JBL Bio NitratEX - minimazing water changes?

[cveks]

JBL Bio NitratEX
Biological filter material for the removal of nitrates in freshwater


Removes the main nutrient of algae, nitrate, from the water. Operates exclusively through nitrate-eliminating bacteria, without the use of chemical additives or exchange products.

JBL BioNitratEX consists of small beads containing nutrients for bacteria and so encourages the settlement of denitrifying bacteria which are present in large numbers in any aquarium. The net bag around the material restricts the water flow and so ensures the correct flow velocity inside the bag. This produces an environment low in oxygen which allows the colonisation of nitrate removing bacteria

Pack contains 4 net bags of material (each bag sufficient for 50 litres of water) . Bag should be placed as the last stage in the aquarium filter. Do not rinse bag prior to use or during its life in the filter. Active for approximately 12 months

Suitable for both Freshwater and Marine ( but in marine environments a layer of activated carbon should be added above the JBL Bio NitratEX to prevent nutrients being washed out and clouding the water during the activation stage)

Pack treats up to 200 litres for 12 months


http://www.jbl.de/factmanager/frame_page.php?action=show&PageMode=2&IdType=2&Id=217&linklabel=BioNitrat+EX


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what do you think about this product? usable for raising discus and minimazing water changes (like 30% week)?

[edmoran77]

Sounds too good to be true! I guess I will have to do more research. I thought all nitrate reducing bacteria needed a anaerobic environment to flourish. Is this not the case? :)

[cveks]

Sounds too good to be true! I guess I will have to do more research. I thought all nitrate reducing bacteria needed a anaerobic environment to flourish. Is this not the case? :)

I did some reaserches and discus keepers in europe (Holland) is using this product and saying that they are geting very good result - nitrate is like 0 with this.

anaerobic enviroment is present with this product because bacteria and food for them is keeped in this bag which is like sealed and water flow is very slow and oxygen is non-present.

if product works I think that with it you can minimize water changes and from 50% every other day you can change like 30% every week?

what do you think?

[plecocicho]

Greetings from former broters,:p
I had overstocked aquarium of 110 liters and two bags were enough to drop nitrate from 10 to 5 mg/l. My tap water has nitrat value of 5 mg/l.

[RockHound]

I did some reaserches and discus keepers in europe (Holland) is using this product and saying that they are geting very good result - nitrate is like 0 with this.

anaerobic enviroment is present with this product because bacteria and food for them is keeped in this bag which is like sealed and water flow is very slow and oxygen is non-present.

if product works I think that with it you can minimize water changes and from 50% every other day you can change like 30% every week?

what do you think?


I doubt that thing works as well as they say it does.
For one, it is not BIG enough.
You have to have enough oxegen in the water system to sustain healthy fish.
That same water is ran through this filter.
So, it contains significant DO.
Denitrification of any magnitude does NOT take place when that much DO is present.

I don't read German.
But, assume this thing is about the same as the "so-called" denitrator filter, in the link below.
http://www.aquaripure.com/

The theory behind this filter is good.
But, in practice, it does not work well.
It simply is not big enough.
To function on a level to remove nitrates in a 100 gallon system, or more.
With medium to high stocking levels & well fed fish.
A denitrator has to have far more space in it.
Than these little black box's.
___________________________

FUNCTIONAL denitrification is no easy thing to establish in hobby type aquarium filter systems.

There are two main requirements for successful denitrification.

1. Anoxic environment
Since facultative heterotrophs prefer to respire using DO, the denitrifiers will continue to respire aerobically as long as DO is available.
It is only when the DO is depleted that denitrifiers begin using nitrate for respiration, which begins the denitrification reaction.

2. Sufficient amount of organic carbon
Without organic carbon as the food supply, facultative heterotrophs cannot continue to grow, multiply and thrive.
Organic carbon can be supplied to the denitrification phase of biological treatment using influent water.

Another point: Biological denitrification converts nitrate to nitrogen gas. Which is typically gassed off in an aerated chamber that follows the denitrification process.

_____________________

Reality is, if you use a macro/micro porous biomedia, like Eheim substrate or substrate pro, or anything like that.
Some facultative heterotrophs will establish themselves inside the biomedia.

Trouble is, as that biofilm grows, it closes the internal pores in the biomedia. Which chokes off it's food supply.

When that happens, denitrifuication stalls.

To remedy that, I am running a long flow denitrification system side by side with a tall wet/dry trickle filter.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj85/placer_mines/oxictoanoxicfilter.jpg

The object being to reduce WC's to 25 or 30% a week.
Which removes TDS, as the denitrator system eats DOC & nitrates.

The next hitch is to degas the N gas the denitrator produces.
While, at the same time re-oxygenating that water.

To that end, a shower tower is used.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj85/placer_mines/wfparts6copy.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj85/placer_mines/wf5.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj85/placer_mines/wfnewbottom.jpg

To get all this to function, means running 3 filters side by side.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj85/placer_mines/easywdtf.jpg

A large tall wet/dry trickle filter, with ambient air exchange.
Where ammonia is oxidized to nitrite, then nitrates are produced.
A long flow denitrator, and a shower tower.
Each serving its own purpose & all 3 running evenly.

Tank water is routed via an overflow to standpipe type open cell foam prefilter.
Then to a manifold.
Half the water is directed to the large wet/dry trickle filter.
The other half is directed to the denitrator.
The water flows through the denitrator, into the shower tower.
All drain to a sump, then the water is pumped back to the tank.

LOL, :p, getting this thing established, was/is fun.

____________________

BTW, if you can find a supply of very vesicular pumice.
It works as well, if not better than Eheim pro biomedia.
Or, any other sintered glass, or ceramic biomedia like them.
And, is FAR less expensive.
(if you can find a source)

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj85/placer_mines/bio-media1.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj85/placer_mines/bio-media5.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj85/placer_mines/bio-media2.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj85/placer_mines/biorock20copy.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj85/placer_mines/floatingfeatherrockcopy.jpg
Featherock pumice is so light, it floats, for awhile.
Until it gets saturated with water.

[cveks]

nice post rockhound. can you tell me what do you think about this denitrator?

http://www.aquaripure.com/

does anyone made some tests with growing discus with denitrator and less water changes as usual vs regular water changes ?

[RockHound]

nice post rockhound. can you tell me what do you think about this denitrator?

http://www.aquaripure.com/

does anyone made some tests with growing discus with denitrator and less water changes as usual vs regular water changes ?

Aquapure denitrator is NOT BIG ENOUGH to significantly reduce nitrates.
It works, but not well enough to matter much.

It is simply a black plastic box, with a lot of baffles in it.
Tank water flows through it & is supposed to turn anoxic.
Denitrifier bacteria are supposed to colonize the baffle walls.

Trouble is, the biofilm surface area inside the box is not large enough to deplete DO.
So, it only functions at a very insignificant rate.

It is also very expensive, for what you get.

I built a long flow denitrator system for about $25 (US).
Which has about 1000 times the surface area in it, than an aquapure.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj85/placer_mines/oxictoanoxicfilter.jpg

Water flows through about 50 ft of 1 inch PVC pipe, filled with 3/4 inch bioballs.
From there, water flows through about 16 ft of 3 inch PVC filled with monofiliment pot srcubbers.

The long flow through 50 ft of PVC pipe allows enough area to turn the water anoxic.

The following 16 ft of 3 inch PVC pipe filled with biomedia is where denitrification takes place.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj85/placer_mines/Nylonpotscrubberbio-ball.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj85/placer_mines/Nylonpotscrubberscopy.jpg

[Don Trinko]

I have tryed some of the resins that you put in your filter to remove nitrates. They do remove some but not near enough. A WC is still one of the simplest ways to remove nitrates.... nitrates 10, 50% WC = nitrates 5. It works every time. Don T.