Filtration Media. Which to buy?

[t5Nitro]

Does this look good for a aiptasia stopper?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&pc=1&N=0&Nty=1

Have any of you ever used it?

Also, I need something for phosphates I think. I feed frozen food once a day and don't rinse it (phosphates?), so I was looking for something to get my SPS corals to color up better. It shows phosban comes with a filter bag, but best results with the phosban reactor. Anyone ever use it without a reactor and throw the bag in the sump and it still works pretty good?

Also, I have nitrates. I looked at a thread on the SPS forum that this person use to dose purigen.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=4190&N=2004+113805

Does this look good to reduce nitrates? My nitrates are 20 and always stay there.

All of these should be reef safe correct?

Thanks for the help.

 

[HowardW]

<<< Does this look good to reduce nitrates? My nitrates are 20 and always stay there. >>>


Purigen is an excellent product however it's not going to reduce your nitrates other than removing organic wastes that would otherwise break down and add to your nitrates. Water changes are a good way to remove nitrates.

 

[t5Nitro]

Water changes don't help either :lol: Probably would need a really big water change.

Is it still worth getting a box of it with current filtration consisting of chaeto, LR, LS, Euro-Reef RS180, and carbon?

 

[HowardW]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10060049#post10060049 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by t5Nitro
Water changes don't help either :lol: Probably would need a really big water change.

Water changes will absolutely reduce nitrates, if it's not working then you are doing too small percentage changes or not frequent enough. For example, if your nitrates are 20 and you are only doing 10-15% water changes then you are only reducing your nitrates by 2 or 3 and they go right back up. To put a real dent in the nitrates with water changes, you will need to do a few larger changes in succession.

And if you're already running carbon, then running Purigen too will not make a huge impact for removing organic waste.

 

[aninjaatemyshoe]

Purigen does not remove nitrates. I've been battling nitrates since I've got into this hobby and nothing I've tried sofar has yeilded great results (refugium with algae, deep sand bed, chemical media of all sorts, and AZNO3). I'm going to be DIYing a version of the Korallin Biodenitrator and see how that works.

When you think about it, even water changes are not really a great way to reduce nitrates. Doing a 40% water change will take down 20ppm to 12ppm. Doing it immediately again would yeild 7.2ppm, and then again 4.32ppm and so forth. Of course no one in their right mind would do something so drastic to remove nitrates. You might do 40% changes each week (too much IMO), which may end up doing no good at all because the nitrates are bound to climb in the period in between.

 

[da1jewfish]

check this out
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1132611

for phosphates you have to attack the cause if possible and a good cause would be not rinsing ur frozen food.
if you want those micrsopic food in there for corals then make sure ur skimmer is working efficiently as possible-reduing organic wastes.

 

[carlso63]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10060109#post10060109 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aninjaatemyshoe
Purigen does not remove nitrates. I've been battling nitrates since I've got into this hobby and nothing I've tried sofar has yeilded great results (refugium with algae, deep sand bed, chemical media of all sorts, and AZNO3). I'm going to be DIYing a version of the Korallin Biodenitrator and see how that works.

When you think about it, even water changes are not really a great way to reduce nitrates. Doing a 40% water change will take down 20ppm to 12ppm. Doing it immediately again would yeild 7.2ppm, and then again 4.32ppm and so forth. Of course no one in their right mind would do something so drastic to remove nitrates. You might do 40% changes each week (too much IMO), which may end up doing no good at all because the nitrates are bound to climb in the period in between.

Run with a plenum.

Plenum = 0 nitrates

Have a Nice Day

 

[t5Nitro]

What's a plenum?

 

[carlso63]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10060576#post10060576 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by t5Nitro
What's a plenum?

A plenum is a type of biological filter for your SW / Reef aquarium. It is different from all others in tht it is the only one that can perform denitrification ; that is, remove nitrate from the water - without the "dead spots" and hydrogen sulfide (hS2) worries that come with a DSB...

Here is a better explanation:


http://www.pgjr.alpine.k12.ut.us/aqua/plenum.html