Is Marine Pure effective at reducing nitrates? We learn some valuable lessons. | BRStv Investigates
- Thread starter randyBRS
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Well folks maybe 6 months since removing Mp and I am constantly battling high phosphates and my fuge (chaeto/h380) is running 24/7 . its going back in and will update in a few months
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Well, not in this Experiment it did not lower the Nitrates! I bought a plate for my old tank Mixed Reef 120 system but took it out ones I got my Triton Test results back which had high traces of Aluminium. I will try to post my Triton results. For my new SCA 150 build that almost completed, I will not be adding any type of Marine Pure to my system this time around.
Jstn
Well-Known Member
Wanted to add my experience for future readers:
I have had a4x4x8" block for 2 years, purchased from BRS, my nitrates are always 12+ which is a bit high for my liking; i think this is due to the high flow in my refugium. They block is fragile and is often collection detritus and breaking into crumbs. My triton test have shown progressive increase in alum over the last year and a half,
Installed 2/17
triton test 6/18 0.00 µg al (first test )
triton test 12/18 9.68 µg al
triton test 4/19 19.00 µg al
I decided to remove it for more room to grow chaeto with the h380. It might be leaching it might be just getting smashed, i am not sure but i haven't changed my salt brand in 4 years (RSCP) and i feed Reeffrenzy, reef roids and mysis, so not much change in terms of food. Also if it is leaching the amount seems negligible, not sure it would have any impact.
I have had a4x4x8" block for 2 years, purchased from BRS, my nitrates are always 12+ which is a bit high for my liking; i think this is due to the high flow in my refugium. They block is fragile and is often collection detritus and breaking into crumbs. My triton test have shown progressive increase in alum over the last year and a half,
Installed 2/17
triton test 6/18 0.00 µg al (first test )
triton test 12/18 9.68 µg al
triton test 4/19 19.00 µg al
I decided to remove it for more room to grow chaeto with the h380. It might be leaching it might be just getting smashed, i am not sure but i haven't changed my salt brand in 4 years (RSCP) and i feed Reeffrenzy, reef roids and mysis, so not much change in terms of food. Also if it is leaching the amount seems negligible, not sure it would have any impact.
dangros
Well-Known Member
So all things being the same, and if the blocks are responsible for the AL, then future Triton tests should show a reduction with frequent water changes. I've had a block in my fuge for about 5 years. Things are going well so I'm hesitant to move it out but would like to do so... following and hoping you continue to post Triton results.
Jstn
Well-Known Member
I will try to update this thread with a future test, I like to do them every 6 months so fall time we should see a drop with all other things consistent. Im sure if mine is leaching its from the crumbling as my drain empties near the block, so one could argue I'm not using it correctly.
To use it for nitrate reduction you need minimal flow over/around the MarinePure block but if yours is crumbling then it's possible that you have one of the forged blocks that was doing the rounds a while ago. I have had my MarinePure block in my sump for around the same time and it's still as solid as the day it went in. I have it in the return pump section tight against two walls and the water slot nearly blocked off where the block is from my refugium so very little water can travel through the block and it's submerged all the time. I have never had a raised alum reading on my ICP test and my nitrates are 0 or just over all the time. I have never removed the block for cleaning either as it only gets a bit of ditritus settling on it which is vacuumed off.
Jstn
Well-Known Member
I agree, i only had room in the chaeto section for the block, its crumbling (more creating small fines over time as i move it around to clean the sump) its still 95% there; my sump turns over 400 gph and the drains empty really close to it. That being said I think i am not using the product as it should be, with the amount of breakage and trace alum i would say the leaching is more user error and that the amount it leaches is relatively small. I might try again with the 1" block in the baffle, but if im successful with increasing my chaeto volume and lighting by going h160 to h360 the point might be moot. Also my block has a thick slime coat clogging the pores on the top, this is the side that faces the light so once again its more user error than product failure and would be safe to conclude it contributing negatively to my nitrate levels.
I will be interesting to see in 4 months if my Alum levels decline!
Aardvark1134
Well-Known Member
Not sure why but no one in reef forms ever want to consider using alternatives that are known safe for some reason. Seachem pond matrix actually has more area liter for liter of media, is not made from aluminium, can complete the last stage of the nitrogen cycle even in high flow, and when bought in bulk is also cheaper.
So I have some interesting Icp results on aluminum. When I first set up my reefer 450 I used 2 qt of marine pure bio balls in the sump which was May 2018. In November 2018 I got this icp test done and saw very high aluminum. Immediately read the brs thread and removed the marine pure. Fast forward may 2019 and I got another icp test and my aluminum dropped significantly. Keep in mind I have not changed salt mixes, food, or added any type of rock or substrate.
Question: I have a RedSea 170 (been running for 13 months) with an external sump and all new pumps, lights, etc. My latest ICP test shows tin at a whopping 120.9 and aluminum at 189.0. I had 62 MarinePure spheres in the sump (two years old from a prior tank). I just pulled them thinking they might be the aluminum culprit. I do have a bio pellet reactor and zero nitrates. Did I do the right thing? Was I using way to many for a 50 gallon system? Thanks!
I ran 1.5 gallons of spheres in the overflow of my 75 gallon and did several ICP tests and never seen elevated alum.
After two years I had elevated tin levels from a scraper blade and still no alum. I also removed half of the live rock
and still had to feed the tank Neo-Nitro to keep food in the water column. The stuff works, maybe Too well.
My new system I want to add something IF & WHEN needed, a brick this time for easy removal.
After two years I had elevated tin levels from a scraper blade and still no alum. I also removed half of the live rock
and still had to feed the tank Neo-Nitro to keep food in the water column. The stuff works, maybe Too well.
My new system I want to add something IF & WHEN needed, a brick this time for easy removal.
schooncw
Well-Known Member
My MP blocks are doing nothing for nitrate. Even tho I have 2 stacked in my sump, am thinking they are 2 porous, receiving 2 much O2 and instead of reducing nitrate, are a very good nitrate factory. Am thinking of going "old school", pulling them and making a mini deep sand bed in Tupperware for the sump.
schooncw
Well-Known Member
Yes, there is flow. My question is, is there too much flow? Am I cultivating anaerobic bacteria, which I desire, or aerobic bacteria, which I don't want. I suspect the latter
I run one block of MarinePure after my refugium to reduce/remove nitrate and it is totally submerged and has very little flow it is never touched other than a quick clean of the surface once a year and I struggle to get a nitrate reading. I also have 2 plates just after my skimmer but before the refugium and these have loads of flow and oxygen through them this is to convert any nitrite into nitrate. I am a very heavy feeder and have 23 fish in a 280litre system.
chicago
Valuable Member
I have 8 blocks in my sump... large 300 gallon horse troof sump.. not sure if i spelled that right.. I have four and four each in a ten gallon tank.. the two 10 gallon tanks sit in the sump.. i do this to limit the flow around and through them... I am not even sure if I need them at this point.. or if they are doing anything.. I have such a large amount of live rock... I might start to remove some of them..
I had 3 Marine Pure blocks in my sump and my ICP test showed Al at 38. I did see a modest increase in NO3 when I removed them and my next ICP test showed my Al dropping to 3.8 (10 fold decrease).
I changed to Brightwell XportNO3 blocks and saw a significant reduction in NO3....to the point I had to remove them to keep from bottoming out my NO3.
These are just anecdotal observations but I firmly believe the Brightwell blocks are effective in lowering nitrate. I did not see a rise in Al when using them either.
And for the record I did not see any adverse effects from the elevated Al....again anecdotal.
I changed to Brightwell XportNO3 blocks and saw a significant reduction in NO3....to the point I had to remove them to keep from bottoming out my NO3.
These are just anecdotal observations but I firmly believe the Brightwell blocks are effective in lowering nitrate. I did not see a rise in Al when using them either.
And for the record I did not see any adverse effects from the elevated Al....again anecdotal.
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