Been some time since the last update....life has been busy and the tank has been neglected for the summer months. I had some temperature issues with the tank and for a few weeks it was around 30-33 degrees. I lost a few colonies of monties due to bleaching but all and all the tank survived for the most part. Here are some pics shot on the past weekend, excuse the faded color but I am re-directing my focus back into the tank for the fall and winter season and hopefully bring it back to what it should be.
Also, started a new product by Brightwell.
Xport BIO Brick
Ultra-porous Biological Brick Media with Superior Performance Characteristics
Overview
Highest porosity and largest usable surface area, per unit weight or volume, of all filtration media available anywhere
Provides huge amounts of aerobic and anaerobic surface area for efficient bacterial colonization.
Provides over 71,000 square feet (6,596 square meters) of surface area per liter of medium. One brick has about 100,000 square feet of usable surface area for bacterial colonization.
When properly colonized, and used as directed, it will reduce toxic ammonia and nitrites to near zero in ponds and all aquariums, marine or fresh.
Also reduces phosphate significantly and dissolved organics.
Works excellently as the only filtration medium for the aquarium or pond or may be employed in addition to other filtration media.
Doped with Aragonite to buffer pH at the bacteria level, preventing acid buildup which eventually would kill the bacteria and reduce capacity. (Which is what happens in competing products)
Sizes
9" x 4.5" x 2.5"
Instructions Guidelines
Use one XPort Bio Brick for every 1,000 U.S. gallons ( 3,800 L ) of system capacity, more for heavy bio loads. Rinse material well with aquarium water or purified tap water. For superior results, seed the material using FlorinBacter, MicrōBacter7 or MicrōBacterCLEAN, as appropriate for your aquarium, by placing XPort Bio Brick in a plastic container, filling it with aquarium water, and then adding the full recommended dose of either bacterial product, based on the size of your aquarium, to that container. Allow to stand overnight and then add the seeded XPort Bio Brick to your system. You may also add the water back to your aquarium, if desired. It is recommended that you use sponge, fine filter floss or other mechanical filtration ahead of XPort Bio Brick to prevent clogging with organic material. For maximum results, also provide a good carbon source for growing bacteria, such as Brightwell Katalyst bio pellets or liquid Reef BioFuel or Florin Axis, as appropriate for your aquarium, as directed on their label.
My personal experience with the product has been positive, the only thing that I found odd was that it floated for 2 weeks before it finally made it's descend to the bottom of the sump. I guess its because the air trapped inside of it....who cares, it's good now. NO3 has dropped from 10 ppm to 5 ppm in 3 weeks and I will do another test tonight to compare more data but so far it is working as advertised. This product is suppose to have 10 times more surface area than siporax which is hard to believe. Anyways, product works and I have my situated right below my filter sock with my biopellets outlet pointed towards the same area which my skimmer inlet is also in the close by vicinity.
Okay, picture time.
