I would like to introduce a new filtration system to the hobby. It's very inexpensive, easy to make and is very effective at reducing ammonia from the aquarium. Let us start this thread with typical information and methods in our hobby, a conventional biological filter:
Fish continuously excrete ammonia which is toxic to them, and so it has to be removed from the pond water before it can cause them harm. We all know this. Any well designed conventional biological filter system will be effective at taking this ammonia and converting it, first into nitrite, and then into nitrate by a process called the “nitrogen cycle”. This is also well known. Having achieved the conversion of ammonia into nitrate, the task of a conventional biological filter is complete. No further biological action to remove the nitrate takes place and so the level of nitrate in the water slowly rises. Nitrate is a plant fertilizer. A rising level of nitrates will encourage blanket weed and the kind of algae that turns water and rocks green. Water changes will help but, even after a 10% water change, the nitrate level will still be 90% of the original value, and, as more ammonia is converted, the nitrate level will soon begin rising again.
Now lets talk about an alternative method to the nitrogen cycle:
The Anoxic filtration system was designed and developed over many years by Dr Kevin Novak PhD. The anoxic system doesn’t rely on converting ammonia to nitrite and then into nitrate. With the Anoxic system, ammonia is converted directly to nitrogen gas which is a safe method of exporting from our aquariums.
So what is an Anoxic filter?
The biological information behind an Anoxic filter is basically a home for facultative anaerobic heterotrophic bacteria. Facultative bacteria can function in either an aerobic or in an anaerobic environment. The filter system works as a network of never clogging negatively charged sites in baskets that are coined, biocenosis-clarification-baskets.
A biocenosis-clarification basket is composed of three simple items:
The time frame for facultative anaerobic heterotrophic bacteria to develop and effectively work to reduce ammonia in our aquariums is 45 days.
Be sure to provide adequate flow (not forced with pumps or powerheads) around all sides of the basket (including the bottom) as the bacteria will "draw" ammonia into the basket like a magnet.
My personal experience is simply amazing, my new reef tank went from an amazon of green algae to peach fuzz of brownish "hair".
The hair algae in my refugium literally disintegrated into white sludge.......and.......I have not done a water change in four months.
I'm sure there will be plenty of questions, don't hesitate to ask!
Fish continuously excrete ammonia which is toxic to them, and so it has to be removed from the pond water before it can cause them harm. We all know this. Any well designed conventional biological filter system will be effective at taking this ammonia and converting it, first into nitrite, and then into nitrate by a process called the “nitrogen cycle”. This is also well known. Having achieved the conversion of ammonia into nitrate, the task of a conventional biological filter is complete. No further biological action to remove the nitrate takes place and so the level of nitrate in the water slowly rises. Nitrate is a plant fertilizer. A rising level of nitrates will encourage blanket weed and the kind of algae that turns water and rocks green. Water changes will help but, even after a 10% water change, the nitrate level will still be 90% of the original value, and, as more ammonia is converted, the nitrate level will soon begin rising again.
Now lets talk about an alternative method to the nitrogen cycle:
The Anoxic filtration system was designed and developed over many years by Dr Kevin Novak PhD. The anoxic system doesn’t rely on converting ammonia to nitrite and then into nitrate. With the Anoxic system, ammonia is converted directly to nitrogen gas which is a safe method of exporting from our aquariums.
So what is an Anoxic filter?
The biological information behind an Anoxic filter is basically a home for facultative anaerobic heterotrophic bacteria. Facultative bacteria can function in either an aerobic or in an anaerobic environment. The filter system works as a network of never clogging negatively charged sites in baskets that are coined, biocenosis-clarification-baskets.
A biocenosis-clarification basket is composed of three simple items:
- A plastic pond basket with holes on all sides
- cat litter but it must be clay, non-clumping, and preferably without odor control (“Special Kitty” Cat Litter available at WalMart for about $4 for a 25lb bag works well)
- flourite red by seachem
The time frame for facultative anaerobic heterotrophic bacteria to develop and effectively work to reduce ammonia in our aquariums is 45 days.
Be sure to provide adequate flow (not forced with pumps or powerheads) around all sides of the basket (including the bottom) as the bacteria will "draw" ammonia into the basket like a magnet.
My personal experience is simply amazing, my new reef tank went from an amazon of green algae to peach fuzz of brownish "hair".
The hair algae in my refugium literally disintegrated into white sludge.......and.......I have not done a water change in four months.
I'm sure there will be plenty of questions, don't hesitate to ask!