Filter media for nitrate removing.

[Camogirl28]

I am wondering about filter media. The only one I have ever used is plain carbon. But lately I have been having some nitrate problems. I have narrowed it down to either Kent Nitrate Sponge or Seachem De Nitrate. I really have no experience with filter media so any advice is great. Also if there's any one you personally recommended please mention it.

 

[NadiaG]

Nitrates are the final product of the nitrogen cycle. Big water changes is the best solution to your problem. Why use chemicals when all you have to do is PWC! Cheap and easy!

 

[threnjen]

Water changes will not help the Op. She has 40-80ppm nitrates from her tap.
Camo I think you should start putting this info in your initial thread that way people will know that water changes won't work for you.

 

[Old Scales]

Threnjen, help me out on this one.
I've been thinking about Camogirl's high nitrate tap water. I know in research that taking a fish from say 40 ppm nitrate into five or 10 ppm nitrate is okay for the fish. Possibly even better.
However taking a fish that is used to five or 10 ppm nitrate and placing it in water with 40 ppm would be stressful.
What about setting up a container (like a plastic tub) and setting it up with a heater and an HOB filter with just nitrate absorbing packets. Let the water get treated through the week hopefully taking nitrates to zero. Then using that water for the weekly water change. Something like that would be a cheaper way to get good water without having to resort to distilled or RO water. The unknown would be how long the nitrate packets would last. Nitrate testing of the water in the tub would tell that.
What do you think? OS.

 

[Ian086]

I am wondering about filter media. The only one I have ever used is plain carbon. But lately I have been having some nitrate problems. I have narrowed it down to either Kent Nitrate Sponge or Seachem De Nitrate. I really have no experience with filter media so any advice is great. Also if there's any one you personally recommended please mention it.

I am in a similar position, my tap water is high in Nitrates, not quite as high as yours but around 20-40. I have an over stocked juvenile platy tank. I have done a bit of research and I am going to give this a try.....
This filter, fill the bio-chamber with De Nitrate. As you may know, De Nitrate needs a flow of less than 50gph to work properly. This filter has a flow of 150lph(40gph) according the manufacturer, the true flow is probably even less. In my opinion, it is worth a shot. It may not give you 0ppm but I have seen a few videos and read reviews of it lowering even very high Nitrates down to 'acceptable' levels....
I know it's a Chinese filter but don't let that put you off, despite what some people here say. They could stick a fluval/ehiem sticker on it and charge twice as much!!!!

 

[threnjen]

Threnjen, help me out on this one.
I've been thinking about Camogirl's high nitrate tap water. I know in research that taking a fish from say 40 ppm nitrate into five or 10 ppm nitrate is okay for the fish. Possibly even better.
However taking a fish that is used to five or 10 ppm nitrate and placing it in water with 40 ppm would be stressful.
What about setting up a container (like a plastic tub) and setting it up with a heater and an HOB filter with just nitrate absorbing packets. Let the water get treated through the week hopefully taking nitrates to zero. Then using that water for the weekly water change. Something like that would be a cheaper way to get good water without having to resort to distilled or RO water. The unknown would be how long the nitrate packets would last. Nitrate testing of the water in the tub would tell that.
What do you think? OS.

Yes actually Mebbid suggested exactly this in one of the threads (great minds think alike!)
I personally thought (and think) it's a great idea.

Camogirl you wouldn't have to use a special tank for this, just a bucket or rubbermaid tub would work, depending how much treated water you need.

This would also solve the problem that the de-nitrate products need a really low flow to work effectively. If you use them in a separate container you can control these parameters.

Do you have a stand with any space underneath?

 

[threnjen]

Ian086, link to filter didn't work!

By the way Ian086 are you suggesting a separate filter on the side of her tank with low flow that has nothing but this media? That's a really excellent idea also.

I like the idea of a separate water to use for changes though just because of what OS mentioned about shocking newly acclimated fish by putting them into water with high nitrates.

 

[Ian086]

Ian086, link to filter didn't work!

By the way Ian086 are you suggesting a separate filter on the side of her tank with low flow that has nothing but this media? That's a really excellent idea also.

I like the idea of a separate water to use for changes though just because of what OS mentioned about shocking newly acclimated fish by putting them into water with high nitrates.

That's because it's 5am here, my brain is shutting down and I forgot to add the link.....sorry!!
Yeah it's only a small filter and it CAN be hung like a HOB. It's a LOT smaller than it looks in the picture....
Boyu External Canister Aquarium Filter EF 05 220V 150L H Nano Tank Quarantine | eBay
PS...I got the link off your Ebay but just double check that it works in the US...

 

[Old Scales]

I just checked out the filter link you provided. That's one cool little filter! It would solve the problem of having a tub with a wide rim. Hopefully they offer it in a 110 V, 60 Hz version for the USA.
Camogirl, have we helped you out any? LOL.

 

[Ian086]

I just checked out the filter link you provided. That's one cool little filter! It would solve the problem of having a tub with a wide rim. Hopefully they offer it in a 110 V, 60 Hz version for the USA.
Camogirl, have we helped you out any? LOL.

It sure is mo chara!!. It's my next purchase...lol. You know me, trawling the net for something that works over here and I can get shipped...haha. I should be a personal shopper.
It was on your Ebay, so I guess it should be for the American market, maybe contact the seller...

 

[Old Scales]

Hey, you been up all night?

 

[Ian086]

Hey, you been up all night?

Yeah, got my second wind around 2am...lol....
I just checked the description, it's NOT for the US market but you may find it somewhere else for the US. A HOB with low flow would work either. The Aqua One 100 HOB should work either. I was looking at that before I found this one....
OS, what's up with the text font. You may need your better half to 'fix' that...haha

 

[Old Scales]

Ian, when you see the small text it's from the Dragon speech voice typing software. It automatically changes to eight point font when it transfers to the reply box. I haven't figured out how to change it yet but I will.

 

[Ian086]

Ian, when you see the small text it's from the Dragon speech voice typing software. It automatically changes to eight point font when it transfers to the reply box. I haven't figured out how to change it yet but I will.

Donna....HELP!!!!

 

[TeresaD]

I've just bought a BOYU EF-05 filter and I'm looking for others with experience of it. It arrived yesterday, I set it up and it worked perfectly and practically silent. When I got up this morning it was making a fair bit of noise - so I switched it off for a bit, put it back on and silence again. Home from work tonight and it's noisy all over again! Any advice would be greatly appreciate. Thanks.

 

[Mebbid]

I've just bought a BOYU EF-05 filter and I'm looking for others with experience of it. It arrived yesterday, I set it up and it worked perfectly and practically silent. When I got up this morning it was making a fair bit of noise - so I switched it off for a bit, put it back on and silence again. Home from work tonight and it's noisy all over again! Any advice would be greatly appreciate. Thanks.

haha I saw 1 / 4 as the date and thought this was a recent post! I would suggest starting a new thread pertaining to your problem so that more people see it. Many won't enter a year old thread. Especially when its pertaining to an odd filter.

 

[TeresaD]

Thanks Mebbid I'm quite new to this forum thing - should probs read the guides first! Anyways, the filter quitened down after a few days and seems to be fine now.

 

[Paul1792]

Wow ...... here is a youtube video of it in action:

That is one unsightly thing but if it works ...... who cares. Unfortunately, I have a feeling there is no 110 volt version for us in the USA but I am thinking one of these converters would work:

Step-up and Step-Down Voltage Transformer & Converters – Voltage Converter Transformers


Edit: Here is another:video:

 

[TeresaD]

Yeah it seems to be working fine and for only £20 I honestly wasn't expecting it to be as good. I don't imagine it'll last but if it goes long enough until I can afford something better then I'll be happy

 

[MICEY]

get an ro filter , chempure also works great