Zeolite

[nitro7]

are they any good
has anyboady used them
cheers eric

 

[WILDER]

It's just black carbon that removes chemicals from the water.
You only need to use it when removing meds from the tank.

 

[rabbut]

In a word, no, they starve the bio-filter They Ad-zorb ammonia quicker than filter bacteria, killing them off, and then it will become saturated. At this point you stop having an ammonia removeing filter in the tank, as the filter is no longer cycled Couple this with the fact that most meds cannot be used with Zeolite, and you can see loads of potential for tank disaster.

Poor water quality when your fish are ill, due to no ammonia removing filtration as the meds forced you to remove it, just what you need. Tank going over because you put off the Zeolite recharge/replacement one extra day... Ran out of replacement, now it's saturated and the LFS is shut for the day....

Keep it cheap to run. Keep it simple. Keep it safe. Keep it out and stick to using a biological filter

All the best
Rabbut

 

[helterskelter]

If you are getting bad water quality problem then this can help, but if you want a stable system you should not need it.

 

[nitro7]

cheers Rabbut
just seen it in the lfs,see were you are comming from.
bit like carbon only good when you have to use it.
cheers eric

 

[Dave Spencer]

Zeolite and carbon used in the right situation are a great asset, and I always use Zeolite when I start up a new planted tank.

Accounts of it leaching ammonia back in to the water once it is saturated are a myth. I use it all the time without any ammonia spikes. Bacteria move in to the media and feed off the ammonia that is present.

I doubt whether Zeolite will be of any use in your case, but it shouldn`t just be dismissed. This is a varied hobby that is approached from many different directions.
Dave.

 

[MrWhite]

i have had a small black sponge i my juwel internal since i set my tank up should i remove it ??? is it a bad thing to have in ??? ****

This might be why my plants keep going yellow i wana remove it now but i dont wana remove any good bacs what should i do my tanks only 4-5 weeks old

 

[Bignose]

It's just black carbon that removes chemicals from the water.
You only need to use it when removing meds from the tank.

Zeolite and Activated Carbon are two very different substances, though they do perform similar functions.

http/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeolites
http/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activated_carbon

In a nutshell, activated carbon is just that, carbon. Zeolite is a broad term for a wide variety of minerals, though most are a lattice of oxygen and silicon atoms. The other specific minerals or metals and their proportions in the lattice are what make the difference kinds. Zeolite does NOT typically contain carbon. Both do adsorb chemicals, and that is why they are used in fishkeeping. Zeolite is much better at adsorbing ammonia than carbon is, though carbon is usually better at adsorbing medications than zeolite.

rabbut's explanation of why most people don't use them is very good.

 

[MrWhite]

should i just take my carbon out and replace with another sponge ??? will i not lose too much good bacteria

 

[WILDER]

In a nutshell, activated carbon is just that, carbon. Zeolite is a broad term for a wide variety of minerals, though most are a lattice of oxygen and silicon atoms. The other specific minerals or metals and their proportions in the lattice are what make the difference kinds. Zeolite does NOT typically contain carbon. Both do adsorb chemicals, and that is why they are used in fishkeeping. Zeolite is much better at adsorbing ammonia than carbon is, though carbon is usually better at adsorbing medications than zeolite.

Never knew that. So Thanks.

 

[Fisses]

after my problems i had with a stingray filter (with zeolite/carbon baskets) i would advise against them.

 

[helterskelter]

after my problems i had with a stingray filter (with zeolite/carbon baskets) i would advise against them.

Why may i ask?

I would think most problems would be the Stingray as they have very little space to add ceramic's or sponge to culture the bacteria needed.

 

[Fisses]

the zeolite takes out the ammonia, if theres no ammonia then theres no cycle, so when the zeolite saturates and stops working, the cycle starts

thats the problem i had with my stingray

 

[helterskelter]

exactly, and the little stingray dont have much space either for media

 

[nitro7]

thanks for the replys every body
very intresting
just though it would make a good safety net
i e when you are on holiday for a couple of weeks/no weekly water change/over fed fish by niebours/a fish dead and unoticed/a lot could happen in two weeks,lol.god i make it sound like doom&gloom at least you would not get a ammonium spike
cheers eric