My Ugly Carpet Algae Tub Options

[mrchoco]

dunnoe just continue to change water every week..
can add some liquid fertilizer also after changing water.
getting some positive results...

[infocus]

Please remove (or recharge) your zeolite asap as they will start releasing absorded chemicals when they have reached their capacity.

Allan, do you know if Seachem de*nitrate is also a type of zeolite? The lfs told me it will not release absorded chemicals when the capacity is full. Anyone knows if that is true?

[infocus]

dunnoe just continue to change water every week..
can add some liquid fertilizer also after changing water.
getting some positive results...

Correct woh! Why never think of that huh. You're really thinking out of the box man. I just added some by the way. Let see got any effect or not.

[CP]

Please remove (or recharge) your zeolite asap as they will start releasing absorded chemicals when they have reached their capacity.

Huh?
My impression is that it will release ammonia when in contact with salt.I do not add salt into my tank which was why I left it in.I will not re-charge it,I will discard it,but pls let me know what other chemicals besides ammonia that it will release.

[CP]

. But what is the recommended amount of nitrate for the algae without doing much harm to my fishes.
If you want the algae carpet to grow, why are you cultivating the BB? Is there any reason behind?

I do not know what nitrate levels trigger algae growth,some say 20ppm,some say 50.I only know that sunlight (or artificial light) is more important to trigger it off and they subsequently use nitrates as the nutrients.

No,I do not want carpet algae at the moment as my tank serves as part of my home decor (and strong objections from the Minister of Home affairs).I am cultivating BB for the sole purpose of having a cycled tank.
I keep the algae growth in check by having a pleco (sucker fish).You'll be surprised how a small pleco can keep the algae in check in my 7 foot tank!

[CP]

Allan, do you know if Seachem de*nitrate is also a type of zeolite? The lfs told me it will not release absorded chemicals when the capacity is full. Anyone knows if that is true?

AFAIK,in this forum at least,no bros has managed to solve the nitrate issue.Some has tested using de-nitrators,it may reduce but not eliminate,therefore the common practise is still the primitive method - CHANGE WATER.

And,in my opinion,you already know more than what most lfs know,so unless they are truly experienced,do not regard them as your consultants.

[infocus]

I do not know what nitrate levels trigger algae growth,some say 20ppm,some say 50.I only know that sunlight (or artificial light) is more important to trigger it off and they subsequently use nitrates as the nutrients.

No,I do not want carpet algae at the moment as my tank serves as part of my home decor (and strong objections from the Minister of Home affairs).I am cultivating BB for the sole purpose of having a cycled tank.
I keep the algae growth in check by having a pleco (sucker fish).You'll be surprised how a small pleco can keep the algae in check in my 7 foot tank!

If only 20ppm, will not be a problem at all. 50ppm also easy to achieve but would prefer to keep it below 50ppm.

A small pleco can keep your 7 foot tank algae free? That amazing!

[mrchoco]

denitrator will not remove however it will control and maintain a limit to your tank nitrates.

assume the 2 senerios

1. no denitrator
after 7 days nitrate = 100ppm
meaning that on the 7th day, your fish is subjected to 100 ppm

2. with a working denitrator
after 7 days nitrate = 20 ppm.
this means that your fish is under 20 ppm nitrate stress only
i have tried one month no change water and nitrates are under 20 ppm given reasonable feeding. The only problem i have is the tubes always got stuck with sludge...
darmn irritating and fixing it always cause you more time and effort then changing water!!!!

water change will take away other organic matters not taken away by a denitrator.
which means water change is still needed.

[Allan]

Allan, do you know if Seachem de*nitrate is also a type of zeolite? The lfs told me it will not release absorded chemicals when the capacity is full. Anyone knows if that is true?

Sorry I'm not familiar with this product although I've seen it in many LFS's shelf collecting dust.

Huh?
My impression is that it will release ammonia when in contact with salt.I do not add salt into my tank which was why I left it in.I will not re-charge it,I will discard it,but pls let me know what other chemicals besides ammonia that it will release.

My apologies; I've just tried searching for info on zeolite on it desorbing property but it yields nil return -- I may have confused zeolite with activated charcoal.

In any case, while searching I came across other uses of zeolite and a new way (to me) to recharge it -- sunning it. Sunning it sure beats recharging using salted water eh?

http://www.s4qualityshavings.com/id24.htm

[The Matrix]

zeolite will only discharge if the dip solution is above 5% salinity. it will lost the capacity once fully depleted. even a discharge will not regain the original adsoption properties. the problem is , who knows how long it can last. kekekeke ...

[The Matrix]

denitrator require low O2 water to flow thru the chamber, usually extensive long and slow flow, to biologically break up the NO3+ ions. And by doing so, it is not as simple as just to dump some commercial products into those filter chamber we got in our tanks or filter box.

If one buying such product without doing proper research, then it's a waste of money.

Look at these statement from Seachem :

Water changes and biological removal of nitrate by anaerobic denitrification or the harvesting of vegetative growth (algae scrubbers) remain the most effective means of controlling nitrate.

denitrate™ removes nitrate by anaerobic denitrification..

Excessive flow rates should, therefore, be avoided, as they may impede development of an adequate anaerobic environment to support denitrifying bacteria.

At high flow rates (greater than 100 gallons per hour), it will function solely as an aerobic filter. At slow flow rates (less than 50 gallons per hour), it will function as both an aerobic Älter and an anaerobic denitrifying filter.


So how many bottles of denitrator to fill the canister or filter box .... invest wisely, not dumping money for another nitrifying material.

[CP]

In any case, while searching I came across other uses of zeolite and a new way (to me) to recharge it -- sunning it.  Sunning it sure beats recharging using salted water eh?

http://www.s4qualityshavings.com/id24.htm

Thanks for searching.

I only mentioned half the step to re-charge zeolites.You are supposed to soak them in salt solution (salinity as mention by bro Matrix) AND THEN dry it out in the sun.

Zeolites absorps predominantly ammonia,so if you have zeolites saturated with ammonia you should not add salt to your aquarium otherwise ammonia will be leached back out.

I still believe that zeolites are not necessasry for our hobby,the only use that I can think of is the use during the start up of a tank with a heavy stock level where the tank is not cycled yet and you do not want an ammonia surge during the initial stages.

[CP]

.............regain the original adsoption properties. the .................

Noticed you used the word 'adsorption'.
I am not sure whether zeolites work by absorption or adsorption.Its different and I find it kind of 'cheem'.

Activated carbon works by adsorption.

[The Matrix]

Noticed you used the word 'adsorption'.
I am not sure whether zeolites work by absorption or adsorption.Its different and I find it kind of 'cheem'.

Activated carbon works by adsorption.

Reproduced from a site where I always refer to when asked about this question. Kinda fun becos I also blur during my study on chemistry. Have fun reading ..


The use of solids for removing substances from either gaseous or liquid solutions has been widely used since biblical times. This process, known as adsorption, involves nothing more than the preferential partitioning of substances from the gaseous or liquid phase onto the surface of a solid substrate. From the early days of using bone char for decolorization of sugar solutions and other foods, to the later implementation of activated carbon for removing nerve gases from the battlefield, to today's thousands of applications, the adsorption phenomenon has become a useful tool for purification and separation.

Adsorption phenomena are operative in most natural physical, biological, and chemical systems, and adsorption operations employing solids such as activated carbon and synthetic resins are used widely in industrial applications and for purification of waters and wastewaters.

The process of adsorption involves separation of a substance from one phase accompanied by its accumulation or concentration at the surface of another. The adsorbing phase is the adsorbent, and the material concentrated or adsorbed at the surface of that phase is the adsorbate. Adsorption is thus different from absorption, a process in which material transferred from one phase to another (e.g. liquid) interpenetrates the second phase to form a "solution".