Thank you for this overview. It summarizes many of your other videos explaining the "why" on the bacterial level. I have implemented what you have recommended. After 4. 5 months nitrates have disappeared and are stable. I use the API test strips shown in the video. They do not color up with no more than a hint of color. I have no unexpected algae, fish are healthy, the chemistry is stable and the few plants are flourishing. The redox is at about 200. Tanks are 2 40 gal breeders, substrate is 3 inches of safe-t-sorb over the one inch plenum with a layer of Brightwell laterite powder in the middle of the clay nothing else. The only nitrogen problem encountered was in the beginning. I slowed down the bubbler, something counter intuitive, and that fixed the problem. Mechanical is three box filters per tank similar to your small tank. No HOB or canister filters, water changes only incidentally done with changing the poly fill in the box filters. It is a retro-system and it works.
I tested my planted tank after a year (lazy). I change less than 10% of the water every month or so but have gone as long as six months. I use red fluorite gravel in the planted tank. Nitrates and nitrites were zero. It is about balance for me but I believe your methods are great.
Hi Doc. You are absolutely correct about the knowledge not being understood!. I see none of em big youtube channels mentioning this and they say its plants, water changes and big brand named medium products to complete the cycle. I also now see that they do not use a plenum or a BCB. Much appreciation for bringing this information back into light!.
nitrogen cycle is ammonia is converted to nitrites (via autotrophic bacteria) then nitrites become nitrates (via Chemautolotrophic) are taken out by water changes or by assimilation through plants. However, a complete nitrogen cycle also takes care of nitrates through bacteria. microaerophile bacteria exist in low oxygen environments. You want the bacteria to go dissimilative denitrification which takes nitrates into gases like N2
Yes...Yes.. Bravo Dr.Kevin Novak. Short and brief explaining nitrogen cycling process that take us a years by reading a book to understand it. Thank you 💖
Thank u for all your knowledge i also many hobbyist afraid of getting hydrogen sulfide gases coming out from thier substrate but i learn threw trail and error it eventually slow down by increasing de depth of my sand bed and neutralize it with very low doses of baking soda from the water column till the bacteria leveling out .but my thought is each time the hydrogen sulfide bubble out very low oxygen gets suck in till the cycle complete to eventually decreasing the gas out .just a theory i been observing and nitrogen even dropping so low rarely traceable in my experience in the whole cycle maybe am wrong by just a observation.but it take alot of patience and time to get it right or a chance to get the cycle fully going .but definitely u taught me more information to go by .thank again.
One issue I have with your plantless lake comparison is that lakes aren't constantly being dumped with fish food either. Doesn't nullify what you're saying about denitrification, but it also makes it seem like a bit of an incomplete explanation
Oh no they only have to deal with nitrogen runoff and phosphate runoff from fertilizers, they only have to deal with animals doing their waste inside the ponds plus that doesn't include all the fish that are living and dying. However, here in Florida we even got alligators that are 13 foot long inside a little bitty lakes and/or pond.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums That's a fair point. Do you know if nitrogen fixing bacteria on land completely compensate for this loss of nitrogen? Or does it take land animals that feed in the water to complete the cycle?
Thank you SO MUCH Dr Novak! Your videos are is so helpful and exciting!! I used UGF in the 1980's and then I "drank the manufacture's Kool Aid" and got rid of it. I have struggled ever since with hang on the back propellers gunking up and quitting, noisy cannister filters, endless heavy water change buckets and fertilizers. I just could never get my system to work right ~ Thank you for opening my eyes now!!! I just never realized my huge mistake was I needed to go back to UGF, which worked so well for me, in the Good Old Days! THANK YOU!!
Great job explaining this process and the different types of bacteria. This is probably a silly question since we all know bacteria tends to show up. More curious how the introduction of bacteria that functions in anoxic conditions is introduced? Are they aerobic bacteria that adapts or how else do the end up in lower levels of substrate and under plenum? Do you happen to know if they are present in bottled bacteria like Fritz or other companies? Blown away at the entire science behind all this. Huge fan by the way. Fourth aquarium set up this weekend using plenum, litter, iron powder, slow air movement. The first three are doing well. Thanks. Look forward to learning how these particular bacteria are introduced.
Dr. Novak enjoying your video. I had been successful in handling ammonia & nitrite with Nitrification process using K1 media, but todate still struggling with Denitrification... initially my nitrate bump up to to 40+ to 80 within 2 days of 50% water change...but now besides high nitrates, prosphate level shot up to 5+ppm... Initially using RAS + water change + scrubber then + BCB (no plenum) then moved to Biofloc hybrid with K1 media....I suspect my error could be - not understanding the amount of denitrification media required and flow rate into the media. But I noticed, the high nitrates water if left on its own separately... with 2 to 3 weeks the nitrate will drops from betw 40 - 80 to approximately 5 or below by itself... Dr. Novak, can you please include into your video on this areas .. how to mathematically size the anoxic filter in relation to NH3, NO2, NO3 and LO4 produced and removal....based on fish food/waste amount being fed and stocking. Hope I am not asking too much of your time. By the way, I just purchased 30+liters of pumice to see it would help my situation.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums ok iron. But the are some plant that develop holes in their leave due to lack of potassium...how iron converts to potassium? Thanks
Hello, I just add chunky lavarock in all my tanks in a low-flow area. I have no nitrates. It's not the best aesthetic but I can bury it in eco complete or something and nobody would know it's there.
Well done so glad you put this video up people do need to know and when I have told them about nitrate being converted they wid never lesion to maybe a lot a people who do know still won't change I think there use to the way they been doing it for ages n that's why they don't personally I have a plenem in my 25gallon with nxt to no plants I need more each time I test I have nitrates of 5_10ppm but I think it's cause there's lots of fish n I'm feeding to much I shouldnt thoo because between the plenem and my two canisters that's got 1&1.4kg of biohome biogravel media I should have any at toll I know the plenem working asi never get algae in this tank iv also bog and fingerwoodin there n there's no algae if I stop feeding for a day iv no nitrate so I know the nitrates are converting but I don't want to have to miss a days feeding this tanks been running 3month maybe 4 now ill try it with putting half the amount a food I then if that don't do it I'll try removing both canisters and put them on an other tank but I know the biohome media converts nitrates to but I cud never get it to zero with one on that tank before I added the plenem if after a while I still can't fix it I might buy a sump and add bcbs to it then I'm sure they'll be non as I already got this tank plumbed as it use to have a sump on it the holes have been covered with rubber circles to keep water lever to rim. The tanks a fluval roma 90ltr it has a plemem then a bit of crashed coral and red clay topped with aqua soil there's a 3" half inch uplift tube on ugf there's a fluval 207 with pads n 1.4kg biohomemedia that's been cycled fully for a year a eheim 2213 with eheim mech then pads then 1kg biohome media at top there's one elodea densa plants n 3 anubus plants the stock: 1 pearl gourami 1 a sister is pleco 2neon tetras rest died, 7 harlakin rasboras 8albenio Cory's feed twice a day usaly a feed a decent bit as Cory's like there food some times I'll feed once a day
I set up a Lee's UGF with 3 short lift tubes in a 4-foot long tank, but I put weed fabric over the top of the plenum so I'm wondering if that slows the water movement too much. I used 1-1.5" of kitty litter substrate with 1-1.5" gravel over the top so maybe it's too thick as well.
Why did you use weed fabric? Didn't want the gravel to mix with it? I've been wanting to try the plenum with the same on top of the baked clay, and put sand on top. My understanding is that there really isn't a "too slow". My concern is that flow stops if sand and debris clog up the fabric. Then it's not a plenum any more. The water under the UGF is stuck.
I can tell you plants dont work...well floating plants do help immensely which I believe you touched on, but I have a tank FULL of plants its a literally a jungle in there that the fish weave in and out of and they are root plants ...all of them, they do not take care of the nitrate. They just simply don't. Might as well be a bare tank for as much nitrate as they appear to take out of the water. I am about to set up a 40 breeder with a plenum and sand, which I was thinking of putting BCB material underneath of as well. Which I am going to put my Neolamprologus Multifasciatus in (little shell dwellers cichlids) Looking forward to trying this out right now I am doing weekly water changes (or should be sometimes I skip a week but that is definitely not good for the levels of nitrate at all) When I do it my thought is to put the hang on the backs on it with the biowheels that have normal aerobic bacteria in with them at first and then in a couple months time take them away (maybe 1 by 1) I know I can't get rid of nitrates with the nitrate factories running but I figure I need those and regular weekly water changes until fucultative bacteria can colonize the substrate and then I can take them away
Hi Dr Novak. I'm a little confused. In this video you mention that the auto trophic bacteria get their carbons from inorganic compounds like ammonia. From what I understand Ammonia molecule is NH4 which is nitrogen and hydrogen atoms and does not contain carbon atoms. Could you please clarify on the same.
So are you saying that a under water filter is the best filter to use I had a under water filter in my aquarium at 1 time and I stop using it and put a hang on back and I tho it was good I never had in pH pooper
I have a 16k gallon inground pool /pond...can i use this plenum system to filter as well as raise aquaponic produce? Trying to figure out an efficient , economical system Low O2 and low flow is the key?
I'm trying this- How does one know if they have slowed the air pump down enough to achieve this type of filtration otherwise it's just a under-ground filter as normal?
Hey Doc, thanks for the info. Very interesting. I had an idea I want to run past you. What about expanded clay balls? I assume, if they are actually made from red clay, they'd have a high iron content. If you just put some between the baffles in a sump, water would pass over it and not so much through it. If you made a bed of it 3 or 4 inches deep, would this work for anoxic filtration?
They would have to be very small no bigger than what I would say your aqua soil's would be. Like the Fluval Stratham for example no bigger than that in diameter.
The bacteria already preexist, the bacteria that is in bottles is heterotrophic bacteria that just boost the bacteria load in the aquarium instantly and helps establish the aquarium faster. Is it needed no, but then you'll have to wait for your aquarium to cycle which most hobbyists don't want to wait.
I have a planted freshwater tank 55 gallon with one Angel fish and about 20 Cory’s (they’re like rabbits lol). My ammonia is o ppm, nitrites 0 ppm, nitrates o ppm but my phosphates are off the charts. I can’t lower than no matter what I do. I’ve been dealing with this for about 6 months. The culprit was I had a polishing pad (that I forgot about) under my bio media. It’s since then been removed but the damage is done. Any suggestions?
Another awesome video. I have used the plenum method and have zero nitrates. The tank has been set up for aporox. 7 months. The plant grow has been very successful. My question is how do i control phosphates. I'm getting a reading between 1 and 2 ppm using api test kit. I was thinking of slowing down air to lift tubes. Is the correct move?. Thank you.
It took about 3 to 4 months. I dealt with ammonia for awhile beause of my substrate. Listen to dr nocac his system is awesome. Fish are great plants growing almost to much. Still dealing with glass algae but that is normal.
After dealing with algae of all sorts i tore down ny tank and used your method. Its awesome . Because i used all my old plants with bba i deal with it. Ive been up for over seven months. Bba is slowing dying. Only a few tuffs here and there. I would like to lower phosphates down below 1 . I slowed down plenum air to maybe help. Very slow.
Hey Dr Kevin, ok, the plenum needs to function slowly, I understand that that completely, if I also have a sump which will be my mechanical filter, by making the mechanical like you did using an old canister filter container, and also included BCB filter baskets, what speed should the water flow through the sump for the BCBs to function efficiently?
Okay, I'm trying to figure out how to make a 29 gallon with a ugf. I've seen different systems you have made. Do I need to cut off the tube for the ugf? Or can I just make it like this guy did with those ingredients? Do I just use one tube?
My 2 high tech are both built on sp kitty and one has a plenum. They both eat thru nitrates but the ple um tank eats thru phosphate so fast I'm switching to dry salts. Edit. The plenum tank is built on ug plates with super low pull and it has high litter slope iron injected. Running topped with Amazonia (removed sand cap on both and switched to aquasoil caps)
Well that's not exactly right. Don't forget anything that's organic in the tank will begin to decompose and create ammonia and then the nitrogen cycle begins.
You make good points, but then you "prove" you point that no plants are necessary by testing a heavily planted tank. So set up an aquarium with NO plants to prove this to us. I believe you, but you are not proving it with this video. Keep a danio Glo-fish aquarium with plastic treasure chests and ship and NO water changes (except top-offs), NO plants, no heater, and minimal light (black light only) and nothing but a UGF (plenum) that is air driven, for several years. I believe that even a plenum is not required, just a deep enough substrate to create a zone of aerobic to anoxic to anaerobic conditions, as per Father fish and Alexander Williamson "The Secret History Living in Your Aquarium" propose. But it is plants that balance it.
Been there, done it, the system been around for 30 years you need to go back and look at all the research from 30 years ago. If you don’t want to believe in the science then walk away from it and continue on what everybody else is doing.
Fantástica explicación dr Novak
This video is very good, it clarifies a lot of issues and misconceptions I have been dragging along since childhood.
Thank you for this overview. It summarizes many of your other videos explaining the "why" on the bacterial level. I have implemented what you have recommended. After 4. 5 months nitrates have disappeared and are stable. I use the API test strips shown in the video. They do not color up with no more than a hint of color. I have no unexpected algae, fish are healthy, the chemistry is stable and the few plants are flourishing. The redox is at about 200. Tanks are 2 40 gal breeders, substrate is 3 inches of safe-t-sorb over the one inch plenum with a layer of Brightwell laterite powder in the middle of the clay nothing else. The only nitrogen problem encountered was in the beginning. I slowed down the bubbler, something counter intuitive, and that fixed the problem. Mechanical is three box filters per tank similar to your small tank. No HOB or canister filters, water changes only incidentally done with changing the poly fill in the box filters. It is a retro-system and it works.
thanks for explanation, i wanna make environtment for betta breed tank with this system. experiment and learn with hard way
Best of luck
I tested my planted tank after a year (lazy). I change less than 10% of the water every month or so but have gone as long as six months. I use red fluorite gravel in the planted tank. Nitrates and nitrites were zero. It is about balance for me but I believe your methods are great.
Hi Doc. You are absolutely correct about the knowledge not being understood!. I see none of em big youtube channels mentioning this and they say its plants, water changes and big brand named medium products to complete the cycle. I also now see that they do not use a plenum or a BCB. Much appreciation for bringing this information back into light!.
Thanks 😊
nitrogen cycle is ammonia is converted to nitrites (via autotrophic bacteria) then nitrites become nitrates (via Chemautolotrophic) are taken out by water changes or by assimilation through plants.
However, a complete nitrogen cycle also takes care of nitrates through bacteria.
microaerophile bacteria exist in low oxygen environments. You want the bacteria to go dissimilative denitrification which takes nitrates into gases like N2
I can't thank you enough for this priceless information. Priceless- Thank you for making it simple for me.
Yes...Yes.. Bravo Dr.Kevin Novak. Short and brief explaining nitrogen cycling process that take us a years by reading a book to understand it. Thank you 💖
Well said!
Thank u for all your knowledge i also many hobbyist afraid of getting hydrogen sulfide gases coming out from thier substrate but i learn threw trail and error it eventually slow down by increasing de depth of my sand bed and neutralize it with very low doses of baking soda from the water column till the bacteria leveling out .but my thought is each time the hydrogen sulfide bubble out very low oxygen gets suck in till the cycle complete to eventually decreasing the gas out .just a theory i been observing and nitrogen even dropping so low rarely traceable in my experience in the whole cycle maybe am wrong by just a observation.but it take alot of patience and time to get it right or a chance to get the cycle fully going .but definitely u taught me more information to go by .thank again.
I have pretty much never changed my filter medium.
One issue I have with your plantless lake comparison is that lakes aren't constantly being dumped with fish food either. Doesn't nullify what you're saying about denitrification, but it also makes it seem like a bit of an incomplete explanation
Oh no they only have to deal with nitrogen runoff and phosphate runoff from fertilizers, they only have to deal with animals doing their waste inside the ponds plus that doesn't include all the fish that are living and dying. However, here in Florida we even got alligators that are 13 foot long inside a little bitty lakes and/or pond.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums That's a fair point. Do you know if nitrogen fixing bacteria on land completely compensate for this loss of nitrogen? Or does it take land animals that feed in the water to complete the cycle?
Thank you SO MUCH Dr Novak! Your videos are is so helpful and exciting!! I used UGF in the 1980's and then I "drank the manufacture's Kool Aid" and got rid of it. I have struggled ever since with hang on the back propellers gunking up and quitting, noisy cannister filters, endless heavy water change buckets and fertilizers. I just could never get my system to work right ~
Thank you for opening my eyes now!!! I just never realized my huge mistake was I needed to go back to UGF, which worked so well for me, in the Good Old Days! THANK YOU!!
Part 2 video I just posted will take you farthing into the Abyss.
Great job explaining this process and the different types of bacteria. This is probably a silly question since we all know bacteria tends to show up. More curious how the introduction of bacteria that functions in anoxic conditions is introduced? Are they aerobic bacteria that adapts or how else do the end up in lower levels of substrate and under plenum? Do you happen to know if they are present in bottled bacteria like Fritz or other companies? Blown away at the entire science behind all this. Huge fan by the way. Fourth aquarium set up this weekend using plenum, litter, iron powder, slow air movement. The first three are doing well. Thanks. Look forward to learning how these particular bacteria are introduced.
Plants and bacteria, fungi and or archea work together at the root hair level to obtain nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.
Dr. Novak enjoying your video.
I had been successful in handling ammonia & nitrite with Nitrification process using K1 media, but todate still struggling
with Denitrification... initially my nitrate bump up to to 40+ to 80 within 2 days of 50% water change...but now besides high nitrates, prosphate level shot up to 5+ppm...
Initially using RAS + water change + scrubber then + BCB (no plenum) then moved to Biofloc hybrid with K1 media....I suspect my error could be - not understanding the amount of denitrification media required and flow rate into the media.
But I noticed, the high nitrates water if left on its own separately... with 2 to 3 weeks the nitrate will drops from betw 40 - 80 to approximately 5 or below by itself...
Dr. Novak, can you please include into your video on this areas
.. how to mathematically size the anoxic filter in relation to NH3, NO2, NO3 and LO4 produced and removal....based on fish food/waste amount being fed and stocking.
Hope I am not asking too much of your time.
By the way, I just purchased 30+liters of pumice to see it would help my situation.
Which process creates the hyrdogen sulfide gas?
The anaerobic process.
I like Sulphur, the bacteria start growing right away and a reactor with Sulphur starts to pull negative Orp within 24 hours.
Wow good information
I am lost on one thing, if Nitrate is zero , how the planted aquarium can be created, with additional chemicals to feed the plants? Thanks
Basically all I add to my aquarium is iron, which is very important for good plant growth.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums ok iron. But the are some plant that develop holes in their leave due to lack of potassium...how iron converts to potassium? Thanks
Thank you.
Thanks for this one too doc!!!
My pleasure!
Great video i think the best example would be the filter free no co2 tanks on youtube!
Great point!
As always, an amazing video
Thanks again!
Thank you for the lecture
So nice of you
Does anyone know what kind of fish that the Dr. has in his tank in this video? They look pink with a black dorsal fin.
Hello, I just add chunky lavarock in all my tanks in a low-flow area. I have no nitrates. It's not the best aesthetic but I can bury it in eco complete or something and nobody would know it's there.
Well done so glad you put this video up people do need to know and when I have told them about nitrate being converted they wid never lesion to maybe a lot a people who do know still won't change I think there use to the way they been doing it for ages n that's why they don't personally I have a plenem in my 25gallon with nxt to no plants I need more each time I test I have nitrates of 5_10ppm but I think it's cause there's lots of fish n I'm feeding to much I shouldnt thoo because between the plenem and my two canisters that's got 1&1.4kg of biohome biogravel media I should have any at toll I know the plenem working asi never get algae in this tank iv also bog and fingerwoodin there n there's no algae if I stop feeding for a day iv no nitrate so I know the nitrates are converting but I don't want to have to miss a days feeding this tanks been running 3month maybe 4 now ill try it with putting half the amount a food I then if that don't do it I'll try removing both canisters and put them on an other tank but I know the biohome media converts nitrates to but I cud never get it to zero with one on that tank before I added the plenem if after a while I still can't fix it I might buy a sump and add bcbs to it then I'm sure they'll be non as I already got this tank plumbed as it use to have a sump on it the holes have been covered with rubber circles to keep water lever to rim. The tanks a fluval roma 90ltr it has a plemem then a bit of crashed coral and red clay topped with aqua soil there's a 3" half inch uplift tube on ugf there's a fluval 207 with pads n 1.4kg biohomemedia that's been cycled fully for a year a eheim 2213 with eheim mech then pads then 1kg biohome media at top there's one elodea densa plants n 3 anubus plants the stock: 1 pearl gourami 1 a sister is pleco 2neon tetras rest died, 7 harlakin rasboras 8albenio Cory's feed twice a day usaly a feed a decent bit as Cory's like there food some times I'll feed once a day
I set up a Lee's UGF with 3 short lift tubes in a 4-foot long tank, but I put weed fabric over the top of the plenum so I'm wondering if that slows the water movement too much. I used 1-1.5" of kitty litter substrate with 1-1.5" gravel over the top so maybe it's too thick as well.
Why did you use weed fabric? Didn't want the gravel to mix with it?
I've been wanting to try the plenum with the same on top of the baked clay, and put sand on top.
My understanding is that there really isn't a "too slow". My concern is that flow stops if sand and debris clog up the fabric. Then it's not a plenum any more. The water under the UGF is stuck.
@@AlexK-ew1mo I didn't want plant roots getting under the UGF. The substrates are all on top
I can tell you plants dont work...well floating plants do help immensely which I believe you touched on, but I have a tank FULL of plants its a literally a jungle in there that the fish weave in and out of and they are root plants ...all of them, they do not take care of the nitrate. They just simply don't. Might as well be a bare tank for as much nitrate as they appear to take out of the water. I am about to set up a 40 breeder with a plenum and sand, which I was thinking of putting BCB material underneath of as well. Which I am going to put my Neolamprologus Multifasciatus in (little shell dwellers cichlids) Looking forward to trying this out right now I am doing weekly water changes (or should be sometimes I skip a week but that is definitely not good for the levels of nitrate at all) When I do it my thought is to put the hang on the backs on it with the biowheels that have normal aerobic bacteria in with them at first and then in a couple months time take them away (maybe 1 by 1) I know I can't get rid of nitrates with the nitrate factories running but I figure I need those and regular weekly water changes until fucultative bacteria can colonize the substrate and then I can take them away
fascinating
Hi Dr Novak. I'm a little confused. In this video you mention that the auto trophic bacteria get their carbons from inorganic compounds like ammonia. From what I understand Ammonia molecule is NH4 which is nitrogen and hydrogen atoms and does not contain carbon atoms. Could you please clarify on the same.
Grate sir We r luck tq for this lesson
It's my pleasure
So plate filters are the good ones?
So are you saying that a under water filter is the best filter to use I had a under water filter in my aquarium at 1 time and I stop using it and put a hang on back and I tho it was good I never had in pH pooper
I have a 16k gallon inground pool /pond...can i use this plenum system to filter as well as raise aquaponic produce? Trying to figure out an efficient , economical system
Low O2 and low flow is the key?
Yes you can use a Plenum and a pool/pond
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums Very interesting .
I'm trying this-
How does one know if they have slowed the air pump down enough to achieve this type of filtration otherwise it's just a under-ground filter as normal?
Really you don't know until you keep testing your nitrates and seeing if they are actually going lower than they normally would.
I use “ Biohome “ media on all of my tanks and all of them have “0” nitrates.
Dr. Novak . Would a drain under your aquarium 1 inch UGF plenum be beneficial to do water changes or test the water. I have a 6'x2'x2' 180 gal.
thats a big tank
Hey Doc, thanks for the info. Very interesting. I had an idea I want to run past you. What about expanded clay balls? I assume, if they are actually made from red clay, they'd have a high iron content. If you just put some between the baffles in a sump, water would pass over it and not so much through it. If you made a bed of it 3 or 4 inches deep, would this work for anoxic filtration?
They would have to be very small no bigger than what I would say your aqua soil's would be. Like the Fluval Stratham for example no bigger than that in diameter.
Sir good afternoon sir without any bottle beneficial bacteria how to nitrogen cycle properly what that's possible
The bacteria already preexist, the bacteria that is in bottles is heterotrophic bacteria that just boost the bacteria load in the aquarium instantly and helps establish the aquarium faster. Is it needed no, but then you'll have to wait for your aquarium to cycle which most hobbyists don't want to wait.
I have a planted freshwater tank 55 gallon with one Angel fish and about 20 Cory’s (they’re like rabbits lol). My ammonia is o ppm, nitrites 0 ppm, nitrates o ppm but my phosphates are off the charts. I can’t lower than no matter what I do. I’ve been dealing with this for about 6 months. The culprit was I had a polishing pad (that I forgot about) under my bio media. It’s since then been removed but the damage is done. Any suggestions?
What are your phosphate levels straight out of the tap?
Some of my videos talk about what I use for phosphates.
Wait a minute can't these microporous mediums be cleaned with ultrasonic cleaners?
Good question but then again how many hobbiest would even have an ultrasonic cleaner?
Another awesome video. I have used the plenum method and have zero nitrates. The tank has been set up for aporox. 7 months. The plant grow has been very successful. My question is how do i control phosphates. I'm getting a reading between 1 and 2 ppm using api test kit. I was thinking of slowing down air to lift tubes. Is the correct move?. Thank you.
A Phosphate reading of 1-2ppm is low for fresh water tanks. Believe it or not.
How long it take to make ur nitrates 0ppm?
It took about 3 to 4 months. I dealt with ammonia for awhile beause of my substrate. Listen to dr nocac his system is awesome. Fish are great plants growing almost to much. Still dealing with glass algae but that is normal.
After dealing with algae of all sorts i tore down ny tank and used your method. Its awesome . Because i used all my old plants with bba i deal with it. Ive been up for over seven months. Bba is slowing dying. Only a few tuffs here and there. I would like to lower phosphates down below 1 . I slowed down plenum air to maybe help. Very slow.
@@paulmeadows6696 Thank You👌
Hey Dr Kevin, ok, the plenum needs to function slowly, I understand that that completely, if I also have a sump which will be my mechanical filter, by making the mechanical like you did using an old canister filter container, and also included BCB filter baskets, what speed should the water flow through the sump for the BCBs to function efficiently?
Water can go through the sump as fast as you want if you’re using BCB baskets no problem.
@anoxicfiltrationplenums ok 👍, then that's how I shall build it.. Thanks, Dr., for your answers and ongoing information.
How can I send you my pics Dr.? I combined a plenum with deep substrate. It appears to be working.
I would like to see your tank and setup I think it is on my main page for emails.
How is your aquarium doing? Still a success after a year???
@@neutronshiva2498 Absolutely, my last nitrate test was zero. I'll work to get my pictures up. In the middle of growing out a re-scape.
Okay, I'm trying to figure out how to make a 29 gallon with a ugf. I've seen different systems you have made. Do I need to cut off the tube for the ugf? Or can I just make it like this guy did with those ingredients? Do I just use one tube?
My 2 high tech are both built on sp kitty and one has a plenum. They both eat thru nitrates but the ple um tank eats thru phosphate so fast I'm switching to dry salts. Edit. The plenum tank is built on ug plates with super low pull and it has high litter slope iron injected. Running topped with Amazonia (removed sand cap on both and switched to aquasoil caps)
Thanks for the info!
Where in FL are you Kevin? I'm in Pompano Beach?
Solivita ...
if i dont have any fish in my aquarium, i dont have amonia?
Well that's not exactly right. Don't forget anything that's organic in the tank will begin to decompose and create ammonia and then the nitrogen cycle begins.
This is SO cool!!!
You make good points, but then you "prove" you point that no plants are necessary by testing a heavily planted tank. So set up an aquarium with NO plants to prove this to us. I believe you, but you are not proving it with this video. Keep a danio Glo-fish aquarium with plastic treasure chests and ship and NO water changes (except top-offs), NO plants, no heater, and minimal light (black light only) and nothing but a UGF (plenum) that is air driven, for several years. I believe that even a plenum is not required, just a deep enough substrate to create a zone of aerobic to anoxic to anaerobic conditions, as per Father fish and Alexander Williamson "The Secret History Living in Your Aquarium" propose. But it is plants that balance it.
Been there, done it, the system been around for 30 years you need to go back and look at all the research from 30 years ago. If you don’t want to believe in the science then walk away from it and continue on what everybody else is doing.