Ammonia Remover Inserts

[Rokuzachi]

The filter inserts (in particular for Aquaclear) that remove ammonia are something that I would not use in my normal tanks. However, one of my quarantine tanks is having severe ammonia problems that daily 50-75% water changes don't solve.

I'm not looking to cycle this extra QT, so I was considering using some of these filter inserts along with my water changes to try to keep the ammonia at 0. I'm not really a fan of using unnatural methods to control my water quality, but in this case I think it's in the best interest of the fish until they can be returned to the main tank.

Will this actually work or is there something better that I can do?

 

[mfdrookie516]

You can give it a whirl. It will help remove ammonia, hence why it's not a good idea in a tank that needs to be cycled. For a qt situation like this, I don't see a problem in using it.

 

[Batt4Christ]

Please don't take this the wrong way, as I don't mean to offend... but what is the harm in using Zeolite in a tank, even if it is otherwise nice and cycled/balanced? Seems it would provide a bit of buffer if things were to go wrong (an unexpected death, misguided "help" in feeding that causes an ammonia spike, power outage,etc.).

I do understand not using it on the front-end when trying to get a tank to cycle - it removes the very substance needed to get the beneficial bacteria going (and I think this is a mistake a LOT of newbies make... Just buy a tank, fill with water, hang a filter that includes both carbon and zeolite, and drop in fish....).

But still - our tank had cycled and all was well - until my 5 year old daughter snuck in the front room and "fed the fish"... my wife called me at the office to ask about the milky-colored water... By the time I could get home, ammonia was starting to take its toll. But had I not had one of my media containers in my Penguin 400 filled with zeolite - I hate to think what I would have found. We only lost one fish, and it was a weak calico angelfish that we were afraid was on its last "legs" anyway.

But to each their own.

 

[Rosenweiss]

I believe the reason not to use it is that if it removes ammonia, the cycled bacteria will starve and die.

 

[mfdrookie516]

So, not to completely take away from the OP...

Zeolite absorbs ammonia. Ammonia feeds nitrosomonas which in turn produces nitrite. Nitrobacter converts the nitrite to nitrate. Without ammonia, you will not have nitrosomonas or nitrobacter. Hence, you will not have a cycled tank. You may have some bacteria available, but you will not have a healthy cycled aquarium. It does what it's supposed to do, but prevents your tank from doing what it's supposed to do. Remove the zeolite and you'll at least have a mini cycle, if not a full on cycle.

 

[Rokuzachi]

I'm going to start out with using it in one filter and see if it helps. If it could even hold the levels steady for the time being, that would work. If not I'll be putting some in filter #2.