SRC Member lyz77 Posted November 11, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted November 11, 2003 I'm a newbies and I will like to seek advise from on whether will the introduction of coral sand increase the nitrate level in the tank? I notice that the nitrate level in my tank increase tremendously! I did a little experiment by using a fresh mix salt water which I had tested to contain 0ppm nitrate. I add in a small portion of coral sand into the fresh mix salt water and let it soak for a day. When I test the nitrate level of the water again, the nitrate level raise up to >12.5ppm! If coral sand increase nitrate level, then how come some pple still use it as a filter media? I know that it will help to stablize the alkalinity of the tank, but won't this pose a great threat to the inhabitants in the tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryansimon Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 coral sand. from the deep sea bed I presume? miracles don't happen overnight. DSB nitrate reduction takes more than two days mind you. minimum eight months for the DSB to develop the capability to convert nitrates to nitrite and back to harmless N2 gas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member lyz77 Posted November 11, 2003 Author SRC Member Share Posted November 11, 2003 coral sand. from the deep sea bed I presume? miracles don't happen overnight. DSB nitrate reduction takes more than two days mind you. minimum eight months for the DSB to develop the capability to convert nitrates to nitrite and back to harmless N2 gas. I understand that it can even take up to a year for the DSB to work! But my concern is whether is coral sand an ideal media for creating a DBS since it will give out nitrate rapidly? Or is there any other forms of media for creating a DSB? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryansimon Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 what makes you so sure that the source of nitrate is from the coral sand itself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Achilles Tang Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Nitrates is produced as a result of biological processes. Coral sand does not contain nitrates to the least bit. It is not an absorbent for nitrates. Is your tapwater nitrates-free? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member lyz77 Posted November 12, 2003 Author SRC Member Share Posted November 12, 2003 Nitrates is produced as a result of biological processes. Coral sand does not contain nitrates to the least bit. It is not an absorbent for nitrates. Is your tapwater nitrates-free? Yap! I'm using mineral water to carry out the test and have chk the nitrate prior and after mixing the salt water! Indicate 0ppm! I'm confused too! If coral sand doesn't give out nitrate, then is it possible for a fresh patch of coral sand to break down the ammonia & nitrite overnite using the method that I had mentioned earlier which may be the reason why the nitrate level rise? Kindly advise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member lyz77 Posted November 14, 2003 Author SRC Member Share Posted November 14, 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member Volitan Posted November 14, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted November 14, 2003 Is there any increase in ammonia and/or nitrite together with nitrate, or only nitrate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member BarraCudaTM Posted November 14, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted November 14, 2003 you can use fine spherical glass beads click here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member nicky30092002 Posted November 14, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted November 14, 2003 you can use fine spherical glass beads click here Tat's right, maybe the senior reefer here can comment abt baracuda planned acquistion .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member blacknails Posted November 14, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted November 14, 2003 Wow... Corl sand adding nitrates? Hey maybe there's some dead dried material mixed up together with your coral sand!! Like some small organism that died with the sand while the company collecting it!! Then it continued to rot when it had moisture. Just a theory though.. Or else coral sand cannot possibly add to nitrates lah.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member BarraCudaTM Posted November 14, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted November 14, 2003 Wow... Corl sand adding nitrates? Hey maybe there's some dead dried material mixed up together with your coral sand!! Like some small organism that died with the sand while the company collecting it!! Then it continued to rot when it had moisture. Just a theory though.. Or else coral sand cannot possibly add to nitrates lah.. why not? The first few layers are aerobic meaning they will covert ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. If the coralsand is not fine and deep enough then all it will do is to produce nitrate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 Are these the glass beads used for sandblasting purposes? Should be useable as a sandbed as it is inert. Nitrifying bacteria can't tell the different between coral sand or glass beads.....they just need a surface to grow. Think you should be able to find some info on this in RC. Rememder reading about it somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuEl Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 Won't diatoms grow on glass beads more easily since they are made up of SiO2? Quote Always something more important than fish. http://reefbuilders.com/2012/03/08/sps-pico-reef/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member Clownfish Posted November 14, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted November 14, 2003 Yap! I'm using mineral water to carry out the test and have chk the nitrate prior and after mixing the salt water! Indicate 0ppm! I'm confused too! If coral sand doesn't give out nitrate, then is it possible for a fresh patch of coral sand to break down the ammonia & nitrite overnite using the method that I had mentioned earlier which may be the reason why the nitrate level rise? Kindly advise! maybe u shld hav test ur tap-water after leaving it overnight too, to hav a fair test Quote My Personal Blog My Wedding Website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member lyz77 Posted November 15, 2003 Author SRC Member Share Posted November 15, 2003 maybe u shld hav test ur tap-water after leaving it overnight too, to hav a fair test U mean that the nitrate may increase overnite even if I tested the level is 0ppm initially? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member BarraCudaTM Posted November 15, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted November 15, 2003 Are these the glass beads used for sandblasting purposes? Should be useable as a sandbed as it is inert. Nitrifying bacteria can't tell the different between coral sand or glass beads.....they just need a surface to grow. Think you should be able to find some info on this in RC. Rememder reading about it somewhere. yap they are very fine and comes in various sizes. I plan to use the 0.18 to 0.21mm range. The best thing is they sparkle under lightings especially MH lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member BarraCudaTM Posted November 15, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted November 15, 2003 Won't diatoms grow on glass beads more easily since they are made up of SiO2? Diatoms and algae will grow on anywhere, you just need nutrients export. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member lyz77 Posted November 15, 2003 Author SRC Member Share Posted November 15, 2003 yap they are very fine and comes in various sizes. I plan to use the 0.18 to 0.21mm range. The best thing is they sparkle under lightings especially MH lights. Do u hv any spare for sale? I oni looking 4 1kg cos mine is a mini tank! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member zorden Posted November 15, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted November 15, 2003 so normal sand better or glass beads better?? well..anyone have nice picture of both in their tank to show us.. if the glass bead sparkle in the tank, dosent it look too artificial i don mind artificial but i want it to be nice Quote I am just an average FR (fish reefing) writer. If you like my FRs, please upz my points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member zorden Posted November 15, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted November 15, 2003 can someone pls state the price of sand beads and glass... need to see the difference in price? how many kg is required for a 4 ft tank Quote I am just an average FR (fish reefing) writer. If you like my FRs, please upz my points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member BarraCudaTM Posted November 15, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted November 15, 2003 Do u hv any spare for sale? I oni looking 4 1kg cos mine is a mini tank! if all you want is 1kg, no probelm ... I can give you FOC. zorden - The glass beads are transparent but when they are so fine and dense, they appear to be white. Glass does not absorb phosphate, heavy metals or any other compounds unlike coral sand. It is also inert meaning they wont react with any chemicals and break down to glass powder. The only disadvantage is the price .. it cost $1.4/kg. My tank of 4x2.5 will need 3 packs (75kg) to have a 4 inch sandbed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member ai[k²]wan Posted November 15, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted November 15, 2003 barra does a dsb with glass bead actually work since u are going to have a 4 inch sandbed? i dont think it would work very well since its spherical and bigger, remember tesselation in primary school, between circles and circles, there are gaps.(good and bad). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member BarraCudaTM Posted November 15, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted November 15, 2003 wan,Nov 15 2003, 09:47 PM] barra does a dsb with glass bead actually work since u are going to have a 4 inch sandbed? i dont think it would work very well since its spherical and bigger, remember tesselation in primary school, between circles and circles, there are gaps.(good and bad). You wont be able to tell that they are glass beads unless you look under the microscope. To give you a rough guide, they look like the sand used in those fancy hourglass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Achilles Tang Posted November 15, 2003 Share Posted November 15, 2003 Interesting, Barracuda! You'll be the first in SRC to try use glass beads for DSB! Just make sure you don't get sandsifting gobies... or you'll find a gruesome mess of blood later.. LOL... kidding! Let us know how it turns out okie? Probably half a year later? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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