What Is the Difference Between Seachem De*Nitrate and Matrix Bio-Media?
- Thread starter ScatMan
- Start date
They do the same thing, however, denitrate requires a flow-rate of less than 50 gph (more like 30 gph to be realistic). It can take anywhere from 3 to 5 months before you really see it doing its thing.
never mind, i found it: "de nitrate™ is also an excellent media for aerobic nitrification and it makes an ideal biological filter in drip trays, canister filters, sumps, or even box filters. At high flow rates (greater than 100 US gallons per hour), it will function solely as an aerobic filter. At slow flow rates (less than 50 US gallons per hour), it will function as both an aerobic filter and an anaerobic denitrifying filter."
http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/denitrate.html
it's the same stuff... i think.
but why the size difference?
it seems like i could put more media in the same volume of space if i use the de*nitrate rather than matrix...
http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/denitrate.html
it's the same stuff... i think.
but why the size difference?
it seems like i could put more media in the same volume of space if i use the de*nitrate rather than matrix...
De-nitrate is cooked higher and has more smaller internal surface area pits for anerobic bacteria. It does nothing to reduce nitrate if used in a normal flow situation but requires extremely low flow rates for that. Given a low flow rate and used in a sealed denitrate filter it works very well. Matrix works better for aerobic filtration.
ok, here is the e-mail i got from seachem (considering the weekend, it was actually a quick response)-
"Thank you for your question! Yes, de*nitrate will
do the same thing as Matrix, as far as helping to control
ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. When it comes to
deciding which media to go with however, the most
important thing to consider is flow rate. de*nitrate
requires a flow rate of 50 gallons per hour or less, in
order to allow for the growth of anaerobic bacteria, which
consume nitrates. If your flow rate exceeds 50gph, then
Matrix will be the better option, as it works well at any
flow rate. If you would like for us to try and help you
locate a dealer near you that carries Matrix, please let
us know. Have a nice day!"
where did you find this info?
"Thank you for your question! Yes, de*nitrate will
do the same thing as Matrix, as far as helping to control
ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. When it comes to
deciding which media to go with however, the most
important thing to consider is flow rate. de*nitrate
requires a flow rate of 50 gallons per hour or less, in
order to allow for the growth of anaerobic bacteria, which
consume nitrates. If your flow rate exceeds 50gph, then
Matrix will be the better option, as it works well at any
flow rate. If you would like for us to try and help you
locate a dealer near you that carries Matrix, please let
us know. Have a nice day!"
taksan;4611299; said:
where did you find this info?
i still had some unanswered q's, so i sent another e-mail:
me>
"why is matrix a better choice than de*nitrate? it seems like i could fit more de*nitrate than matrix in the same volume of space. does de*nitrate help control ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates as good as matrix? is it exactly the same material, only different sizes?
thanks again for your time!"
seachem>
"Matrix is not necessarily better than De*Nitrate but it
does have a wider range of applications. Because
De*Nitrate uses anaerobic bacteria to remove nitrates, it
must be used in a slow flow setup. Most people use it in a
media reactor so that they can keep the flow rate below 50
gpd. De*Nitrate is designed specifically to remove
nitrates. It will have a minimal impact on ammonia and
nitrite. Matrix, because of the natural internal structure,
can be used at any flow rate and still promote both
aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. It can be used in any type
of filtration device including but not limited to
canisters and sumps. So as you can see, Matrix is more
versatile and therefore more popular. De*Nitrate is
commonly used by people who are looking for extra nitrate
removal especially in large crowded systems. I hope this
has clarified the two products a little. Please let us
know if you have any additional questions."
maybe i'm missing something but i don't see what matrix can do that de*nitrate can't, and vice versa??? some of my questions were never specifically addressed by seachem.
me>
"why is matrix a better choice than de*nitrate? it seems like i could fit more de*nitrate than matrix in the same volume of space. does de*nitrate help control ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates as good as matrix? is it exactly the same material, only different sizes?
thanks again for your time!"
seachem>
"Matrix is not necessarily better than De*Nitrate but it
does have a wider range of applications. Because
De*Nitrate uses anaerobic bacteria to remove nitrates, it
must be used in a slow flow setup. Most people use it in a
media reactor so that they can keep the flow rate below 50
gpd. De*Nitrate is designed specifically to remove
nitrates. It will have a minimal impact on ammonia and
nitrite. Matrix, because of the natural internal structure,
can be used at any flow rate and still promote both
aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. It can be used in any type
of filtration device including but not limited to
canisters and sumps. So as you can see, Matrix is more
versatile and therefore more popular. De*Nitrate is
commonly used by people who are looking for extra nitrate
removal especially in large crowded systems. I hope this
has clarified the two products a little. Please let us
know if you have any additional questions."
maybe i'm missing something but i don't see what matrix can do that de*nitrate can't, and vice versa??? some of my questions were never specifically addressed by seachem.
It's about the environments that you keep the media in
High flow (canister, sump):
O2 level: High
Processes: Ammonia, Nitrites
Matrix is a better option as it is optimized for AEROBIC Bacteria (BB)
Low flow (Denitrator):
O2 level: Low
Processes: Nitrates
DeNitrate is a better option as it is optimized for ANAEROBIC Bacteria
Whatever you put in these filters, will do wat the O2 level dictates
e.g. Matrix in the Denitrator will process Nitrates
Denitrate in a canister will process Ammonia and Nitrite
Use the Matrix becaue you don't have a Denitrator and you don't want one
They are delicate and dangerous
WC is your best defense against Nitrates
GL
HTH
High flow (canister, sump):
O2 level: High
Processes: Ammonia, Nitrites
Matrix is a better option as it is optimized for AEROBIC Bacteria (BB)
Low flow (Denitrator):
O2 level: Low
Processes: Nitrates
DeNitrate is a better option as it is optimized for ANAEROBIC Bacteria
Whatever you put in these filters, will do wat the O2 level dictates
e.g. Matrix in the Denitrator will process Nitrates
Denitrate in a canister will process Ammonia and Nitrite
Use the Matrix becaue you don't have a Denitrator and you don't want one
They are delicate and dangerous
WC is your best defense against Nitrates
GL
HTH
^how are they optimized for a specific task if they are the same material?
my thinking is that de*nitrate will do a better job of removing ammonia and nitrites than matrix in a canister. because of its smaller size, you could put more of it in the same volume of filter space.
my thinking is that de*nitrate will do a better job of removing ammonia and nitrites than matrix in a canister. because of its smaller size, you could put more of it in the same volume of filter space.