeded bacteria to colonize it he created a very efficient, small and low management addition to his filtration. It will consume nutrients and reduce nitrates. With little maintenance it will continue to function, to some degree scaling itself relative to demand with no unwanted byproducts or side effect.

Carbon dosing introduces potential benefits but not without some common and perhaps problematic side effects. All of which have been discussed in other threads so I won't go into detail, but I will note one that's counterproductive to these media. Carbon dosing often increases sponge growth and they happen to love covering your nice Siporax and blocking it off very effectively.

So to answer you question. Yes, they can work well together. To add my perspective, no I wouldn't go there.

Matrix, Siporax and like media work best when nitrates are not extremely high. In fact if you have a nitrate level over 20 you want to take other steps to reduce that level first before introducing this type of media.

Carbon dosing, AIO pellets, sulphur denitrators and other methods are better suited to high levels of nitrates.

Just quickly wanted to say +1 to above.

Early on in the tanks life I dosed Prodibio Biodigest and Bioptim to control nutrients. Now the sandbed/rocks/Siporax/skimmer manages the nutrients. I do have chaeto but it doesnt grow fast and my nutrient were under control before the chaeto was added to benefit my mandarin with pods.

Anyone interested in Siporax should look at Denadai's threads. He used Siporax and plastic rocks in a bare bottomed tank and maintained amazing colours in his SPS. Siporax most certainly works well.

 

[rovster]

I know this stuff is definitely geared toward NO3 reduction, but in your experience how well does it fare with PO4 reduction. I would love to get rid of GFO. Right now I'm carbon dosing, Prodibio, and Nitrate dosing and that is doing a great job keeping my phosphate down with MINIMAL GFO. I would love to just dump some Matrix in my spare reactor and reduce or eliminate the carbon dosing if I could. I also got inspired and interested in the Siporax from Denadai's threads, just never saw it here in the states, now I know why. But if Matrix is a decent alternative, my system is set up for another reactor which I have so it would be as simple as just briging it online. I'm already doing the bacteria dosing, LOL!

 

[sahin]

I know this stuff is definitely geared toward NO3 reduction, but in your experience how well does it fare with PO4 reduction. I would love to get rid of GFO. Right now I'm carbon dosing, Prodibio, and Nitrate dosing and that is doing a great job keeping my phosphate down with MINIMAL GFO. I would love to just dump some Matrix in my spare reactor and reduce or eliminate the carbon dosing if I could. I also got inspired and interested in the Siporax from Denadai's threads, just never saw it here in the states, now I know why. But if Matrix is a decent alternative, my system is set up for another reactor which I have so it would be as simple as just briging it online. I'm already doing the bacteria dosing, LOL!

Ive been unwell so I havent measured things lately, but this weekend I will measure the PO4 again. I have been feeding the tank like crazy for past 6-8 weeks. Judging by the lack of algae and glass not needing to be cleaned for a week or more, I think the nutrient levels are the same.

 

[rovster]

Sorry to hear. And yeah, based on that description, your nutrient levels are really low. I may just do this once I get my tank re-stabilized which should be soon. Don't want to change too many things at the moment, but next time I'm at the LFS, I may pick up some Matrix. Feel better.....

 

[cFloor]

Really sorry to hear you haven't been well Sahin. Health certainly puts everything else into perspective. I hope you feel better soon.

 

[westreef]

Sahin, get well soon.

 

[joshky]

I use the 90mm Tamron for 99% of the tank photography. I did take a bunch of photos about last weekend but all the pics were corrupted as the old Compact Flash card has gone faulty. I've ordered a new Kingston 4GB CF memory card.

Thanks man, I'm totally getting that lens for my nikon when I have some extra money. Great price point and in the right hands it takes some really good photos. :beer:

All of this siporax talk is making me want some, I see Amazon has some for sale if anyone else is looking for a place to buy it in the states. Might have to be a purchase after I get my tank up though...

 

[Myka]

Mindy has spoken, carry with the nerdy talk. No photos needed here...:lolspin:

Feel free to intersperse some photos to the nerd talk! Only if you feel well enough - until then, the nerd talk will suffice.

I'll have you know I represent that remark ! :wavehand:

This method is anything but new. I simply have studied what's most efficient as Siporax and Sera are no longer marketed in the U.S..

I know it's not new, that's why I put it in quotations. It's just the new topic of the week. I'm interested in giving it a go too, though I have no nutrients to speak of right now (dosing nitrate just to have something in the tank), but I haven't located any source in Canada nor any US source that will ship to Canada. You guys said this stuff was expensive, but Amazon.com has it for $35/L. If that's expensive, then what's inexpensive?

 

[rmgaspar]

Inexpensive?
6.5€ per liter in Portugal.

;-)

Get well soon Sahin.