Zeolite

[CM Media]

Hi,

Can anyone enlighten me if zeolite be use in planted tanks? Any effect on the water contents?

Please advise.

What is the use of xeolite for? Can anyone explain as I'm new.

[budak]

Zeolite absorbs ammonia. Good for fish-only tanks but NOT plant tanks, as plants need nitrogen (from ammonia, nitrite and nitrate). IN plant tanks, the plants are the filters which absorb ammonia and nitrate, so zeolite is a waste.

[juggler]

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On 7/27/2002 10:05:18 AM

Hi,

Can anyone enlighten me if zeolite be use in planted tanks? Any effect on the water contents?

Please advise.

What is the use of xeolite for? Can anyone explain as I'm new.

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Use Zeolite and you will see your plants dying as Marcus explained earlier. They should be used for fish-only tank w/o plants.

[CM Media]

Thanks for the info.

[tawauboy]

will it be useful when battling against bba?

[juggler]

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On 7/27/2002 12:01:35 PM

will it be useful when battling against bba?
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I guess no because it will strip away the nutrients needed by the plants as well.

[c.y.]

Can tell me what is the right media for planted tank and how to position them?
Thank you.

[budak]

you can use those normal hollowed-up chips and filter wool supplied in LFS. Avoid zeolite and carbon which absorb plant nutrients as well as shells/coral chips/anything that promises miracles. My own experience is that for heavily planted tanks, the filter's primary role is really water circulation rather than biological filtration (thanks to extended periods of filter shutdown with no noticeable harm). I wager that you can even try an empty filter that simply recirculates water from one end of the tank to the other. In planted tanks, plants will compete with nitrifying bacteria for some of the ammonia, so less bacteria may be good for plant growth.

[vinz]

I agree with budak about the reduced role of the filter in a planted tank. However, for a new tank, I suggest going for the standard media for a planted tank first. When your tank has stabilised, you can remove the most or all of the biological media in phases (to let the plants ease into the availability of more ammonia).

What filter are you using?

Example of media to use in a external canister filter is Eheim EhfiMech (ceramic rings) at the bottom, followed by the blue sponge that most Eheim's come with, followed by EhfiSubstrat (sintered glass) and then the white wool pad. There are non-branded alternatives to EhfiStrat and EhfiMech at most LFS that sell cannister filters.