Biomedia foam in sump, polyurethane, to drastically reduce live rocks. it's possible? From scientific studies it seems so

[pygoplites77]

It seems that this foam has an ammonia and nitrite reduction capacity that is enormously superior to normally used biomedia, as its structure is able to host a far superior bacterial community. It also does not decompose, is easy to clean and does not release silicates and aluminum like sintered glass.
The only doubt I have is whether the bacteria that work in the absence of oxygen are able to settle sufficiently in the deeper layers of the foam panel, to close the nitrogen cycle (from no3 to nitrogen gas) and therefore not risk a accumulation of nitrates in the tank.
Does anyone have experience with this? It would be an excellent solution to save on live or synthetic rocks, both economically and to have slimmer rocks in the aquarium and less clogged sumps.
I will link you to both the studio and the company that distributes these polyurethane panels (manufactured in Europe), where there is also the diagram for positioning them in the sump.
Sorry for the Google Translator English...

7. Aquarium Filter Media

The media in an aquarium filter is the most important variable when setting up a filter.

aquariumscience.org

SwissTropicals Poret ® Foam - SWISSTROPICALS

Poret ® foam is a polyether foam with resistance to acids, bases, hydrolysis, and other forms of chemical attack encountered in aqueous environments.

www.swisstropicals.com

 

[Dan_P]

It seems that this foam has an ammonia and nitrite reduction capacity that is enormously superior to normally used biomedia, as its structure is able to host a far superior bacterial community. It also does not decompose, is easy to clean and does not release silicates and aluminum like sintered glass.
The only doubt I have is whether the bacteria that work in the absence of oxygen are able to settle sufficiently in the deeper layers of the foam panel, to close the nitrogen cycle (from no3 to nitrogen gas) and therefore not risk a accumulation of nitrates in the tank.
Does anyone have experience with this? It would be an excellent solution to save on live or synthetic rocks, both economically and to have slimmer rocks in the aquarium and less clogged sumps.
I will link you to both the studio and the company that distributes these polyurethane panels (manufactured in Europe), where there is also the diagram for positioning them in the sump.
Sorry for the Google Translator English...

7. Aquarium Filter Media

The media in an aquarium filter is the most important variable when setting up a filter.

aquariumscience.org

SwissTropicals Poret ® Foam - SWISSTROPICALS

Poret ® foam is a polyether foam with resistance to acids, bases, hydrolysis, and other forms of chemical attack encountered in aqueous environments.

www.swisstropicals.com

Are you going to try this foam?

 

[Malcontent]

I don't know if I got a bad batch but the foam I received began breaking down on day one and was unusable a year later.

 

[mosreef]

I bought some 30ppi foam on Amazon 8 months ago and it hasn't fallen apart at all, looks like it will last years.

That's a really interesting study. Wish I would've seen it a year ago - I spent a fortune on ceramic rings & matrix between my display tank & 4 qt tanks. If this data is correct, could've just bought a box of pot scrubbers at dollar tree.

 

[pygoplites77]

Are you going to try this foam?

not yet, I'm in the planning phase and I have to decide which biomedia to include in sump

 

[pygoplites77]

I don't know if I got a bad batch but the foam I received began breaking down on day one and was unusable a year later.

I've never heard this.. It must have been low quality

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I would not be sure any such material is actually needed,, even with little live rock, if this is a reef tank, as opposed to a fish only. Corals and macroalgae are happy to take up ammonia, and there may be little nitrification happening in many reef tanks.

 

[pygoplites77]

you should try.
I believe that ammonia and nitrites should be absent in coral reefs, however not present in concentrations similar to our tanks.
I often read some traces of no2 in my tests, but when the test is completely white I notice that the sps are much better.
Therefore, in addition to the advantage of greatly reducing the quantity of rock required, polyurethane could also be functional in keeping ammonia and nitrites even lower.
After all, many use other types of biomedia for this purpose.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Therefore, in addition to the advantage of greatly reducing the quantity of rock required, polyurethane could also be functional in keeping ammonia and nitrites even lower.
After all, many use other types of biomedia for this purpose.

I personally do not think that driving ammonia and nitrite as low as possible is a desirable goal, but I recognize that you believe otherwise.

You might check this thread for further thoughts in that issue:

Writing Prompt: Nitrifying bacteria are undesirable in a reef tank

OK, so the world of reefing is loaded with folks talking about nitrifying bacteria as good bacteria, and some other bacteria are bad. I think it's a perfectly valid hypothesis that cannot be easily dismissed that nitrifying bacteria are bad for a fully stocked reef aquarium. Here's the step by...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[pygoplites77]

I read the attached discussion (as far as I could with Google Translate). Interesting and full of ideas..Personally I believe that ammonia and nitrites in the tank, even if reduced to a minimum by any means, will always be higher than the levels found in pristine reefs, so I would not be afraid to insert polyurethane in the sump for this reason, indeed... but rather for that of having an excessive quantity of no3 as the final product, which cannot be reduced into nitrogen gas with the closing of the cycle.
But if, instead, the denitrifying bacteria were also able to settle in the deeper and more anoxic layers of the polyurethane, or if the denitrifying bacteria settled in the few live rocks in the tank were sufficient, perhaps this problem would not arise.
And it would be a great turning point, both economically and in terms of management and space occupied in the tank and sump.