Nitrate removing filter media

Donald Kerns · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 191

E.Otter wrote:

> Is there such a thing as filter media that removes nitrates from the
> freshwater aquarium water? I have a bio-wheel filter that has "media
> baskets" which I can stick anything into in addition to slide in
> filters.

Plants.

I hope Tom will chime in with more info on his "dangle the roots in the
water" approach to denitration...

-Donald
--
"There is nothing so strong as gentleness, and there is nothing so
gentle as real strength." St. Francis de Sales

Archived from group: rec>aquaria>freshwater>goldfish

E.Otter · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 63

Is there such a thing as filter media that removes nitrates from the
freshwater aquarium water? I have a bio-wheel filter that has "media
baskets" which I can stick anything into in addition to slide in filters.

Thanks,
E.Otter

dr-solo · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 1445

some say siporax which are little tubes of ceramic an host anaerobic bacteria can do
that. just havent seen the evidence. I am still thinking about designing a veggie
filter sits on top of the tank and stuffed with low light plants. Ingrid

"E.Otter" wrote:

>Is there such a thing as filter media that removes nitrates from the
>freshwater aquarium water? I have a bio-wheel filter that has "media
>baskets" which I can stick anything into in addition to slide in filters.
>
>Thanks,
>E.Otter
>

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Poe Lim · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 29

Nothing removes nitrates (and ammonia before it becomes nitirite and
nitrates) faster than fast growing plants; often the problem then is not
enough nitrates...

Cheers,
Poe

"E.Otter" wrote in message$Io.9865597@newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
> Is there such a thing as filter media that removes nitrates from the
> freshwater aquarium water? I have a bio-wheel filter that has "media
> baskets" which I can stick anything into in addition to slide in filters.

DCrowno835 · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 24

>"dangle the roots in the
>water" approach to denitration...
>

Donald, what exactly does that mean? I'm only asking because I have heavily
planted tanks, and the plants with the roots showing are hardier and grow much
faster than the one's the fish have not rooted around.

Deanna

Donald Kerns · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 191

DCrowno835 wrote:

>>"dangle the roots in the
>>water" approach to denitration...
>>
>
> Donald, what exactly does that mean? I'm only asking because I have
> heavily planted tanks, and the plants with the roots showing are
> hardier and grow much faster than the one's the fish have not rooted
> around.
>
> Deanna

Tom actually posted a follow up. (Thanks Tom).

Anyhow, he has philodendron (sp?) roots dangling into the aquarium
water, and claims that this keeps the NO3 levels darn near zero.

I'm going to try it in one of my tanks as soon as time and motivation
allow me to stop at a plant store...

I figure remove the soil, wash the roots really well, allow them to soak
in a bucket of old aquarium water for a couple of days, then place it
in my tank with the roots protected by a breeding net. Take NO3
measurements every couple of days and report the results.

Heck, might even weigh the plant before and after...

(Hmm... Assume that any growth is a di-sacaride (sp?)... weight increase
correlates to NO3 converted via molar mass... something like that...)

-Donald
--
"There is nothing so strong as gentleness, and there is nothing so
gentle as real strength." St. Francis de Sales