which type of zeolite is used in aquariums?

[liann]

Hello, from my understanding the zeolite makes it possible to adsorb more ammonium ions, but they are also another possibility to achieve it. I bought some zeolites from amazon, It is a little different. someone told me that it is possible synthetic zeolite, not natural zeolite. not the same colors as with zeolite, that the zeolite has something special??
I referenced these articles before.
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/10/7/622/pdf
https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nmic/zeolites-statistics-and-information
https://www.zeolitemin.com/en/zeolites/

 

[blaxsun]

I use Nyos Zeo.

 

[brandon429]

specifically don't use these in display reefing. ammonia is fine there, qt if you want to but water changes are more commonly used in qt to control ammonia

 

[liann]

Thanks for your help. I read more from these articles.

Because many species of fish are highly sensitive to fluctuations in water temperature, pH, and levels of oxygen and toxic nitrogen, the chemical and biological environment of aquariums must be closely monitored and maintained (Mumpton, 1985). The natural absorption and adsorption capabilities of zeolite make it the perfect candidate to promote the ongoing health and sustainability of aquatic ecosystems. In these environments, zeolite serves three primary functions: to remove toxic levels of nitrogen and ammonium ions from aquarium waters; to provide oxygen-enriched air; to purify tank waters.

During the study, researchers measured concentrations of ammonia in waters collected from a recirculating system. Findings suggest that clinoptilolite zeolite was effective at ammonia removal due to its ion exchange capacities (Bergero et al., 1994). Researchers have found that the removal of nitrogen content through adsorption produces oxygen-enriched air that can be used to aerate tanks; fish housed and raised in such environments are livelier and have greater appetites (Mumpton, 1985 & 1999). The quality of water in recirculating systems can be improved by using zeolite supplemented fish feed.

link: https://www.zeolitemin.com/en/aquariums/

 

[blaxsun]

Pretty sure you're going to want the natural zeolite specifically for reef tanks.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hello, from my understanding the zeolite makes it possible to adsorb more ammonium ions, but they are also another possibility to achieve it. I bought some zeolites from amazon, It is a little different. someone told me that it is possible synthetic zeolite, not natural zeolite. not the same colors as with zeolite, that the zeolite has something special??
I referenced these articles before.
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/10/7/622/pdf
https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nmic/zeolites-statistics-and-information
https://www.zeolitemin.com/en/zeolites/

I use Aquaforest Zeolites, and very sparingly and carefully when needed for a specific problem.

I think the 1kg I bought 5 years ago is still half full.

Aquaforest state that it is for advanced use only as it can adsorb trace elements from the water.

Regards
Graham.

 

[Hermie]

I used happy cat zeolite (clinoptilotile or something)

 

[J1a]

It depends on what you want to achieve with zeolite though.

If it's ammonia control, biomedia will do just as well, if not better.

If you tumble zeolite regularly to feed corals with bacterioplaktons, that's another situation altogether.

 

[brandon429]

That caption above 100% does not apply to reefing, because reefs control ammonia without zeolite

in no way, shape or form does any of that apply to reefing, it’s 1000% out of context snippet. That may possibly apply to fish aquaculture, but it does not apply to reefing whatsoever at any time. The article doesn’t say it applies to saltwater reef tanks because it does not.

 

[Malcontent]

Synthetic zeolites are rare and I've only heard of it being created for research. It's so cheap to mine that there's no real reason to use synthetic.

Regardless, its affinity for chloride is going to make it ineffective in saltwater.

 

[nereefpat]

My understanding was that it only worked in freshwater. You can even regenerate ammonia filled zeolite by soaking it in saltwater.

 

[Hermie]

It depends on what you want to achieve with zeolite though.

If it's ammonia control, biomedia will do just as well, if not better.

If you tumble zeolite regularly to feed corals with bacterioplaktons, that's another situation altogether.

tumble zeolite? .... even zeovit does not tumble their media

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Clinoptilolite is the zeolite used to bind ammonia, but I would strongly question the unsupported hypothesis that such binding is useful or desirable in a reef tank. The ammonia binding is of no value that I have ever heard stated. No ordinary, cycled reef tanks have excessive ammonia.

I see zero reason to use any zeolite, unless you are using it as zeovit systems does simply as a support for bacteria to grow on, same as sand or GAC. The hypothesis early on that it somehow ferried ammonia to nearby bacteria makes no logical sense and is just incorrect speculation, IMO.

 

[Malcontent]

Synthetic zeolites are rare and I've only heard of it being created for research. It's so cheap to mine that there's no real reason to use synthetic.

Regardless, its affinity for chloride is going to make it ineffective in saltwater.

I mean SODIUM.

 

[J1a]

tumble zeolite? .... even zeovit does not tumble their media

They do require daily agitation to dislodge mulm.

I see zero reason to use any zeolite, unless you are using it as zeovit systems does simply as a support for bacteria to grow on, same as sand or GAC. The hypothesis early on that it somehow ferried ammonia to nearby bacteria makes no logical sense and is just incorrect speculation, IMO.

I agree that the ammonia ferrying hypothesis is a bit far fetched. I think the whole point of having zeolite is to provide a biomedia which can stand rough tumbling/washing without turning into dust.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I agree that the ammonia ferrying hypothesis is a bit far fetched. I think the whole point of having zeolite is to provide a biomedia which can stand rough tumbling/washing without turning into dust.

Agree.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

For others reading this, here's a copy of an old post of mine from 2008 addressing the ammonia issue:

"How does a bacteria remove or get to a ammonia ion in a zeolite in the first place. They claim the bacteria live in the pores of the rock."

I won't even give the theory that much credit. It makes no sense whatsoever at the molecular level.

If any ammonia binds to a zeolite, then the concentration locally in the water near the zeolite is depleted in ammonia, at least for some time until it is replace by more ammonia that drifts in from the water column. Once it drifts back in, the concentration is the same as it was in the absence of any zeolite. Even 1 nanometer from the zeolite surface, the ammonia concentration is not a single teeny tiny bit higher than the bulk water, so there is no more available ammonia then without a zeolite.

It is the concentration of ammonia in the water that the bacteria can sense, and take up either passively by diffusion of NH3 across the cell membrane, or actively by some sort of active transport protein. In both cases, the ammonia must move to the bacteria surface. It is ridiculous to think that bacteria would push their cell membranes back and forth over the zeolite surface trying to collect ammonia that is bound to it, rubbing across it like a bear rubs its back on a tree.

Zeolite rocks - Reef Central Online Community

Zeolite rocks The Reef Chemistry Forum

www.reefcentral.com

 

[J1a]

Another consideration, zeolite reactors are run with very low flow rate. Given the scarcity of NH3/NH4+ in the aquarium, I double much of those end up passing through the reactor anyways.

 

[Hermie]

They do require daily agitation to dislodge mulm.

That is not the same thing as "tumbling" as known in the Aquarium hobby.

 

[J1a]

That is not the same thing as "tumbling" as known in the Aquarium hobby.

Ah. I get what you mean. Yes. It's not used like GFO.

What is the proper term for it though?