You may also want to take a scan through this link:
A. javanicus setup
Pix 6 & 7 show an aquatic plant filter that I used to run prior to and in addition to the emersed plant filter. Its still a 5 unit system, but I no longer run the aquatic plant filter. I've thought about starting one up again--maybe I will, maybe I won't --I don't know right now.....
The 10ppm N03 was when the setup had only 1 snake and both plant filters--plus the denitrator is probably clogged/not working well--who knows?
Now there are 3 snakes (2 adults) in the system, no aquatic plant filter and months of slacking and taking it easy after putting so much energy into everything. I've been dealing with Acrochordus for about 3yrs now. Its taken a lot of resources including mental, physical and financial. The website took many, many hours and currently needs a bunch more hrs worth of updating as I've tried different things and sorted some other things out. That doesn't include other projects, aquariums, working, and dealing with life. Believe me--I'm ready for a break!
40ppm N03 + little to no effort from me for months = No Problemo!
The part that needs to be emphasized is: Since probably Nov. '07 (~5 months) I've done pretty much
nothing, except feed the plants 1x/wk and feed the feeder fish. Yeah, I probably cleaned the xP3 once.
I also cleaned the sponge prefilters, regened the purigen and changed out the charcoal filters on the Auto-WC--but that's all been within the last couple of weeks.
So, in 4-5 months I cleaned my canister filter 1x. 40ppm N03?
Yeah, Baby!