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

[Luke in Phoenix]

My 125 gallon discus tank now running 100% Anoxic Filtration System...

Thanks for the updates!

[zhuls1]

Thats great, could be a good alternative. Thanks for the info, I think I have missed that article "The size of the BCB’ are only restricted to their weight and what one can lift easily without getting a hernia.", seems like it should work a treat. I am looking forward to seeing your results, keep us posted.

[zhuls1]

Nice design Luke.
I have canister filters and was trying to think of a way I could incorporate an anoxic filter system with canisters. I have Eheim 2017 filters and would have to design a tube-shape basket rather than rectangular like yours, but I think it would work.

Hello, you could use craft mesh like luke used in his video. Just wrap it up into a cylinder and cut a circle for the ends, you could even use superglue to join the mesh (superglue when dry is aquarium safe). Other than that, pretty well just follow lukes video.

[zhuls1]

Thanks Steve, I bet it would work as long as there is enough anoxic "zone C". Here is a little more info on the zones: http://anoxicfiltrationsystem.blogsp...r-part_29.html

Dr Novaks blog says "For clarity, zones A and B have not been drawn to scale. In practice these two zones are only a few millimetres thick before all the oxygen has been exhausted" so virtually all of the filter is zone C, so it should work just fine in a eheim 2017. I think the main limitation in an eheim 2017 would be the low flow rate.

[smsimcik]

Dr Novaks blog says "For clarity, zones A and B have not been drawn to scale. In practice these two zones are only a few millimetres thick before all the oxygen has been exhausted" so virtually all of the filter is zone C, so it should work just fine in a eheim 2017. I think the main limitation in an eheim 2017 would be the low flow rate.

Thanks Zac. I was going to use the craft mesh. I hadn't thought about super glue. That's a good idea.
As far as flow rate, I was more concerned with it being too fast. I think it's rated at about 150 gal/hr. Maybe that's not that fast.

I just wanted to mention I had a typo in that original post. I meant to say my filters are Eheim 2217.

[tolga]

I finished building a version of the Anoxic Filtration system (AFS) BCB. I implemented a Lukeway version of the basket that I believe everybody can utilize even if they don't have a sump. Not everyone has a sump so hopefully this helps.

I made a quick video to show you guys. https://youtu.be/4uefD7acEiI
Let me know what you think. Cheers.

Hi Luke, this is very exciting and I am eagerly waiting to find out how it will turn out and whether you can achieve your desired flow around the anoxic medium. As far as I’ve understood it, you appear to have a filter sock in your sump which would do a decent job of mechanically filtering the water in the tank provided it is cleaned out regularly. With the canister set up, however, the sponge inside the actual unit may not be enough to keep the detritus from entering the the anoxic basket, if the canister intake is drawing water from the main tank independently from the sump intake. It might be useful to fit a prefilter attachment to the intake strainer of the canister that can be cleaned out regularly or even better, to use a smaller online prefilter module stuffed with filter floss connected to the intake of the main canister filter and if the flow is not fast enough, a booster pump could be employed perhaps. If this works, it could really be a game changer for those people who do not have sumps. Thanks again.
Tolga

[Luke in Phoenix]

Good idea Tolga, I might look into putting a course sponge filter around the intake tube with a finer sponge or filter floss as a prefilter in the canister filter (it goes on top and is easy to clean). Even better would probably be to leave an extra basket at the bottom of the canister with a course, medium and then fine sponge/filter floss in it so that the water is even better filtered before reaching the basket. The only drawback about this would be that you would constantly be removing the basket from the water and changing the pads below it. Bad to always be removing it from the water?
On the other hand, I'm not worried about it clogging up because these baskets are most often employed in ponds with little to no pre-filtering and they don't clog up. The whole water flowing around and not through it thing...

[Salty Sphynx]

Good idea Tolga, I might look into putting a course sponge filter around the intake tube with a finer sponge or filter floss as a prefilter in the canister filter (it goes on top and is easy to clean). Even better would probably be to leave an extra basket at the bottom of the canister with a course, medium and then fine sponge/filter floss in it so that the water is even better filtered before reaching the basket. The only drawback about this would be that you would constantly be removing the basket from the water and changing the pads below it. Bad to always be removing it from the water?
On the other hand, I'm not worried about it clogging up because these baskets are most often employed in ponds with little to no pre-filtering and they don't clog up. The whole water flowing around and not through it thing...

Maybe you could modify Dr Novak's idea of a small drilled tupperware container at the intake (prior to entering the canister) and the precut batting material discs? Perhaps a way to make that easily accessible for frequent changes without having to disturb the canister? Just thinking out loud, lol.

[tolga]

This is what I would use:

https://www.practicalfishkeeping.co....pond-solutions

This would trap all if not most of the detritus and you can simply clean it without ever disturbing the main canister filter. Just a thought...

[Luke in Phoenix]

That's a great little canister and less than $30 on amazon! I'm going to add in another canister filter with just mechanical filtration to filter the water better before it goes into the canister with the BCB. For now, I've added a felt sock to the intake to pre-filter.

[Jack L]

My 125 gallon discus tank now running 100% Anoxic Filtration System, I have four baskets going now. In the short time running have notice a slight change in the tank and fish behavior. Totally satisfied with this system, just waiting for the system to fully establish in about 50 more days. Using an API nitrate test kit = 10ppm before last water change. Doing 50% WC every other day. Please check lastest video of the tank: https://youtu.be/W8PS_B5Tulo

farebox, what was your nitrate reading before using it?

[Jack L]

going to try this too.

do you think this will work instead of litter?
http://www.apifishcare.com/product.php?id=705

Unique blend of Arcillite and Zeolite
good thread here http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Fertilizer/profile.html

i happend to have it. i thought it might have iron but seems like concensus is that arcillite is same as turface, and turface isn't iron rich

[farebox]

The last time I tested was about 6 mos ago and I think it about the same. I removed all bio media from the sump, I had K-1 micro, 20 ppi and 30 ppi poret fqam pads and bio sphere's running. Also an purigen reactor going. Now all that stuff are gone, just the four baskets sitting in the sump. In the short time this system had been running noticed a change with my potted plants and wood, negative algae! Also the discus seem at total peace, more color showing. At this moment I'm sold 100% because seeing results I never seen in the three yrs.

[Jack L]

The last time I tested was about 6 mos ago and I think it about the same. I removed all bio media from the sump, I had K-1 micro, 20 ppi and 30 ppi poret fqam pads and bio sphere's running. Also an purigen reactor going. Now all that stuff are gone, just the four baskets sitting in the sump. In the short time this system had been running noticed a change with my potted plants and wood, negative algae! Also the discus seem at total peace, more color showing. At this moment I'm sold 100% because seeing results I never seen in the three yrs.

why did you ditch the biomedia?
you still have your mechanical in place though?

btw: i've removed my 3 gallons of matrix, yesterday, i never say it help with nitrates, just made mulm.

[Jack L]

also, everyone is getting red flourite to substitue for laterite as it is MIA. and the purpose of laterite is Iron right?

so why are people getting red flourite when regular fourite has more FE per seachem site?

http://www.seachem.com/downloads/cha...omposition.pdf