Biohome Review - Does Biogravel Actually Reduce Nitrates In An Aquarium?
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- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
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Biohome Review - Does Biogravel Actually Reduce Nitrates In An Aquarium?
Join us for an in-depth review of Biohome's Biogravel, a sintered glass filter media purported to reduce nitrates in aquariums. After six months of testing, we share our experiences with this controversial product. Does it live up to the hype? Dive into the discussion as we explore both sides of the argument surrounding Biogravel's efficacy.
Discover how Biogravel's unique design offers internal and external surface areas for bacterial colonization, potentially leading to lower ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. Explore the science behind bacterial colonization and the factors influencing nitrate reduction in aquariums.
Learn about the practicalities of using Biogravel in different tank setups, including maintenance tips and recommended usage. We delve into the comparison with Seachem Matrix and discuss the importance of patience when expecting results.
Join us as we share personal experiences with Biogravel in various tank setups, including heavily planted tanks. Gain insights into the challenges of distinguishing between the effects of Biogravel and other factors like plant consumption of nitrates.
Get practical advice on Biogravel maintenance and its cost-effectiveness compared to other filter media. Explore alternative approaches to nitrate management, including natural filtration methods and the Walstad method.
Whether you're considering Biogravel for your aquarium or exploring alternative filtration options, this video offers valuable insights and considerations to help you make informed decisions. Don't miss out on this comprehensive review of Biogravel's effectiveness in reducing nitrates and optimizing aquarium health. Subscribe for more aquarium tips and reviews!
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
00:22 - Short Version
00:37 - What Is Biogravel And Biohome
01:28 - Ramp Up Time
02:11 - A Lack Of Research
03:05 - pH Ranges For Denitrifying Bacteria
03:50 - My Experiences With Biohome
07:18 - Maintenance
08:41 - Price
09:21 - A Valid Use Case
10:58 - Water Changes
12:04 - Is It Needed?
Some of the links in this video description may be affiliate links meaning I earn a small commission from any purchases made.
I suffered from the nitrate fear thing many months ago but i no longer consider nitrate a problem at least not in my tanks.
8mths ago my dad had regular nitrate readings of 50-60ppm he tested the tap water which fluctuated week to week from 40-50ppm also PH fluctuated from 6.0-7.5ppm, he decided to go NO water change and the theory was he's just replacing the same or possibly more nitrate he's taking out with water changes.
After 3mths the nitrate dropped to 30ppm from 50/60ppm without any matrix or bio gravel.
I decided to stop water changes 6mths ago, just to mention all my tanks are heavily planted. I tested the water every 3/4 days for 3mths what i found is a similar thing that nitrates fluctuate even drop in some tanks but they mostly capped in all my tanks, they never rised above what the highest readings was, nitrate didn't keep climbing and climbing they went up and down.
In one tank the nitrate fluctuated between 60-80ppm it showed that over 3mths of testing, cherry shrimp still breeding like crazy and all fish doing perfectly well, zero ill effects or signs of stress from shrimp or fish its now been 6mths without any signs of stress. In fact in my main shrimp tank 1/3 shrimp would die everytime i did just a 10% water change, for 6mths i haven't losed one shrimp but gained probably hundreds due to an increase in breeding since the no water changes.
We dont use chemicals of any kind, no dechlorinators we season our water, we have heavily planted tanks with deep substrate, 1 inch soil capped with 2/3 inch sand, we use no nitrate treatments such as bio gravel or matrix.
The nitrafying bacteria will grow in deep substrate were there's very little to no oxygen and seachem prime is known to kill this bacteria so we never use chemicals for anything. I also have flow control sponge filters on the lowest flow so there's also very little oxygen being blown around the tank and the plants sort the oxygen naturally.
In all this is my analysis of nitrate in my and my dads tanks and i only do water top ups 1/3% from water evaporation, i believe at least in our tanks nitrate is not the boogeyman we're sold by the industry.
I dont even clean the sand there's shrimp and snails and a whole host of bacteria taking care of itself in my tanks they are ecosystems sustaining themselves i need do nothing more than feed my fish every 2/3 days with good quality frozen food, i use zero chemicals so nothings altering the balance of bacteria and my tanks are amazingly healthy everyone says so.
I imagine without any plants results could be much different but this my experience with the supposedly fearful nitrates in my tanks.
Thanks for sharing this mate, I actually set a new shrimp tank up around a week ago thats very similar to what you report. I saw a few other people use a similar system and get great results too so I wanted to give it a try myself :).
@GlassBoxDiaries No problem my friend
Hello from my fish room channel in Chicago, where I'm a subscriber to yours. I really appreciate your thorough and honest portrayal of these high end media and related matters. I also related to your "away from the computer" reason for doing water changes :)
Cheers mate :) Yea, one of the main reasons I got back into keeping fish was to have something to do thats nothing to do with my computer :).
There was a scientific study carried out on Biohome media and its ability to reduce / eliminate nitrate from waste water carried out by Athens university .
These trials are extremely expensive and the one mentioned was funded by the EU for removal of nitrate from water after use in industrial processes before it being allowed back into the natural water system.
I have attached the relevant extract from the full study regarding its ability to remove nitrate.
The same study for a fish tank would be prohibitively expensive and someone would rightly point out only relevant to that tank !
Why seachem and other large companies don’t commission such trials for there media you would need to ask them , they certainly have the financial resources?
To clear the position of Richard ( pondguru ) regarding his connection with Biohome he is the UK distributor and holds no stake or position in the company nor ever been paid for any review he puts out by Biohome or any other manufacturer he reviews .
Hope this helps
@@mtourgus Thanks for the input, what are you Google searching to find that research as I can't find it.
Or is it on one of those research sites with the monthly membership?
@@GlassBoxDiaries you will not find it , it was sent to us has the manufacturer of Biohome but I will be happy to send it you on a email
Now I’m thinking about using pot scrubbers under the substrate for a non filter aquarium.
I want to try pot scrubbers as media in the future :)
Another reason for doing water changes is the total dissolved solids (TDS) measurement.
I have 2 open top aquariums which require daily top ups due to the evaporation loss. The problem is that this evaporation is just the actual water, and not all of the minerals, etc - they stay behind in the tank.
The water that is added in the form of the top ups also contains the same TDS - so the TDS reading on the tank will keep going up with every top up... Eventually, you end up with tank 'water' that is so hard, it could be better described as concrete 😂
Another great point mate :)
Some, if not all of the balled soil substrates can provide denitrification to a lesser or larger extent (from memory there is some research on it as well), so that is another thing to take into consideration along with substrate depth etc.
For me personally, I mostly keep species that prefer low ph, low tds, soft water with lower flow environments, so I set up an undergravel filter, but made it low flow with a deep substrate... took 4 months I think before it balanced itself out, but since then the tank has been rock solid- pH 4.5 at most, 0 NH3, 0 NO2, 0 NO3, TDS generally sits around 40, GH & KH is 1 at most (requirement for some of the species I keep to breed successfully). It can go 6months without a water change & the TDS will only very slightly rise by, however, like yourself, I think there are other benefits to doing water changes, so my preference is to do at least one water change per month, per tank. Ideally, I'd like to do a small water change every 2nd week, but during the busy time of the year (late spring, through summer into late autumn), there just isn't enough hours in the day to make that happen for me personally.
That tank is now a few years old & remained rock solid enough that last year I started converting all my other tanks over to deeper substrates with slow flow undergavel filters... so far they are having the same results as the first tank... I don't think the concept would work for fish with the strong desire to dig tho.
I think the real test for the denitrifying media would be 2 equally sized tanks, both stocked with equally sized & number of fish, no substrate or plants (an equal number of the same prefabricated silk plants to meet any stressed fish needs for hiding) & both filtered by the same size, type & brand of filter- one filter filled with the recommended amount of denitrifying media for the stocking level, the other with simple filter sponges & ceramic rings. Feed both tanks the same amount of measured out food daily & let the experiment run for 12months, with water changes only done (& recorded) whenever nitrates hit a certain level in both tanks... if the denitrifying media works, the water changes should slowly get further apart until the tank matures & establishes, while the nitrifying media should increase, before holding steady in its requirements as the nitrifying bacteria get established & then mature to the static stocking & feed rate of the tank.
Great points, I actually saw a video on the Fishtory channel about how aquasoil can provide a similar benefit too, i'm going to look into it a little more this coming weekend.
Yea it takes a ton of effort for someone to test to see if it works who doesnt actually sell the media, especially a long, fair test like you mentioned.
When I debuild my 29 gallon I want to try the filter in a plastic bin dosed with Dr Tims Ammonia Solution just to see what happens though.
Great Video ....
Ive been running my Juwel lido 200 with Biogravel .. Its been setup since 2019 . very heavily planted with bog wood .
Ihave been achieving Zero nitrate for about 2 years , 4 Pearl Gouramis . 30+ neons . 1 Clown Plec . 5 Panda corys . 3 ottos . 1 Pandagarra . 10 chilli rasboras . Has the juwel internal Filter and a Fluval 207 . 7ph at 25 degree temp. I never clean the bio media anymore alway keep submerged . and rarely clean the external . all of which i keep at a slow flow rate .. and i do 1 , 25% water change a month .
No algae ,
I do think its down to the Biogravel with a slow minmal water flow . which allows for the Nitrate eating bacteria to get a foothold ...
But yet , it could be any number of factors ,,,
Thanks for the input :).
I am thinking of rescaping one of the tanks that has the Biogravel filter setup in a month or two and putting its filter into a plastic storage bin dosed with some Dr Tims ammonia solution to see what happens.
@@GlassBoxDiaries
That would make for a very good bench mark .. A measured dose of ammonia . No fish or Shrimp . Have a dosed only cycle going on . and then you are in control of all variables .. Be very interesting to see the consumption of Ammonia, Nitrite and then eventually Nitrate through bacteria alone , most interesting experiment ,, Dont rush it . I believe the trick is not disturbing the bio gravel . only the Mechanical filter can be disturbed . Also the pond Guru was onto something when doing water changes , regarding adding dechlorinater . dont use the ones that remove ammonia and nitrate , as they starve out the good bacteria each time used and mass kill the bacteria causing aquarium bacteria crash cycle to keep happening EG .. Ad constantly demonstrated by a certain U tuber . CMA
Good luck .
All the best from the UK ..
Must be a very nice.problem too have. In my style of aquariumming ,HEAVILY planted LIGHTLY stocked.... i find myself in need of upping nitrates not reducing them...
Thats actually a problem I just discovered today in one of my tanks >.
@@GlassBoxDiaries Kno3 dosing. In principal you could use more animals yes.
Over feed a bit, you’ll get there. I may do a test on my tank tonight, I’ve never tested any nitrates