cichlidaddicted
Members
It works but honestly not sure it works any better or worse than biomax or the other colonization materials out there
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Localzoo
Board of Directors
I think this is all based on max surface area that can be created in any given volume without restricting flow.
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mchambers
Former CCA member
I have and use Matrix, but don't know if it makes a difference.
jonclark96
Past CCA President
I use the pond version (it is a bit larger than the aquarium version). It works for bio media, but can't say that it lowers nitrates. Not sure that any bio media claims to do so.
mchambers
Former CCA member
Seachem does claim, albeit with some pretty big caveats, that Matrix can reduce nitrates:
http://www.seachem.com/support/FAQs/Matrix.html
"Q: I’m using Matrix™, but my nitrates are not coming down, it’s been at the same level for awhile now, what’s wrong?
A: Nothing’s wrong. The product is working just as it should. The removal of nitrates essentially comes down to one parameter: rate. The rate at which your tank is producing nitrates and the rate at which it can remove them. If you fill a bathtub with the spigot wide open and try to keep it from overflowing by draining it out of a straw, it won’t be long until it overflows. However, if you drain it at the same rate it fills, the level will always stay the same. Or, if it nearly fills up and then you drain it at a rate faster than it is filling, the level will drop. The same applies to nitrate removal. To lower nitrates you must equip your tank with the capacity to remove them at a rate greater than or equal to the rate of formation. So, if your nitrates are holding steady and you want them to come down, increase the amount of Matrix™you are using or use de*Nitrate™in addition to the Matrix™(de*Nitrate™will more efficiently remove nitrates per volume of product assuming a flow rate of not more than ~50 gallons/hour). If you need to use a higher flow rate, than stick with Matrix™or try Pond Matrix™, both of which support anaerobic denitrification at higher flow rates."
http://www.seachem.com/support/FAQs/Matrix.html
"Q: I’m using Matrix™, but my nitrates are not coming down, it’s been at the same level for awhile now, what’s wrong?
A: Nothing’s wrong. The product is working just as it should. The removal of nitrates essentially comes down to one parameter: rate. The rate at which your tank is producing nitrates and the rate at which it can remove them. If you fill a bathtub with the spigot wide open and try to keep it from overflowing by draining it out of a straw, it won’t be long until it overflows. However, if you drain it at the same rate it fills, the level will always stay the same. Or, if it nearly fills up and then you drain it at a rate faster than it is filling, the level will drop. The same applies to nitrate removal. To lower nitrates you must equip your tank with the capacity to remove them at a rate greater than or equal to the rate of formation. So, if your nitrates are holding steady and you want them to come down, increase the amount of Matrix™you are using or use de*Nitrate™in addition to the Matrix™(de*Nitrate™will more efficiently remove nitrates per volume of product assuming a flow rate of not more than ~50 gallons/hour). If you need to use a higher flow rate, than stick with Matrix™or try Pond Matrix™, both of which support anaerobic denitrification at higher flow rates."
cichlidaddicted
Members
The seachem guys are smart however from my dealings with them they used several explanations like the one above when no other explanation would work. In short take a situation and get some guys smart enough to explain it in a way that makes sense and voila who needs science to back it up. Kinda like what the laywers did for OJ
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You can give the seachem purigen a try. From what I understand its a good all around product for removing nitrates among other impurities in the water. I have some but haven't used it yet, but others on different forums give it great results. I don't have any nitrate problems but plan to use it to help remove pheromones and other unwanted chemicals or impurities.
DougGosnell
Members
Use purigen unless you are going to take the time to learn about nitrate digesters. Purigen is a simple resin. It is easy to understand, it works with little maintenance, and is easy to implement.
Matrix will not work unless there is ample carbon (read: dissolved organics) in the water. Since dissolved organics are breeding grounds for bad bacteria and even worse nasties, we try to curtail this in our aquariums; we use things like protein skimmers, potassium permaganate and hydrogen peroxide, carbon, or ozone to name a few. For that matter, in reducing nitrates, it will not work any better than slowly flowing water through regular play sand and I would argue far worse since when bacteria clogs the pores, it will not work at all.
Too much of what we have in the hobby is companies selling us stuff we could make for 10% of the cost and have it work many times better. We rely on their scientific research so we do not have to know how it works.
Matrix will not work unless there is ample carbon (read: dissolved organics) in the water. Since dissolved organics are breeding grounds for bad bacteria and even worse nasties, we try to curtail this in our aquariums; we use things like protein skimmers, potassium permaganate and hydrogen peroxide, carbon, or ozone to name a few. For that matter, in reducing nitrates, it will not work any better than slowly flowing water through regular play sand and I would argue far worse since when bacteria clogs the pores, it will not work at all.
Too much of what we have in the hobby is companies selling us stuff we could make for 10% of the cost and have it work many times better. We rely on their scientific research so we do not have to know how it works.
chriscoli
Administrator
has anyone had success recharging Purigen? I was reading about it....seemed straightforward, but was wondering about people's real experiences.
Eric the Ricer
Members
I use it in my FX5's and XP3's and like it, no issues here. Plus the price is right!
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mchambers
Former CCA member
I recharge it without problem. Sometimes I have to run it through the bleach step twice, but that's the only hiccup.
Overall, it works, although I'm not sure it's worth the hassle. It 's easier to use with HOB filters, as opposed to canisters.
Overall, it works, although I'm not sure it's worth the hassle. It 's easier to use with HOB filters, as opposed to canisters.
DougGosnell
Members
Send back the matrix, it will not work as advertised. It is essentially just marketing hype people throw out there to sell stuff. If you are looking for easy, Purigen works.
For a biological nitrate digestor to work (which is what they are marketing Matrix as), you need to match the amount of nitrate up to a carbon source. The flow rate needs to be exceptionally slow in order to create an anoxic area within the filter, say in the neighborhood of 4-6 turnover a day (10g container being a flow rate of 60gpd). Adding too much carbon creates sulfides which kill the fish, add no/little carbon results in no reduction of nitrate.
For a biological nitrate digestor to work (which is what they are marketing Matrix as), you need to match the amount of nitrate up to a carbon source. The flow rate needs to be exceptionally slow in order to create an anoxic area within the filter, say in the neighborhood of 4-6 turnover a day (10g container being a flow rate of 60gpd). Adding too much carbon creates sulfides which kill the fish, add no/little carbon results in no reduction of nitrate.
