Matrix (and siporax) questions, to keep from derailing Sahin's thread.....

[Reefvet]

I know the stuff can go at least 2 years before replacement even with "average" detritus deposit.

Siporax is Sintered glass. It's not a calcium based structure that will deteriorate (though glass is made from Silica, Soda Ash and Limestone, it's far too hard to deteriorate in the given conditions). If you clear the surface by shaking it or even brushing it lightly you'll never need to replace it. It's so porous you'd have a very hard time clogging it and even if surface accumulation of silt / detritus limited it by 50% it's still better than any live rock at supporting beneficial bacteria.

I have run the same 10L of Siporax on one closed system since 2009. It's been washed off but never let dry and it's as effective today as it was in 2009. The system supports a new study every 18-24 months and I generally clean it then.

 

[Reefvet]

... Should we think about effects of feeding frequency and content on providing the carbon type they need?
Wondering if this method work equally well on lightly fed tanks?

No and yes.

 

[Reefvet]

I realise that, but in practice, 3 years and no shaking and mine still seem to be working ok?

I have an algae bed too, but it doesn't produce masses of algae, so I assume the Siporax isn't throwing out a boat load of nutrients?

So where does the "you have to rinse it" theory come from? And detritus consists of fairly large particles, how does it block micro pores, or indeed even if the pores were blocked, how do they still stop particles as small as bacterial cells getting through?

Mo

Mo I think that cleaning surface build up came into the discussion where people were asking about using it in a sump, as oppossed to a reactor. Even in a sump if there's sufficient prefiltering, i.e. filter sock or sponge and then a skimmer you don't need to concern yourself with cleaning surface build up.

If water can get in, so can bacteria??

Absolutely.

 

[gus6464]

So I put a bunch of matrix in my sump 2 weeks ago and seeded with prodibio bio digest. I turned off my gfo/carbon reactor 5 days ago to let the matrix do it's thing. I have been feeding very heavily since I did that. Went to test just now and my URL Phosphorous is showing:

Maybe working too good? Ran the test twice just in case.

 

[Ontheway]

So I put a bunch of matrix in my sump 2 weeks ago and seeded with prodibio bio digest. I turned off my gfo/carbon reactor 5 days ago to let the matrix do it's thing. I have been feeding very heavily since I did that. Went to test just now and my URL Phosphorous is showing:

Maybe working too good? Ran the test twice just in case.

What is nitrate status? (former and current, if possible)

 

[stonecold]

Siporax is Sintered glass. It's not a calcium based structure that will deteriorate (though glass is made from Silica,

Hi Reefvet,

I've added 10L in October 2015. Since, I cannot overcome the diatom battle. I've tested my water source, lights, feeding...but to no avail. With your input above, I believe the Siporax that I've added has caused the diatom. To your knowledge and experience, what would be the best way that I can get rid of the diatom?

Thank you for your time.
Nick

 

[gus6464]

What is nitrate status? (former and current, if possible)

Before I added the matrix it was around 5ppm if the api color chart is to be believed.

Tested it now and its showing 0. I feed a lot too. This is my regimen every day.

Aquavitro Fuel
KZ Coral Vitalizer
Frozen cubes for fish twice a day

 

[Reefvet]

I've added 10L in October 2015. Since, I cannot overcome the diatom battle. I've tested my water source, lights, feeding...but to no avail. With your input above, I believe the Siporax that I've added has caused the diatom. To your knowledge and experience, what would be the best way that I can get rid of the diatom?

Diatoms are quite often a normal stage in establishing a new tank. I have never seen the addition of Siporax and any other inert media cause diatoms.

If you're tank was cycled and running for a few months that I'd suspect that you've got an excess nutrient issue. Cyano is more likely what you're looking at and not diatoms if that's the case. It can be pretty hard to distinguish between the two.

 

[gregkn73]

Siporax is Sintered glass. It's not a calcium based structure that will deteriorate (though glass is made from Silica, Soda Ash and Limestone, it's far too hard to deteriorate in the given conditions). If you clear the surface by shaking it or even brushing it lightly you'll never need to replace it. It's so porous you'd have a very hard time clogging it and even if surface accumulation of silt / detritus limited it by 50% it's still better than any live rock at supporting beneficial bacteria.

I have run the same 10L of Siporax on one closed system since 2009. It's been washed off but never let dry and it's as effective today as it was in 2009. The system supports a new study every 18-24 months and I generally clean it then.

Happy new year Reefvet,

I run a 60lt RDSB but as recently red that denitrification occur near the surface, I wonder if i should replace aragonite with matrix, or keep it and run also matrix in a 6lt reactor? The Rdsb is in a tank 60*27*35cm height. I can supply it with 0-4000lt/h flow. According to your experience which flow will be better for matrix in this tank?

 

[spkennyva]

How quickly do you all expect to see results? I added 1 lt of siporax to my 40B over week ago and haven't seen even the slightest tick downward using a salifert NO3 test. Two days ago I added a second liter. I'm hoping that 2 liters of siporax will provide some reduction, right? BTW, my tank has been hovering around 7 ppm for over a year. What would be a realistic expectation of 2L of siporax in a 40B?

Follow-up to the above post:

My nitrate has been slowly creeping downward. On Jan 2, 2016, my nitrate tested 2 ppm using a salifert kit. This is the lowest I've seen it since established 2 years ago. This is roughly 3 months since I added siporax. Perhaps there is something to this siporax!

 

[Ontheway]

Follow-up to the above post:

My nitrate has been slowly creeping downward. On Jan 2, 2016, my nitrate tested 2 ppm using a salifert kit. This is the lowest I've seen it since established 2 years ago. This is roughly 3 months since I added siporax. Perhaps there is something to this siporax!

I guess you are on the lower limit. Can you please share some pics of your siporax install?

 

[tlc]

where is a good source to order siporax. I live in the states and sourcing the 25mm is hard. I found one place but want a fortune for 10 liters of it

 

[Giovanni]

where is a good source to order siporax. I live in the states and sourcing the 25mm is hard. I found one place but want a fortune for 10 liters of it

There are a few sources listed back in the thread.

 

[spkennyva]

I guess you are on the lower limit. Can you please share some pics of your siporax install?

My installation was super simple - no fancy reactor or specific flow rates. My sump has two compartments, the drain side that has the protein skimmer and filter sock, and the return pump side that contains the siporax. I left the siporax in the factory provided mesh bags and placed it near the return pump (a Mag 9 pump). When I change water, I will usually grab the siporax bags and shake them in the old tank water and put them back. I try to keep them submersed at all times.

Yes, I suspect that I'm about as low as its going to get, but I'll keep testing just to be sure.

 

[spkennyva]

where is a good source to order siporax. I live in the states and sourcing the 25mm is hard. I found one place but want a fortune for 10 liters of it

I bought mine from a guy on ebay in Germany. He was very nice to deal with and the price was reasonable. You might get the same benefit from Matrix, which you can buy anywhere.

Here's the ebay link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sera-siporax-Professional-1000ml-fur-Sus-u-Meerwasser-12-99-L-/252216649146

 

[Ontheway]

Matrix or vinegar, they are not doing anything else then providing home to bacteria. Surface area appears higher in siporax.

When you have siporax or matrix somewhere in the system, means you have a massive collection of bacteria there. Dosing carbon (vodka, vinegar etc) will greatly help them consume nitrates by respirate it to survive, and/or, use it to multiply. For this, existence of matrix or siporax will certainly help you, if you dose carbon.

When you move matrix, siporax or live rock, you meet "all" surfaces of material with oxygen-rich water and exposed (on surface) anaerobic colonies will possibly effected. Therefore, if its working, better leave it.

Of course, the population in pores will remain (more or less) protected if its placed back in water in short time and they will help to rebuild surface pops. But this certainly takes some time.

 

[Giovanni]

It would be very interesting to see a experiment done to validate those who think that Matrix or Siporax works (I used matrix before along with vinegar dosing and I think the vinegar does a better job. Though they are not mutually exclusive/same filtration tech).

Anyhow what if you removed the Siporax in a manner which is safe for the aenarobic bacteria (under water into plastic bags for example). And then put them in a bucket somewhere for a couple days with a pump circulating. It wouldn't take long to see a rise in nitrate if Siporax/matrix is the main source of nitrate consumption vs something else in your matures tank). even our teeth form plaque/aenarobic bacteria matrices.

You should read the thread, specifically post #266.

 

[nemodan]

It would be very interesting to see a experiment done to validate those who think that Matrix or Siporax works (I used matrix before along with vinegar dosing and I think the vinegar does a better job. Though they are not mutually exclusive/same filtration tech).

Anyhow what if you removed the Siporax in a manner which is safe for the aenarobic bacteria (under water into plastic bags for example). And then put them in a bucket somewhere for a couple days with a pump circulating. It wouldn't take long to see a rise in nitrate if Siporax/matrix is the main source of nitrate consumption vs something else in your matures tank). even our teeth form plaque/aenarobic bacteria matrices.

First part of your posting :

With all respect you are talking about 2 different things in your posting !!!!!

Siporax/ Matrix = Rocks = substrate for bacteria growth

Carbon dosing/Vinegar= Food for bacteria growth

You can't compare them at all. But they can work together.

 

[Denadai]

first part of your posting :

With all respect you are talking about 2 different things in your posting !!!!!

Siporax/ matrix = rocks = substrate for bacteria growth

carbon dosing/vinegar= food for bacteria growth

you can't compare them at all. But they can work together.

+1

 

[gregkn73]

Before I proceed to the construction of the matrix reactor I have one more question I can not answer. In this thread, there is a lot of anectodal evidence that denitrification do occur in siporax or matrix media in reef aquarium.

From the beginning I had two unanswered questions? Why those media works and do provide denitrification in our reefs nowdays and not a decade ago, when they were thought to create nitrates. The answer to this, I found it by denadai, and it is that nowdays we provide more food to our reefs or directly dose carbon, so the bacteria population are not carbon limited. It is a very reasonable answer.

But I can not find an answer why those media are not provide denitrification to fresh water systems? There is even anectodal evidence from fresh water aquarists ,that they even produce nitrates if they don't maintained properly. So if anyone can help me find an answer to the second question, I will be very grateful.