Thursday, March 5, 2009

Aquarium Product Review

Hi!
It's always good to check at reviews before to buy new equipments for our tanks. Here is a fast growing website dedicated to aquarium product reviews. Check it out!

Better and cheaper than Phosban!

I have been using this product for 2 years now. Here is some information I found about Metal Gone:


metalgone4

Get Metal Gone Freshwater


Get Metal Gone Saltwater



Many people have difficulty maintaining Tropical Fish. The growing abundance of heavy metals found in common drinking water contribute to many unexplained fish deaths. The heavy metal problem in aquarium and pond water has never been adequately addressed. Numerous people have turned to Metal Gone, an African Mineral, to solve this problem in fresh and saltwater.

Metal Gone has proven to be an ideal filter additive for breeders of sensitive species. In addition, it is ideal for hatching sensitive reptile and amphibian species such as poison arrow frogs.

Metal Gone will remove up to 5 time the ammonium from the water than some adsorbents. It drastically Reduces Nitrites, Nitrates, Phosphates and heavy metal.

Metal Gone is used by many in the aquarium trade to adsorb phosphorous to reduce algae in ponds and aquariums.

Low cost adsorbant:
Metal Gone is about half the price of most phosphate adsorbant on the market. Finally, Metal Gone will not only remove phosphates but also nitrites, nitrate and heavy metals.

Fresh Water Metal Gone significantly reduces:
• Aluminum, Ammonium, Barium, Boron, Cadmium, Calcium, Cesium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Iron, Lead, Lithium, Magnesium, Manganese, Mercury, Molybdenum, Nickel, Oils, Palladium, Phosphorus, Rubidium, Silicone, Silver, Strontium, Titanium, Vanadium, Zinc, and Zirconium.

• Over Five Times the AMMONIA as most ammonia adsorbents.

• Reduces lead, killer copper, iron and zinc.

• Reduces Phosphorus, and Magnesium* for diminished algae growth.
(*Magnesium, a component of chlorophyll, is an essential ingredient for plant growth and development. Although present at only 2.7% in the total weight of chlorophyll, magnesium must be present in considerably larger amounts to promote plant growth!)

• Removes polyvalent cations from the water.

• Lessens the formation of nitrites and nitrates!

• Fits all makes of aquarium filters.

A new way to supply Co2 to your aquarium plants


earthpellets1

This is a new filtration media made for fresh water planted tank or saltwater refuge. Outlined bellow are the reasons why Earth Pellets is the best filtration media for your planted tank.

GREATER SURFACE AREA:
- Earth Pellets has a surface area equal to 980 meter squared per gram.
- Bio Ball's surface area is 100 cubic feet for every cubic foot of material.

How to cycle your aquarium faster

Right Now Bacteria has proven to establish a Totally Aerobic Nitrogen Cycle in 24 hours (instead of 28 days). It work 100% of the time as long as you follow the protocol:

For freshwater and fish only (no live rock) saltwater tanks, follow the instruction HERE.

For saltwater WITH live rock:
If there is live rock in your tank, you can simply add the Right Now Bacteria when you add the live rock. We recommend 1 to 2 lbs of live rock per gallon. You do not need the Tri Base Pelletized Carbon like other tanks. Even if you do not use the Tri Base Pelletized Carbon, Right Now Bacteria will protect your fish from the deadly ammonium and Nitrite spike, and will cycle your tank in 24 hours.

But remember: Without Tri Base Pelletized Carbon you will NOT have continual Aerobic nitrate or phosphate reduction, or will have it only to a lesser degree.

How to build a denitrator for fresh and saltwater aquarium

Find on this page all you need to know to setup a filtration system that will establish a Totally Aerobic Nitrogen Cycle in 24 hours (instead of 28 days), as well as treat and remediate serious nitrogen pollution in both fresh and saltwater aquariums.
For more information about this system and why it works, please consult our Advanced Information Page. You may also read Patent Number 6,025,152 for more technical informations

All equipment needed to build this filter can be found here

PART 1: SET UP

1.1 Calculate the TOTAL AMOUNT of gallons your new tank can hold without anything in it.

1.2. Now calculate how much Tri Base Pelletized Carbon you need. Here is the math: 0.1667 lbs x Gallons
*If your tank is going to be a reef tank with no fish: corals need only 1/3 the amount of TBPC if it is an all coral tank.
*If your tank is reef tank mix with small amount of fish: you'll need only 1/2 the amount of TBPC.
*If it is a fish only tank, then you need the full amount of carbon.

Remember, when usd as a bacteria bed, this carbon only needs to be replaced once every four years.

Let Tri Base Pelletized Carbon soak in a water bucket with an air pump for about two days. Once this is done, add it to your filter. Do not add it all at once: the best to do this is to add 1/4 to the canister every day. For freshwater tank with live plants, do not use Tri Base Pelletized Carbon. It will remove everything your plants need to survive. Use Earth Pellets instead.

1.3 The Canister:
For best results, Tri Base Pelletized Carbon should be used in a canister. This way, all the water will be in contact with the carbon.

One pound of Tri Base Pelletized Carbon fills a 1L volume.
For a small tank, any filter could do (aquaclear, fluval filter, etc.) but for large tank, the only canisters we found to carry the amount of carbon needed is the RED TORPEDO.
The Red Torpedo: This canister is nothing more than durable and lightweight filter tank designed specifically to maximize media load with no internal restrictions and pressure tested to 150 PSI.

1.4 Water Flow:
Water flow is the water returning to your tank after it has passed through your filters. There is just one easy thing to remember here: IT MUST BE TEN (10) AN HOUR.

1.5 The Return Pipe:
This is very important! In all systems (except for those in an aquarium with plants), the return pipe MUST be about two inches ABOVE the water surface. It MUST shoot from the rear to the front, and be cross corner. If you DON'T do this, you will have a very hard time with your pH and the Dissolved Oxygen levels in your tank. Water should be taken from the bottom of the tank.

1.6 Water temperature:
The water temperature should be around 78 - 80 degrees Fahrenheit. In the tropics the water temperature is usually between 84 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit in many places. For a salt water tank, density (no, it is not really called salinity) should be between 1.020 to 1.025. At the lower density there is less disease and the water can carry more oxygen.

1.7 Water Changes and Cleaning:
This system will keep your water clean and will reduce No3 and Po4. This is not an excuse for you to stop changing the water. You can change a smaller volume and save on water and/or salt but dont skip that very important maintenance routine. Your Red Torpedo or filter should be cleaned (actually it is the carbon inside that need to be cleaned) once a month. All you have to do is to back flush. Back flush for 10 to 15 seconds ONLY. Otherwise your bacteria bed will be carried away in the waste water. Back flushing does not mean to back flush water back into the tank!

1.8 The Bacteria:
Right Now Bacteria is the master-piece of that system. It has nothing in common with all those bacteria starters you see on the market. Right Now Bacteria will establish on your Tri Base Pelletized Carbon or Earth Pellets and will grow at a phenomenal rate. Within only a few hours it will have enough bacteria to cycle your tank AEROBICALY. It will consume waste like nothing you’ve ever seen and it remains in your system. Actualy, you only need to use the bacteria once, but if you want (and this is what I do), you can add a few every month after water change to boost the system a little. If you do this, help yourself and get a pound of it instead of small quantity every time (you'll save money this way).

PART 2: TRULY BULLET-PROOF 24 HOURS AEROBIC NITROGEN CYCLE IN A NEW TANKS

2.1 SET UP THE TANK AS NOTED ABOVE

2.2 ACCLIMATISE YOUR FISH:
Acclimatise your fish by using an air line with a plastic valve. Drip water from the air line into a small plastic bucket. Start slowly at first, and after an hour and a half, increase the flow. Keep putting the water into the tank as the bucket fills up.

2.3 FIVE MINUTES BEFORE YOU PUT THE FISH IN THE TANK:
Add the Right Now Bacteria to the tank five minutes before you put the fish in the tank. DO NOT ADD THE BACTERIA BEFORE THAT!

2.4 THE FIRST 24 HOURS:
During the first 24 hours, the tank may cloud up. But by the next day, you will have the entire TOTALLY AEROBIC NITROGEN and PHOSPHORUS CYCLE!

2.5 FOR SALTWATER TANK ONLY:
If you have live rock, you can simply add the Right Now Bacteria when you add the live rock in the tank. You do not need the Tri Base Pelletized Carbon. Even if you do not use the Tri Base Pelletized Carbon, Right Now Bacteria will protect your fish from the deadly ammonium and Nitrite spike, and will cycle your tank in 24 hours. You will now have No3 and Po4 reduction without Tri Base Pelletized Carbon.

For all tanks: Without Tri Base Pelletized Carbon you will NOT have continual Aerobic nitrate or phosphate reduction, or will have it only to a lesser degree.

PART 3: OLD TANKS INSTALATION

3.1 SET UP:
Set your system as noted above. Once again, do not add all Tri Base Pelletized Carbon at once (it could kill your fish)!!!

3.2 RIGHT NOW BACTERIA:
Add Right Now Bacteria.

This is it! Simply remember that all those steps are important.

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Algae removal with Metal Gone -The Test

What is Metal Gone anyway?
It's an African Mineral (not a chemical!!) use to remove (or absorb) what’s in the water. Here is a complete list of what it takes out :

Aluminum, Ammonium, Barium, Boron, Cadmium, Calcium, Cesium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Iron, Lead, Lithium, Magnesium, Manganese, Mercury, Molybdenum, Nickel, Oils, Palladium, Phosphorus, Rubidium, Silicone, Silver, Strontium, Titanium, Vanadium, Zinc, and Zirconium.
Over Five Times the AMMONIA as most ammonia adsorbents.
Reduces lead, killer copper, iron and zinc.
Reduces Phosphorus, and Magnesium* for diminished algae growth.
(*Magnesium, a component of chlorophyll, is an essential ingredient for plant growth and development. Although present at only 2.7% in the total weight of chlorophyll, magnesium must be present in considerably larger amounts to promote plant growth!)
Removes polyvalent cations from the water.
Lessens the formation of nitrites and nitrates

Not bad but how good is it for algae control?
By removing what algae need to grow, it simply stop their grow. Where it becomes really interesting is when Metal Gone is use with what’s call « Right Now Bacteria » (view my other articles about that bacteria). After Metal Gone has weaken the algae, Right Now Bacteria is can to consume them! I have tried this with different kinds of green algae and got results everytime (in both fresh and saltwater aquarium). It takes about 3 good weeks before none remains. Once I got rid of the algae, I keep some Metal Gone in my filter to make sure they have no chance to grow back.

Most of my testings have been done in non-planted fresh water aquariums agains different type of green algae. It showed me how great it work but now it’s time to know what it can do against blue green algae.

UPDATE: It's been a while! I had the chance to try it many times against different type of algae in both salt and freshwater aquarium. It's still really good for algae control but I had a little more trouble getting rid of the blue green algae. It took me 2 months but I finally got rid of it.

Learn more about metal gone here

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Aquarium maintenance time

The following article will try to demonstrate that aquarium maintenance can be quite easy.

Go on the Internet to find information aquarium maintenance and you'll find that a good maintenance should be done weekly or at less twice a month.

I take care of over 25 tanks so there is no way I am gonna spend even half an hour on each tank every week or two. I actually clean them once a month. That's not much but my tanks always look clean, no algae problem, no pollution.

To do this I use a really strong filtration system. Forget about those filters you see in pet-shop. They are not bad but the filtration media what comes with can't do the job right. With some real good filtration media, your filter could do a much better job.

What’s a really good filtration media?
The largest the surface area in contact with water is, the better it is. More surface area allow more bacteria to establish on it. The more bacteria you have the stronger your nitrogen cycle is. Does it make sense?

Which filtration media should we use?
1) Bio Ball's surface area is 100 cubic feet for every cubic foot of material.
2) Lava Rock's surface area is approximately 315 meters squared per gram.
3) Silica Sand is approximately 390 meters squared per gram.
4) Aquarium activated Carbon is approximately 650 meters squared per gram.
5) Tri Base Pelletized Carbon is approximately 1,150 meters squared per gram. It also contains an available carbon source for the bacteria.

So I chosed Tri Base Pelletized carbon because it has much more surface area for bacteria growth. I’ll explain the available carbon source a little later.

According to Hiatt Distributor (who supply that carbon), there is two way we can use the Tri Base Pelletized Carbon: As a bacteria bed (this is what I use it for) or for chemical filtration.

Tri base Pelletized Carbon : As a bacteria bed
Here we do not use Tri Base Pelletized Carbon as a chemical reducer but as a bacteria bed. When used this way it has a 4 year life time and it will not release any chemical once it got old. Why should I use anything else when that carbon can hold 10 time more bacteria per gram?

A good bacteria bed is important. I use a bacteria call Right Now Bacteria. Interesting name don't you think!
The reason why it’s call Right Now Bacteria is because it develop so fast that Tri Base Pelletized Carbon gets totally colonized within only a few hours. At 25C, 0.1 gram of Right Now Bacteria will constitute a colony at a population density of 867 x 10 8 organisms in eight hours. I have been trying to get some information about other kinds of bacteria starters but they never reply my emails.

Because Tri Base Pelletized Carbon contains an available carbon source, it allow Right Now Bacteria to complete the nitrogen cycle and reduce Nitrates into Nitrogen gas.

Conclusion
When used together, Right Now Bacteria and Tri Base Pelletized Carbon drastically reduce No3 and Po4 which reduce the need for water change. The bacteria only need to be used once.

My little 15 gallon tank has zero No3 and Po4 after a month without water change. All I do is to rinse the carbon once a month. While I do this, also change 2 to 3 gallons of water. How could it be more easy.

I invite everyone who are curious about this to give it a try with a small 5 or 10 gallon tank and see the results with your own eyes. The amount of carbon and bacteria needed is really small so you won’t spend much. A complete (and really easy) protocol and set-up instruction is available at here.