Zeolith Carbon

[leew]

Sorry but I am confused. If you place the carbon into the sump and allow bacteria to grow/colonize it wont this produce high levels of nitrate that the live rock cant handle. I have always been told to wash any media in ro water to kill the bacteria and allow the live rock to filter the tank?


Lee

[CurvBall]

I'm confussed by your post?:) What do you mean?

It is always a good idea to rinse any carbon in RO before using it in your tank.

[ckrhone]

I am confused too.

Zeolith is a different product altogether from Activated Carbon as far as I am aware. The Zeolith or Ultralith (Fauna Marin version) is used to reduce nutrients in an aquarium whereas Activated Carbon takes out some colouration of water, medications and quite a few other bits and bobs that need to be removed from your tank.

Hope this clarifies.

Chris

[trythechi]

Sorry but I am confused. If you place the carbon into the sump and allow bacteria to grow/colonize it wont this produce high levels of nitrate that the live rock cant handle. I have always been told to wash any media in ro water to kill the bacteria and allow the live rock to filter the tank?


Lee


Hi Lee

We use activated carbon passively in the sump to keep the water as clear as possible to maximise light penetration. Any biological acivity it develops is inconsequential, and the zeolites and bacs in LR /sand deal with the NO3 and PO4. Shaking the zeolites daily allows the bacs on the zeolites to be freed into the water to feed the corals and is then skimmed out.

Its a good idea to soak the Activated carbon in RO water to leach out any PO4.

Does that help clarify it use in these systems?

Cheers

SImon

[leew]

Thanks, Sorry got a bit confused. Thought they were one in the same. Obviousley not.

Question: Can you keep zeolith in a cannister filter? Or does it have to be in a sump?

Thanks

Lee

[trythechi]

Thanks, Sorry got a bit confused. Thought they were one in the same. Obviousley not.

Question: Can you keep zeolith in a cannister filter? Or does it have to be in a sump?

Thanks

Lee


Hi Lee - you can keep zeolites in a canister filter, and they will perform thier ion exchange function (ammonia adsorbtion) but ther are two disadvantages of doing that: 1) Flow rate needs to be arround 400ltrs per hour per ltr of zeolites - anymore than that an one risks striping out nutriemts too fast and causing TN; 2) Although you can lift and shake the canister filter to clean the bacteria off the zeolites, off to feed the corals and exported via the skimmer, this doesnt work as well as a plunger type reactor.

cheers

Simon

[leew]

Thanks.

Lee