Using beads to reduce nitrates
- Thread starter firsttime
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Not just any old plastic beads.
Besides the various brands of pellets on the market the only other thing similar I have seen used is Shapelock or friendly plastic it's called. I use the Ecobak and have been having great success with it.
Besides the various brands of pellets on the market the only other thing similar I have seen used is Shapelock or friendly plastic it's called. I use the Ecobak and have been having great success with it.
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firsttime
Well-Known Member
I am trying to understand why not any beads?
I was under the impression that the beads provide surface area for the bacteria to colonize and greater the surface area more the bacteria can colonize.
I was under the impression that the beads provide surface area for the bacteria to colonize and greater the surface area more the bacteria can colonize.
Because you dont really know what they are made of/ what they would leach into your water..They would provide surface area yes but so does your glass, rocks etc etc.
beaslbob
2500 Club Member
Yes you are correct that bacteria wil colonize but incorrect this will reduce nitrates.
Bacteria that reduces nitrates to (hopefully) nitrogen gas require low oxygen or no oxygen to thrive.
In a typical bead (wet/dry) environment with lotsa water flow that is simple not the case.
The bacteria there will be aerobic bacteria and reduce wastes through the ammonia->nitrIte->nitrate mechanism.
The nitrate reducing bacteria thrive in low flow low oxygen environments such as sand beds.
IMHO the best thing to reduce nitrates is various plant life like various algaes. That way you will also reduce phosphates and carbon dioxide and return oxygen and fish food.
still just my .02
Not very, you are better off with live rock if you do not have any. What kind of setup are you currently running?
firsttime
Well-Known Member
My setup is rather simple Display70g> Refugium20g> skimmer-180g > 2 part dosing> moderate bio load
Will changing the reactor to provide the zero oxygen environment make sense? Not sure if there is a reactor that exists like that
How different is my concept from the ecoback pellets/vertex pellets?
Will changing the reactor to provide the zero oxygen environment make sense? Not sure if there is a reactor that exists like that
How different is my concept from the ecoback pellets/vertex pellets?
The pellet concept is two fold, one to provide a place for the bacteria to colonize and two the pellets are actually a food source for the bacteria. More pellets will need to be added over the course of a year since they are being depleted. For what you are considering doing you could go the route of a RDSB (remote deep sand bed). Are you having issues now?
A sulfur Denitrator also function in the manner your talking about. I ran a sulfur denitrator a few years back but it was more trouble than it was worth IMO. If you not having any issues just stick with the basics like beaslbob said.
A sulfur Denitrator also function in the manner your talking about. I ran a sulfur denitrator a few years back but it was more trouble than it was worth IMO. If you not having any issues just stick with the basics like beaslbob said.
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Shadowramy
Active Member
The beads arent just plastic beads they are made out of a compund of ethanol (carbon), the surface area is just a bonus. This is a replacement form of carbon dosing (solid carbon dosing). Through the addition of ethanol, certain bacteria are produced which have the ability to change (incorporate) nitrates and phosphates into new macromolecules. These new macromolecules (or their byproducts) are removed through skimming. Through skimming, Nitrate and Phosphate drop rapidly as the bacteria biomass increases, leading to more skim mate production, and thus removing more N03 and P04.
This very much is different from typical amonia, nitrite, nitrate cycle. If you are just wanting more surface area for nitro-bacteria then liverock, sand will work.
If you dont want to use the pellets or beads but redude N&P you can simply use sugar, vinager or vodka.
This very much is different from typical amonia, nitrite, nitrate cycle. If you are just wanting more surface area for nitro-bacteria then liverock, sand will work.
If you dont want to use the pellets or beads but redude N&P you can simply use sugar, vinager or vodka.
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