My new filters have 4 tubes of zeolite, I know the zeolite absorbs ammonia but how do you know they are full ???? Ive read that you soak them in a very salty solution to recharge them how often do you do this??? Is it worth using zeolite ??
zeolite in my filters
- Thread starter Willo
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Meyer Jordan
Tadpole
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Zeolite is well known for its ability to absorb Ammonia and other compounds. The downside is that the only way to tell when it is saturated is when Ammonia levels in a pond begin to rise. Depending on your filter's size and the other media present, you may never know if the zeolite is saturated. The filter may be capable of handling the Ammonia load without the zeolite. In that case, it was included in the filter construction more as a 'decoration' than something that will have on-going usefulness.
sissy
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I have it in my filters and hanging in my pond but I buy PDZ horse stall refresher from tractor supply it is a finer grain zeolite .I just buy laundry bags at the dollar store to hold it and when I think it is done I throw it in my veggie garden .Makes a great mix for potato's and radishes to grow in ,just like sand
koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
Zeolite can be rejuvenated by a 36 hour soak in a strong salt solution. It can be rejuvenated many times. If you soak it every few weeks you should be fine. I have about 30 lbs of it. I have several mesh bags of it. One at a time, they go in my skimmer. The bags are soaking in a salt solution when not in use... Rinse and Install
bettasngoldfish
Maria
For those using zeolite are you having a problem with ammonia or are you using this as a preventative?
sissy
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I am using it as a preventative and since the big bag is cheap why not .Plus I have to say since adding it to my potato's I have had bumper crops .I get them all winter and this winter I have had more than ever .I have plenty to give away .Warm weather and even radishes are still growing
I have just bought new filters and they came with 3kg of zeolite in plastic cages. As i have never used zeolite before i was just asking some questions
I could see using zeolite in some emergency type situations, but I don't think it would be a good thing to keep if you want a properly balanced pond.
Here's my reasoning.
I assume all of you who use zeolite have biological filters, and biological filters are basically bacteria colonies that you keep alive to convert ammonia to nitrites and nitrites to less harmful nitrates. In a balanced pond your bacteria colonies will grow and multiply to meet the food supply they receive on an ongoing basis. If you slowly give them more food the colony will slowly grow larger to meet the demand. Likewise, if you take away their food the colony will shrink and die back.
In essence by putting zeolite in your pond you are taking away their food (ammonia), and consequently your bacteria colony will shrink and will not be properly balanced in relation to the natural amount of ammonia being produced in your pond.
Here's my reasoning.
I assume all of you who use zeolite have biological filters, and biological filters are basically bacteria colonies that you keep alive to convert ammonia to nitrites and nitrites to less harmful nitrates. In a balanced pond your bacteria colonies will grow and multiply to meet the food supply they receive on an ongoing basis. If you slowly give them more food the colony will slowly grow larger to meet the demand. Likewise, if you take away their food the colony will shrink and die back.
In essence by putting zeolite in your pond you are taking away their food (ammonia), and consequently your bacteria colony will shrink and will not be properly balanced in relation to the natural amount of ammonia being produced in your pond.
koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
I use zeolite in my basement pond. 800 gals. 200 fish sometimes. When you have that kind of load Zeolite is a major aid. My filters get plenty of food for a healthy bacterial colony. Koi ponds and garden ponds with plants etc.. Are two different entities. And should be treated as such.
We use to sacks of zeolite rocks back to back so that we have one charged fully at all times ,
We basically change them over every three months whether they need it or not Willo ammonia isnt a problem , however there is a danger of then discharging all the ammonia if salt is used on the pond .
So make sure they are out prior to you using any salt on the pond, zeolite in rock form can be bought from your local aquatic store , it works out about £10.00 per sack plus £2.50 for the net bag these go into .
Have you ever thought abbout using Lithaqua before now for stablizing your KH ?
Dave
Think i need to buy some more zeolite so i can change them around, how much zeolite should i be using at the moment there is 3kgs in my filters (thats the amount that came with my new filters). I've never used this before so this is all new to me !!!! As for lithaqua......now you have lost me
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Here is a link into the company we buy ours from Willo , it last about two years or so depenndant on how much you use in your filters .Think i need to buy some more zeolite so i can change them around, how much zeolite should i be using at the moment there is 3kgs in my filters (thats the amount that came with my new filters). I've never used this before so this is all new to me !!!! As for lithaqua......now you have lost me
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http://kusuri.co.uk/kusuri-products/kusuri-lithaqua/
Could you post a photo of your zeolite containers, so I can get an idea as to the size of them please Willo ?
Dave
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Yikes, good point Dave.
koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
Dave, i think it takes a lot more salt to discharge the ammonia from zeolite than is typically used in a pond. I salt my pond and use zeolite. Been doing so for years successfully.
However nines out of ten the amount of salt in your pond isnt enough to do this at a tonic sytle dose, however there is a great danger that it will if you use salt in larger quantities when treating fiish. Personally we dont use salt in the pond and look at it this way , it does have a place in treating fish health issues but thats in a QT setup, or short term bath but nowhere else .
Dave