Matrix (and siporax) questions, to keep from derailing Sahin's thread.....
 

I purchased a few liters of matrix the other day to put into my new tank after catching up on Sahin's tank thread. I have a few questions about using it and I didn't want clutter up his thread.

Does matrix need to be run in a canister/reactor of some sort? If so, I know Reefvet suggested a minimum of 100 gph flow throw the media to take advantage of it's anaerobic capabilities. If i have a pump that's pushing around 150 gph into a reactor, is that going to provide enough flow to allow anaerobic filtering. The output of the pump is the same size as the input on the reactor, so there won't be a decrease in the size of the plumbing until it hits the media.

I've seen plenty of threads where siporax users build a box out of egg crate and stack the tubes end to end until they fill the box up. I was thinking of doing something similar with my matrix but lining the egg crate with some plastic window screen to make sure nothing falls out. Then just placing the box in the middle of my sump. Would there be any benefit in doing that or should I put the media in a reactor?



edit: If you have you're own questions, feel free to add them to this thread.

Hi pstank, according to Seachem's website, the media is best utilized in a "canister filter" which for our intent and purpose, is a media reactor. This is so the water is forced over the media, as opposed to passively flowing through. Building a box in the sump would likely only utilize a marginal amount of the medias capability, as very little water will flow through the media, as most will simply move around it. Additionally, it will be impossible to measure the actual flow through the media.

I think reefvet mentioned that 100 gph through a 6" reactor with 1L of media was the rate at which the greatest number of anaerobic bacteria colonized. I would think that above 100 gph you may have diminishing returns from a denitrification perspective. Perhaps once you have the media in the reactor, the flow rate will be close to 100gph, as head will increase and flow will decrease. Either way, I might put a valve between the pump and reactor, so you can fine tune the flow.

Required Flow Rates Through Different Diameter Reactors
 

Extrapolating the data that reefvet provided after running his tests on Matrix, it follows that different flow rates are required for different diameter reactors. Here is the extrapolated data, converted into bottom line flow rates. Keep in mind, his tests were completed on only 1L of media, so larger volumes of media may require higher flow rates. I think this is a very good starting point however.

4" diameter reactor: 44.44 gph

6" diameter reactor: 100 gph

8" diameter reactor: 178 gph

10" diameter reactor: 278 gph

Anyone care to venture a guess as to how much matrix to use per gallon? I have an empty reactor I never used and have been considering doing something like this for sometime.

Hey Rovster,

According to SeaChem's website, the directions for use call for 1 Liter for every 100 gallons.

When I do it, I will double the recipe as I prefer a very high bioload.

I did not followed any rule of amount.......because it is "artificial rock". I added as much as I could.

I have a RSM250 that has a media chamber in the back. It is an All In One tank. I filled that chamber with Matrix Seacherm. Because the flow is big I used the big rocks. Placed 3 media bags filled with the matrix.

Then I have a fuge connected to the RSM250. It is a classical 20G tank. On one side of the fuge I hanged a HOB Refuge that has ~3G. I filled it with bags of Matrix. I used media bags so I can take them out every ~ 6 months and shake them unders sea water for cleaning. After I did all these Seacherm Matrix addition, I seeded again the tank with live bacterias (BIODIGEST www.probidio.com).

After the aerobics and anaerobic bacterias grew my Nitrates went to 0 ppm

It is like just adding more rocks to your system to growth bacterias......It is great !!!! . Because the volume to surface area is incredible higher having hundred of small "rocks", instead of big rocks.

In the areas of high flow I used bags of the big rocks Matrix and in the areas of low flow (bottom of the HOB fuge) I used a couple of bags Of the small Matrix

Cheers
Daniel

Seacherm Matrix when I added to the HOB fuge. After this picture I added more bags.

The bag in the bottom has the small Matrix Rocks


http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...psya0cpj1a.jpg

Live Bacterias
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...pswhliyu4c.jpg

so it the large the seachem Pond Matrix?

I don't think the pond matrix is the same material.

Not the one sold for ponds.

This was my small Matrix but it was wrong to name it in that way , sorry:

http://www.seachem.com/Products/prod...denitrate.html

This was my big Matrix :
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...psxakbq26e.jpg


They are the same. One small and the other bigger....but I forgot that there was the pond size when I was writing the posting......sorry again.

You can see in the HOB Fuge picture the difference in size if you zoom the picture. The bottom bag has the small ones (de nitrate product)

I am able to get Sera Siporax. I will purchase a 1 lt tub and experiment with it. I will create a "box" using a few pieces of egg crate and will place it in the middle section of my sump.

I'm you're aware of this already, but every time I've seen someone use siporax they stack it in vertical columns to cut down on detritus buildup.

Anyone interested in Siporax should look at Denadai's threads. He used Siporax and plastic rocks in a bare bottomed tank and maintained amazing colours in his SPS. Siporax most certainly works well. :)

The primary reason for stacking it is the keep the maximum surface area exposed. Ideally you have some type of prefilter collecting any particulate matter before the media so that you minimize surface buildup of anything that will block the pores

Yes it's very popular with Brazilian reef aquarists. His TOTM is the best illustration of how he utilized Siporax.

Anyone know of a source for Siporax that will ship internationally?

Saw several sellers on eBay.uk that were willing to ship to the states. Like reefvet said in a previous post however, you will pay a premium.

Try Amazon.

Does anyone have any pictures of it being used in a reactor?

I'll give that a go, thanks. :)

Edit: £16.99 for 1L 15mm Siporax, £11.95 shipping to Canada, £3.29 import fees. That sounds pretty reasonable to me.

None ship to Canada.

Anything for sale in North America, amazon or otherwise, is grey market. Canada doesn't allow import from a non-authorized, commercial seller so a UK seller is the only option.

I got it on ebay thru a UK seller...

Would it work in a phosban reactor?

Just ordered some on Amazon!

If my tank crashes I'm blaming Sahin, LOL:D

Received 4L of matrix stones today so you better have this bacteria hording magic beans thing right Sahin........ :hammer: