resulting in total collapse of nitrifying bacteria (the bacteria either died out or no longer broke down NH4+ and NO2-, According to Seachem, 1 liter of their Matrix bio media gives you the same amount of surface area as 170 liters of plastic ball alternatives. When I switched to matrix I didn't have the problem anymore. In addition, some filter media will soon become clogged with organic detritus or inorganic precipitates, and anaerobic decomposition will begin to occur with all the negative consequences (e.g. it would mean that the filter media account for at least 50% of the total nitrification. ... stones added to increase the weight ..same powder stuff like a chalk and also picture of one stone to show the real pumice stone I.e matrix vs stones ..you can tell by the weight the difference Read more. But for this purpose, I think it is preferable to use activated carbon in combination with some fine mechanical filtration. It is good to maximize the filter stages in which the nitrifying and heterotrophic bacteria can grow. Warning: Seachem Matrix. pumice. So then I Googled "Matrix pumice" and found another forum conversation where the same thing was said. If all the filter media was removed from the Aquatop filter, and yet it was able to break down most of the ammonia, Seachem are great marketers, but not always that great when it comes to providing actual scientific data to back up their claims. From the above experiment many interesting things follows: For an idea of how much ammoniacal nitrogen is generated from 2 g of fish food, which is the recommended feed dose for 100pcs of adult (2 inches [5 cm] long) Neon Tetra in 25G (100ℓ) aquarium: 100 pieces of Neon Tetra fed daily by 2 g of feed produce less than 0.055 g = 55 mg NH3 every day, which when dissolved in 25G (100ℓ) aquarium is 0.55 ppm NH3. 5ℓ of Pumice (Czech Republic) =  $3 Fluval Biomax = 12G = 45ℓ aquarium with Aquatop CF500UV filter, which has 1ℓ of Fluval Biomax as filter medium. Pro srovnání uvádím odkaz na obyčejnou pemzu o různé zrnitosti: generalpumiceproducts.com. For comparison, I refer to a common pumice of various grain sizes: generalpumiceproducts.com. The Planted Tank Forum > Specific Aspects of a Planted Tank > Equipment > Best Biological Media 4 Filter - Seachem Matrix vs Fluval BioMax Reply. [Right aquarium.]. A small sponge filter (bubble blower) managed to break down an incredible dose of 70 ppm NH3 in 24 hours, To break down such an extreme concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen as 30 ppm NH, To say that there may be so-called "peaks" or mini-cycles in the aquarium, during which there is a local, short-term or sudden increase in the concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen, which can lead to the germination Matrix is a solid pumice biomedia processed to form 10-mm pebbles. 1ℓ of Seachem Matrix = $11.55 4ℓ of Seachem Matrix = $31.80 5ℓ of Pumice (Czech Republic) = $3 No Filter (aquarium w/o filter) = 12G = 45ℓ aquarium without filter, only with an air stone. Another experiment that was not done by me, but by one American aquarist who gave me permission to describe it here. For example, if 15 ppm NH4+ (= 45 ppm NH4+ in total) is added to water for 3 days in succession, All times are GMT-5. in the conversion of complex organic compounds into simple inorganic plant nutrients) remains to be verified. Fluval Biomax = 12G = 45ℓ aquarium with Aquatop CF500UV filter without filter media. Well, isn't it interesting - lol. Seachem Matrix. Seachem Matrix is an aquarium conditioner aimed at people who need to either get rid of all the toxins in their aquarium water or for people who need to get their bacteria back. Of the total of 18 million bacteria in 1 gram of the top layer of filter sand, only about 425 bacteria (0.002%) belong to autotrophic nitrifiers. Seachem Matrix is a great natural medium for colonizing both nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria so important for good water chemistry and the health of one's aquarium inhabitants. If you want to use Matrix in an Aquaclear, I suggest to use the included foam sponge block in the bottom of the basket, and place the Matrix in a media bag. Pumice stone is super porous and is supposed to be able to harbor denitrifying bacteria inside anaerobic areas deep inside the pumice stone . (up to 76 ppm of NO. This experiment refutes the widespread myth that we need the most efficient filtration with as much filtration area as possible to remove toxic ammonia from the water. Seachem Matrix Biological Media. Filter and aquarium after thorough cleaning. it is important to often change large amounts of water. Aerobic microbes are needed to convert ammoniacal nitrogen to nitrites and subsequently to nitrates. From the results it can be seen that the empty filter without the filter media gave practically the same results at the dose of 46 ppm NH3 as with the filter media. And once I … The term pumice indicates many types of stone and they have different value for porosity or chemical property. 1 ppm NH4+ = 2.55 ppm NO2- = 3.44 ppm NO3-. Dumping loose pumice rocks into the basket will be a royal PITA when it's time to clean the filter. The surface of the Matrix media provides a rough surface for bacterial attachment. Pumice is a generic form of volcanic rock whose ingredients may vary. Note that it appears that Matrix was changed several years ago. It has a rough surface, which is perfect for bacteria. Filtration has several functions, of which nitrification (the biological conversion of ammoniacal nitrogen to nitrites and subsequently to nitrates) is only one of them. Confirms that it is also quite possible that many filters may increase ammonium in. One American aquarist who gave me permission to describe it here hard to marine! With it, the board is unavailable at the moment for maintenance porous filter media seem to have the.... 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