Bio media that fully completes nitrogen cycle

[steamboatreef]

I recently watched a BRS FAQ that stated bio balls will not complete the nitrogen cycle and trap in nitrate while marine pure can fully complete the cycle by transporting nitrate into nitrogen gas.

How does one determine if the bio media has the ability to fully complete the nitrogen cycle and eliminate the nitrate through nitrogen gas and not use bio media that traps the nitrate?

I want to use a wet/dry type system with a drain plate but no bio balls. Should I set the drain plate an inch above the water line and just put marine pure type plates/brick in the sump? Or should I position the drain plate several inches above the sump water line, allowing for aeration and the drain plate to drip onto some marine pure media that is not fully submerged in water?

thanks

 

[mcgyvr]

The bacteria for processing nitrate to gas/etc.. is "anaerobic" in that it lives in low/oxygen depleted areas only.. Those areas really occur deep in the sand or deep in the rock,etc..
Bio Balls allow living space for the other aerobic bacteria.. Marine Pure is essentially man made rock and has the potential for anaerobic areas..

I can't help you on the wet/dry system.. I haven't seen one it 30 years

 

[PatW]

Marine pure media is supposed to convert nitrate to nitrogen gas. I have some in my sump and have pretty low nitrogen levels. But I don't feed much either. I have not done a control so I don't know how effective they are.

If you want to reduce nitrates and you have a more than adequate skimmer for your system, you can add carbon: vodka, vinegar or other source. The carbon serves as an energy source causing bacteria to multiply in the water. The bacteria suck up nitrates to grow. The skimmer removes the bacteria and all the nitrates they took up. Doing this should reduce your nitrate levels quickly.

There is a risk to wet dry systems. If you have a power outage, they can produce high ammonia levels that can cause a tank crash. I would definitely without them. Your live rock serves the same purpose without the risk.

If you want to try the marine pure media, I would suggest running your system without. If your nitrates run higher than you like and you don't want to fool with carbon dosing, you can add the marine pure.

 

[Timfish]

Like Mcgyver said anaerobic bacteria are needed to convert nitrate to nitrogen gas. The nitrogen cycle is in fact much more complex than the simple circle often presented. Delbeek and Sprung's "The Reef Aquarium" Vol III has an excellent illistration on pg 255 showing the different paths of assimulation, dissimulation and mineralization for nitrogen. Couple factors I think makes the discussion of intentionally creating anaerobic bacterial colonies moot is corals have simbiotic cyanobacteria they use to fix nitrogen gas into nitrates and corals will pull the ammonia fish excrete from their gills and the urea in their poop from the water before it is broken down by bacteria. My take away from the research I've come across is corals are the best way to deal with nitrogen so I add more corals in my tanks and don't worry about nitrates.

 

[Sk8r]

Well, the simplest answer is live limestone rock and aragonite sand. But Marinepure does look to be a decent product.