DIY "Anoxic Filtration System" eliminates nitrates? Anyone tried this?

[farebox]

Hey Jack L I did the same thing a awhile back, but this time I only made one big basket and found some laterite on e-Bay. So far none of the kitty litter has spilled out of the basket. Only 7 days in and all seems fine for now. NO3 was 10ppm this morning.

[farebox]

Video of the second try on the anoxic filtration system:https://youtu.be/7s3ng3QikYw

[giberica]

For anyone who is interested:

https://aquariumscience.org/index.ph...nosis-reactor/

"This plant is absorbing all the nitrates, OBVIOUSLY [...] Once again, note the large lush plant in the tank. LOL"

Not trying to take sides, I have no "C.V." or academic titles (at least not in chemistry) but if one plant would have been all is needed for a tank to be nitrates free, oh well...

[Jack L]

@giberica
at first i assumed this site was a novak site, skimmed it, thought wow, besides oddly remaining anonymous, this info seems good. went to the BCB page and read its anti BCB, LOL makes more sense now. guess the anonymous author is not novak

[farebox]

Four weeks in with the second attempt with anoxic filtration system (BCB): https://youtu.be/BcKmgM8fNLY

[Jack L]

hi roland, do you have any test data without the BCB? your tank is not heavy stocked, BB, and with plants. so i'd not expect you have much issue with or without the basket. the clarity of water and cleanliness of you glass indicates you are committed to good tank husbandry. i tried 3 of the BCBs, wasn't able to find any benefit.

[farebox]

No, I didn't test the tank before adding the BCB. I don't test my tank that much, I just go by how the fish look and their behavior. I learned many years ago per say "don't chase the monkey". Thanks for your kind comments....

[Shan_Evolved]

How does one cycle a a tank with BCB only? Fishless? Any difference in the pure ammonia route?

[dspeers]

The open question is whether water changes are primarily targeted at reducing nitrates or nitrates are more a marker than the primary or at least only dilutional target of frequent water changes. Using BCBs in the latter case would be nothing more than a false sense of security regardless of how good they work. Personally I find it hard to accept the concept that water changes can be markedly reduced as long as the nitrates are below 10 due to BCBs or plants or purigen..........

[farebox]

I'm still running an anoxic filtration system per Dr. Novak. There's one large BCB in the 125-gallon sump and a slow-moving plenum for the 40-gallon breeder tank. Check the two videos of the tanks: https://youtu.be/7ekyOUptwUs https://youtu.be/WAI8e8-GcaU

[re_scorpione]

Hi all,

I find it a very interesting topic.
I have been searching ways deal with nitrate without doing a ton of water changes, not because I'm lazy but because where I live water is expensive.

I decided to give BCB basket a try, I have nothing to loose.

My problem is the same as other people are having: the non clumping cat litter. All type I've found here becomes mush, even the "baked" ones.

I have 2 options:

1. Use zeolite, which is a bit expensive and the one I've found here has large grain size (1 cm avg). Would it work?

2. I've have access to green zeolite that is running on sale at this moment so I can get it cheaper that regular zeolite. Also the gran size is similar to the cat litter.
The product is this:
https://www.acurel.com/product/ammonia-away-green/

According to them "GREEN zeolite is superior to standard zeolite"

What do you think?


Regards,

[Shan_Evolved]

Are you unable to get seachem flourite red? The center is actually only used to give iron for the cycle to establish or something (I forget exactly but it was a Novak video explaining). The most important part is to have the baked cat litter

[farebox]

Check out Dr. Novak's videos on U-Tube for all the info needed in making a BCB.

[farebox]

Current status of anoxic filtration system running a BCB in my sump. I ordered the Special Kitty Litter from Amazom.com, this stuff did not turn mushy after four months so far. Can view video of the setup: https://youtu.be/sq93Kyq6q0I

[Rockfella]

Hi it works wery wery well, I have changed to a litter i got in Germany. I have a 720 ltr tank with 28 discus i am feedeing 4 times a day i am changing water 30% 1 time a month, bare bottom and changing filter socs two times a week.
The fish is growing fine. And they are so helty and very fine.

Congrats. Can you please share the litter you used.
TIA.