Thoughts on Nitrate Sponges?

[senemedar]

Another 50% today and the colour got down to somewhere between 20 and 40ppm, so it's still a work in progress, but we're getting there.
Also got another plant today - they had no polysperma at my place, but got something else that's not growing from the roots but from the leaves and works well in reducing nitrates. And of course I forgot the name for it


The question now is - is it safe to change such a large amounts of water so frequently?

 

[Terrance]

Yes its safe. Try your best to keep the temp of new water as close as possible to the temp of the aquarium water.

 

[senemedar]

Yes, I'm trying to get them as close as possible. My shower unit have a regulated water temp with lots of dials so it only goes down a degree.

I'm in the middle of one more 50% change, and that'll be it for now as I ran out of water conditioner :>
I'll test the water in an hour or two.

 

[senemedar]

Result!!

Nitrates down to 20!! Yay
I thing my fishes are having enough now, I see them getting more and more upset. Time to slow down a bit...

I keep the testing though -- thanks to all for help and advice

 

[senemedar]

Nitrate sponges came in today, and I shuffled it right inside the filter. My Nitrates were still around 20ppm yesterday, so I'll test the water this Friday and see how's working, if at all (tomorrow may be too soon for it to see any results, I think?)

 

[Terrance]

You're doing so many water changes.. Why not just do a big 90% water change and get it all done?

 

[senemedar]

Well, few reasons:
1) There's so many swimming, crawling and jumping things that I'd be scared to do such a massive water change,
2) Eight buckets of water a day is enough weight for me to carry,
3) ...I didn't think about it...

 

[senemedar]

The results are in... again
So, the number is a 20ppm again (or should I say: still?)
The sponge may not work yet then (only three days after I fit it in), or it is working, because the numbers didn't raise

Either way, the water is crystal clear now, so I'm rather content regardless

 

[Terrance]

How long have they been sitting in your working filter?

 

[senemedar]

How long have they been sitting in your working filter?

It is a fourth day today.
I'm thinking-- is there any particular order they should lay inside the filter?

 

[Terrance]

It takes a few weeks for anaerobic bacteria to develop. It also depends on quantity, so how much of this stuff did you buy?

 

[senemedar]

They costed quite a bit, so I only bought one piece which is the size of one of my filters basket-- it's a flat filter pad, bit similar to a white 'fine tuning' filter pad Except it's green...

 

[senemedar]

Oh. And the results - after the water change they rose up to 40ppm?? Either I'm doing something wrong or the sponge is making the nitrates instead of taking them down? It sucks :/

 

[Terrance]

Test the tap water.

 

[senemedar]

I just thought the same and did the tests: my tap water is between 15 and 20 ppm...

 

[senemedar]

Back down to 20ppm... This roller coaster is killing me :/

 

[senemedar]

There has been a while and the nitrates are still between 20 and 40 ppm...

Is it not working? Is it too short of a time? I don't know what to think... Maybe, that I just bought one sponge, not two? But it's quite a large one (covering half of the filter)...?

 

[Terrance]

I just found out about clogged pores. Over time, these products will get clogged and will become useless. They recommended rinsing the Matrix every few months with tank water or RO water to help unclog.

I have not seen any results with nitrAte reduction in my own Pond Matrix Trial. In my trial, some areas have good flow and some areas have less flow.

 

[senemedar]

I don't think there has been enough time for them to clog; but anyway I clean the sponges every week while cleaning the tank (in the tank water of course), so there must be something else... Or it's just a hoax :>