Poll: BIO MEDIA! which one's better?

Daniel@R2R · Jun 20, 2018

I've already got a 1L bag of siporax in my tank, but I'm looking at adding some additional bio media for nutrient control. A friend of mine recommended I go with Seachem Matrix instead of adding more Siporax, so I thought I'd toss this question out to the community? Which one is better in your opinion?

pelphrey · Jun 20, 2018

I've never used Siporax, I do use matrix however with no complaints.

Daniel@R2R · Jun 20, 2018

pelphrey said:
I've never used Siporax, I do use matrix however with no complaints.

Thanks. How much are you using and in what size system?

mcarroll · Jun 20, 2018

Consider this from Seachem's FAQ:

Q: Should I use Matrix or de*nitrate? It seems like they both remove nitrate.
A: Matrix is best when you want a multi-purpose filter media to house both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria or when you cannot set up a filter with a flow rate of less than 50 gallons per hour. It will remove nitrate, but not as much nitrate as de*nitrate can. De nitrate is better when you specifically want to remove nitrate and you already have plenty of biomedia for aerobic bacteria.

pelphrey · Jun 20, 2018

mdbannister said:
Thanks. How much are you using and in what size system?

I was running probably 2 liters of it on my 65 gallon RedSea reefer. I removed probably half or so, my tank is a ULNS (not by choice)!

Daniel@R2R · Jun 20, 2018

Also, I've got my bag right now in the overflow chamber of my sump. I figure flow through the sump ought to be sufficient, right?

Joshky · Jun 20, 2018

There was actually a long thread on this here: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2526998

Worth the read if you're thinking about using bio media. I think the general consensus (if memory serves me right) is that Siporax is better than Matrix, but Matrix is easier to obtain in North America (vs. Siporax in Europe) so Matrix is still a very strong contender when you factor in cost. I'm personally using Matrix in my 80g tank, I don't recall how much though... Maybe the 4L bucket? I know it came in a bucket...

Reefcowboy · Jun 20, 2018

Has anyone tried the Maxpect media, Bio Spheres(I guess that is called)?
Its pretty interesting, and supposedly the porosity is comparable of Marine Pure, without the Al leaching?

Gareth elliott · Jun 20, 2018

I have used both matrix and fluval biomaxx(similar to sipromax). They both do their job . The biomaxx is in my planted canister filter. Matrix in my pond trickle filter.

I find matrix easier to clean away any detritus.

saltyhog · Jun 21, 2018

I have used Brightwell Xport in both the brick and cube forms with great success.

Rakie · Jun 21, 2018

mdbannister said:
I've already got a 1L bag of siporax in my tank, but I'm looking at adding some additional bio media for nutrient control. A friend of mine recommended I go with Seachem Matrix instead of adding more Siporax, so I thought I'd toss this question out to the community? Which one is better in your opinion?

Matrix is the best so far with the most bioavailable space -- SUPPOSEDLY, the new king of space is now the Maxspect bio balls.

Marine pure leeches Aluminum, and tends to fall apart into mush at some point. Siporax doesn't because it's sintered glass, and matrix doesn't because it's a natural rock -- not man made at all.

Siporax is designed to be nicely and neatly stacked, to allow flow through and around, making sure the majority of it has contact with water. I prefer Matrix.

For your issue daniel, you may need some high capacity GFO in a tumbler.

Ichthus1 · Jun 21, 2018

I have used the Marine Pure block, which is 4" x 4" x 8", in the sump for my 150 for a year and a half. It needed a good rinse because it was really dusty. It is also easily chipped if you are not careful. However, it seems to do its job.

AdamNC · Jun 21, 2018

In my frag tank I use Seachem de*nitrate and Seachem PhosNet. I’ve got no issues with No3 and Po4. And I feed heavy.

MSOEME2009 · Jun 21, 2018

I use Siporax in the mesh net on my refugium floor & a marine pure sheet in my first chamber. I also have a few extra rocks in my sump.

No issues with NO3 and I started to dose PO4 today (0 PPB...)

We will see if the Al issue is real when I do an ICP test in a few months.

ikolbaba06 · Jun 21, 2018

I’d say matrix works very well for me! I have a 120 with a 40g breeder sump so I estimated likely around 100-110 gallons water volume. I bought a 4 l bucket and waited about a month with a slow decline to about 20 ppm nitrate. I thought, at the time, that I will need more. So I bought 4 more liters. I originally placed them in media bags in my sump then made a media basket out of the cross stitch plastic sheets. My tank water hits the media bin then goes to the skimmer. My nitrates are consistently at or below 1ppm. I have since doubled feedings and dump red sea nutrient program a and b along with a bunch of reef roids to compensate but I can’t get it to budge my nitrates. So I just removed half of the matrix and I’m hoping to get them to rise again. I did find that my phosphate is staying relatively low as well. More than likely to be attributed to the kno3 dosing. I’ve started to keep my acros from becoming too pale. I will say that it took a good 6-8 weeks before my nitrates bottomed out so the media does not work very fast. I love this stuff just don’t over do it. It’s supposed to be a liter/100 gallons. So I’ll see what I get with just 4 liters now.

DiZASTiX · Jun 22, 2018

I use zeolites from Aquaforest with Aquaforest's -NP Polymer. For bacteria dosing, I use both Aquaforest and ZEOvit's nitrate and phosphate carbon dosing bacteria.

Do people have experience with Aquaforest versus ZEOvit's zeolites, as well as their carbon products?

Or is this the wrong thread for that?