Seachem Matrix and biological vs mechanical filtration.

[driftwoodhunter]

yet another Matrix question...(I posted a different one on another forum).

I have this tub of Matrix I bought on Black Friday. I freely admit I'm a sucker for sales, even if I don't really know what I'm buying - lol! For the record, it was 60% off & free shipping - just sayin' in my defense

I wanted it for adding surface area for biological filtration, but honestly, I don't know how to use it. I plan on putting it behind my Hamburg Mattenfilters in my tanks. It will be out of sight and in the filtration flow. I will be setting up two new tanks in early spring so I'm going to put some extra Matrix in established tanks now, and harvest/use the colonized media to help jump start the new tanks when they are ready.

However, one of my tanks is a 40B with only a sponge filter attached to a powerhead. Since there is no filter to add the Matrix to, will it still do the biological job if in bags/pantyhose within the tank next to the sponge/powerhead? That way it's in the flow path. I'm thinking I may just put an extra HOB I have on the tank, but this is in my bedroom and the HOB is audible - whereas the powerhead is silent. This was supposed to be a grow out tank for some fry but they are still in there and getting to the 1" size because the new tanks aren't ready. (about 45 Columbian tetra fry) I know it's overstocked, so I do 15% to 20% water changes every other day and the water is good. The tank might as well be plantless - three small amazon swords, a clump of windelov java fern the size of a softball, and a racquetball size clump of java moss. I'm going to tear this tank down in within two months so I don't want to plant it. It isn't bare bottom, it has CaribSea FloraMax so there are footholds for nitrifying bacteria now yet I still want to add the Matrix. Since I ramble, the question is can I hang bags of Matrix next to the powerhead and still reap it's benefits?

Question #2 is on how to use Matrix; once it's in my tanks and colonized with beneficial bacteria, what then? Do you leave it in the tanks indefinitely, or do I have to take it out & rinse it occasionally like a sponge? The tub doesn't say and I haven't found any info online to tell me. Oh, and am I supposed to rinse it first? It's rather dusty.

Yeah, this was a long wordy post - I'm never coherent before my caffeine kicks in, but I appreciate any info!

[Monster Fish]

I toss mine into my HOBs and treat it like any other ceramic bio media. Some of the pieces will float so be sure to keep it in a media bag. Other than that, I believe it works best in a HOB or canister filter.

[driftwoodhunter]

Thanks Monster Fish - when you say treat it like any other ceramic media, what does that mean? (I've never used any before). Does it require periodic rinsing if it collects mulm/debris? I just put some in a knee-high behind my Hamburg Mattenfilter, but I will buy more knee-highs at work tomorrow and put some in my HOB in the same tank...

[Aquaticz]

It's just media. When you clean it usewater coming from your fish tank not tapwater

tap-water will kill all the good bacteria


Here's a little tip that I learned recently media that has been established for some time does not necessarily need water in order to keep the good bacteria going. What It needs is a good flow of oxygen ( Also accomplished by flow)

I recently had to do this myself and stored my media in eheim canisters I put in about a cup of water to the canister to keep The media moist and then I opened up the inlet in the outlet on the Eheim cannister and put them outside. My putting tanks back together took longer than I thought. Media held up with no problems for 2+ weeks

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[Jnad]

Hello!

I have used Mastrix in a reef aquarium for a long time, it is probably the best biological filter material you can get, it also take care of nitrates.

But it has to be used in a filter, it has to have a spesific amount of flow, you find it on Seachem.com. I used it in a canister filter.

Jnad

[In.a.Box]

you can wash it under tap water no problem. Most of the good bacteria live on the Substrate. Plus it ain't like your killing all the bacteria anyways... Just don't leave it in the bucket.

Not sure why people keep telling noobie not to wash it under tap water.

Matrix is just like bio ball, will all bio media work the same. I like to use Matrix or lava rock and even scap pad from the dollar store which i use 80% over all other bio media since 90% of my filter are sump.

[Monster Fish]

Originally Posted by driftwoodhunter

Thanks Monster Fish - when you say treat it like any other ceramic media, what does that mean? (I've never used any before). Does it require periodic rinsing if it collects mulm/debris? I just put some in a knee-high behind my Hamburg Mattenfilter, but I will buy more knee-highs at work tomorrow and put some in my HOB in the same tank...

It's pretty much like fluval biomax, eheim substrat, etc. It's an inert porous media that supports the growth of nitrifying bacteria. To clean it, give it a rinse in old tank water during water changes to preserve the bacteria colonies since it does collect mulm over time.

[lipadj46]

Originally Posted by In.a.Box

Not sure why people keep telling noobie not to wash it under tap water.

Because people generally like giving good advice... most people that is.

sent from an undisclosed location using morse code

[driftwoodhunter]

thanks - I have to rinse my Hamburg Mattenfilters in tank water too, so I understand the reasoning. Good advice to point out.