How does Seachem Matrix remove Nitrate??

[duganderson]

Seachem Matrix is a porous product to help host beneficial bacteria and functions like live rock.

The Seachem materials says it lowers Nitrates? Is that true? I thought the cycle converted waste to amonia, then to nitrate and then to Nitrate. I thought to reduce Nitrate, you needed to do a water change OR have something that utilizes Nitrate like macro algae, alagae scrubber, etc?

Can you please help me understand this OR is this claim not true?

Do Macro algaes, algae scrubbers, etc. soak up the nitrates, nitrites and/or amonia?

Thank you, Doug

[mcgyvr]

Im not validating their claims.. But..
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrogen_cycle
Denitrifying bacteria convert nitrates to nitrogen gas basically which bubbles up and leaves the tank
Typically denitrifying bacteria lives deep in the rocks/sand,etc..in low oxygen areas..

[reefgeezer]

Originally Posted by duganderson

The Seachem materials says it lowers Nitrates? Is that true? I thought the cycle converted waste to amonia, then to nitrate and then to Nitrate. I thought to reduce Nitrate, you needed to do a water change OR have something that utilizes Nitrate like macro algae, alagae scrubber, etc?

Do Macro algaes, algae scrubbers, etc. soak up the nitrates, nitrites and/or amonia?

Good questions. I'll try to answer them. I'm not a biologist though. Some of the details might be a little off and over simplified. Nitrates can be managed in several ways. Here are a few examples.

1) Nitrates can be lowered by certain bacteria living in a low oxygen environment that use the "O" in the nitrate ion (I think it exists as an ion) for its oxygen needs. In the presence of oxygen, these bacteria reduce ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate. Matrix simply provides the substrate for these processes to occur. In theory, the bacteria on the surface of the Matrix blocks, where there is a lot of oxygen, reduce ammonia and nitrite, and those deep inside, where there is less oxygen, reduce nitrate... same as live or dry rock.

2) Algae of all types can "bind" nitrogen compounds. Algae can use nitrate, and to some extent ammonia and nitrite, in its growth process. This binds the nitrogen compound in its cells. Cheato fuges & reactors and Algae Turf Scrubbers work because of this process.

3) Nitrate can be bound in organic compounds that are consumed by a different bacteria than those mentioned in #1 above. These organic compounds and, to a greater extent, the bacteria that grows to feed on them can be removed by skimming, thus exporting the nitrates. Carbon Dosing works because of this process.

[duganderson]

Thank you for the detailed response.

--Doug

[mcgyvr]

In addition to whats already been posted..That product is unlikely to be useful in a tank with sufficient rock already.. Products like that may be beneficial in tanks with minimalistic aquascaping,etc...

[duganderson]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

In addition to whats already been posted..That product is unlikely to be useful in a tank with sufficient rock already.. Products like that may be beneficial in tanks with minimalistic aquascaping,etc...

I'm using it in a 2 gallon Jellyfish tank by Jellyfishart.com with a sponge, carbon and no live rock.

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by duganderson

I'm using it in a 2 gallon Jellyfish tank by Jellyfishart.com with a sponge, carbon and no live rock.

That is certainly an application where biomedia can be beneficial

[bertoni]

I agree that it seems to function as artificial live rock. It might be more efficient per unit area, but people have reported that it takes a lot of media to achieve good results, but I never read any numbers.

[homer1475]

I use it as LR in my temp QT/HT tank. I keep a bag of them in my sump so they are seeded. When I need a QT, I simply pull the bag from my sump and throw it in the QT. Instantly cycled tank.



They are cheap enough that I just throw them away after I've used them in a QT/HT.

[jd371]

Originally Posted by homer1475

I use it as LR in my temp QT/HT tank. I keep a bag of them in my sump so they are seeded. When I need a QT, I simply pull the bag from my sump and throw it in the QT. Instantly cycled tank.



They are cheap enough that I just throw them away after I've used them in a QT/HT.

I do the same instead of having a QT running all the time.