250 ml NITRATE Seachem

de❊nitrate™ 250ml SEACHEM

- Eliminates nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, and organic matter
- Highly porous biological media
- Pore size well-suited for anaerobic bacteria
- No danger of hydrogen sulfide production as with sulfur-based media

Overview

de❊nitrate™ is an economical, natural porous material with a pore distribution and geometry that promotes both aerobic nitrification in the first few millimeters of depth and anaerobic denitrification at the core. The material has a high surface area and supports a high density of bacteria.

Although de❊nitrate™ has the ability to trap nitrate, this capacity, as with other nitrate-retaining materials such as certain zeolites and synthetic resins, is quite limited, and the primary mechanism for nitrate removal is anaerobic.

Living reef rocks eliminate nitrate through anaerobic denitrification. de❊nitrate™ removes nitrate using the same process. The efficiency is amplified several times by forcing water to filter through the porous de❊nitrate™. Similar to reef rock, anaerobic conditions are achieved through porosity and oxygen depletion by the aerobic process at the surface.

Excessive flow rates should therefore be avoided, as they can hinder the development of an adequate anaerobic environment to support denitrifying bacteria.

Denitrate™ is also an excellent medium for aerobic nitrification and serves as an ideal biological filter in trickle filters, cartridge filters, sumps, or even canister filters.

At high flow rates (greater than 100 US gallons per hour), it will function only as an aerobic filter. At slow flow rates (less than 50 US gallons per hour), it will function both as an aerobic filter and an anaerobic denitrifying filter.

Sizes: 100 ml, 250 ml, 500 ml, 1 L, 2 L, 4 L

Instructions

For best results, de❊nitrate™ should be placed to ensure water flow through it, such as in a cartridge filter, a chemical filtration module, or a canister filter.

The flow rate must not exceed 200 L (50 US gallons) per hour. If higher flow rates are unavoidable, use Matrix™ or Pond Matrix™.

It is preferable to rinse off the dust before use.

Once de❊nitrate™ has been used for several days, the nitrate concentrations should begin to decrease and gradually stabilize at a concentration of approximately 4 to 5 mg/L in the form of nitrate.

As long as nitrate concentrations remain under control, the product is not exhausted. Each 500 mL of de❊nitrate™ treats approximately 100–200 L (25–50 US gallons), depending on the initial nitrate concentration and the current biological load.

It is necessary to use enough to eliminate the nitrate at a rate that is at least as fast as the rate of formation.

If very high nitrates are initially present, they must be reduced to less than 20 mg/L with water changes.

FAQ translates to "Frequently Asked Questions" in English.

How much nitrate will the de❊nitrate™ remove?

It is recommended that if nitrate levels are very high, they should be brought down to at least 20 ppm through water changes before using de❊nitrate. At this point, de❊nitrate™ will reduce nitrate levels to 4-5 ppm after several days of use. Since de❊nitrate, Matrix, and Pond Matrix are all biological media, they never deplete but can become less effective over time due to pore clogging. Pre-filtering the water before it passes through these products prolongs their lifespan.

What allows the de❊nitrate™ to function anaerobically at flow rates below 50 GPH?

It is the porosity of this material that allows it to function at this water flow rate. When water passes through this medium, oxygen is used by the aerobic bacteria living on the outer crust of the medium. As the water penetrates into the inner crust of the medium, it comes into contact with groups of bacteria that live in the oxygen-deprived conditions of the internal parts of the medium, which naturally consume and eliminate nitrate.

The instructions indicate that the flow rate through the de❊nitrate™ should not exceed 50 gallons per hour, but most filters on the market flow much faster than that. How can I achieve such a slow flow rate?

The best way to achieve this is to use a continuous flow (also known as a "dummy canister"). Other alternatives include restricting the water to a regular canister, placing it in a sump or a box filter with a restricted intake.

Should I use Matrix™ or de❊nitrate? It seems that they both eliminate nitrate.

Matrix™ is preferable when you want a versatile filter media to house both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, or when you cannot install a filter with a flow rate below 50 gallons per hour. It will remove nitrate, but not as much as de❊nitrate™. de❊nitrate™ is better when you specifically want to remove nitrate and already have a lot of biomedia for aerobic bacteria.

How often should I rinse or replace the de❊nitrate?

The de❊nitrate™ is a biomedia, which means it does not deplete over time, so you should never need to replace it. That said, it is possible that de❊nitrate™ could become clogged with debris and sludge, so we recommend pre-filtering the water using a sponge or filter floss to extend the product's lifespan.