New things - sand - media for tank bottom

[Slaphppy7]

my nitrate readings vary on when I did water changes, right now on sponge filters in my 29 gallon, with no ugf or other filter, before last water change my 29 was at 80ppm. I usually use a tetra kit. because they are always perfect with the API and I know API nitrite kit isn't accurate enough. I found some leftover drytab and that's what read 80. They don't make anymore but those were excellent tests

NitrIte, or NitrAte, isn't accurate enough?

I've never had accuracy issues with the API Freshwater Master Test kit

 

[Oblio]

Just the fact it has "Abrasive Products" on the big puts me off. I have never had a problem with Cory's on a fine river gravel over an under-gravel filter, I know everyone here says Cory's needs sand. I am in the belief that cory's whiskers get damaged by high nitrates or incorrect pH long before the substrate they are kept on.

Abrasive does not necessarily mean sharp edged. I believe that some blasting products are actually less sharp to lessen the incidence of microscopic particles being cleaved off during use. It would be interesting to see microscopic photos of BDBS vs other commonly used substrate sand.

 

[Alice B]

The API Nitrite test I bought showed 0 nitrite but I had stressed fish, so I tested with Tetra Nitrite and it showed just a trace of discoloration in test results. Enough to bother a cichlid.
I do not test regularly. I test when there is a problem and I need really high accuracy if there is a problem. I have never bought the master test kit by API. I think I used Red Sea for phosphate, iron, copper, etc. Dry-tab or Tetra for nitrate, Tetra is still my preferred nitrite test. I do really like API's Wide Range pH. I use that a lot. Currently I am using Dry-tab for nitrate but I will go back to Tetra if I can find one after the Dry-tab are gone.

@Oblio I don't have a microscope or a way to take that fine a picture. A lot of fishkeepers online on FB in DFW are using this coal slag sand in their aquariums, and it is pretty. I was just going to do one aquarium with it, with corydoras cats but you know I kept corydoras for years on aquarium gravel without issue.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

When properly configured and Undr gravel filter is still the best biomedia filtration available. The key to filtration is the amount of media which can host the needed bnacteria. In and undergravel the entire substrate is the media. However, a better option would be a Hamburg Mattenfilter.

Also, the most effective form of undergravel is the RUGF (Reverse UGF). This is combined with a second filter, usually a hang-on loaded for mechanical filtration. The hang-on will also serve as a way to add a bag of carbon, crushed coral etc. and to help aerate the water with the return. An RUGF is not air powered, it is driven by a powerhead or other form of small pump which must have a quality prefilter. This greatly reduces what can become trapped under the plate and then needs to be removed every now and then.

The water is pushed down the uplift tube and then up through the substrate. This flow pattern tends to keep small particles in the water table and that allows for the secondary mechanical filter to trap them. This reduces the need to vacuum the substrate or to have to clean below the plate. I ran one of these on my first tank. However, when I did my first check of what was under the plate from below the tank (on a metal frame stand) I discovered baby swordtails and panda corys under the plate.

Apparently when I removed the powehead to clean the prefilter (it is easier to lift the wjole assemply off the tube than to remove the prefilter. Sometimes this also pulled the he uplift tube out of the plate. Also even w/o this happening the top of the tune is below the surface and when the powerhead is removed the tube is open at the top. This was the end of my RUGF as I had to break down the tank to free the babies. I did not reinstall the RUGF.

 

[Alice B]

I have tried Reverse Under Gravel and it took longer to cycle, about 2 months longer to cycle than conventional UG. It's also more work to set up so I am sticking with conventional. Conventional can pull babies under the plate if the powerheads are too strong, but air pumps are cheaper and do not pull babies thru, so I am running now just air on my 55 UG. Mainly to keep my floating plastic lids in place until I can change the light, powerhead was too strong