After Nitrates being as high as 31-ppm now after two weeks it’s down to 5-ppm. How did I do it?

[@rodrigogay2839]

Hi Dr. Novak good morning. Feloow follower here. I just did the plenum today and I'll be waiting to test my water until tomorrow. I will keep you posted. I did the plenum on a 20L tank for a betta I own and it's working wonders, that's why I decided to do the same system to the main Tank. Thanks for your wisdom tips. Greetings from Mexico.

[@sayidbassiray4607]

Dr Novak ,i have been following you from Melbourne Australia for about 7 years . i have a 550 liter tank which i do a w/c once a forthnight about 50% and that maintains my nitrate about 40 ppm , well over the years i needed to do bigger change more often to keep my discus fish happy , after you seeing your video i increases the lenght of my air tube by 40 cm and my nitrate came down from 40 ppm to ZERO in just 7 days . I am over the moon fro happines . My tank is the copy of yours even the last detail and the plenum is 3 years old . thank you very much and keep up the good work . best regards Sayid Bassiray

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

It's unfortunate in this hobby, nothing should be written in stone. Everything that we do can be tweaked to perfection by taking a little bit of time. You are proof of what I am saying, and of course, my goldfish tank in the lanai is proof to what I am saying.

[@SeanRivaDPTRYT]

Huge information here wow the fine tuning is everything.

[@airlesstech]

Every plenum is different. There is no universal solution for every aquarium. My 250 l cube fish tank with discus is going extremely well for over two years now . However , my plenum is over 6 inches thick and made in the way which allowing me to monitor DO levels continuously as well as other water parameters from the uplifted water. I keep water flow through the plenum according to the DO readings “ between 0.5-1.5 ppm . I’m using TPS 90Fl-T field Lab equipment. Feeding heavily beef heart mix , about 30 mg per day . Water column stays well below 5 ppm of NO3 and below 0.5 ppm of phosphate . I hope it’s helpful 😊 . Thank you for your work Kevin ,only because of your channel I was able to transform “death cage into a healthy aquarium “

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

You are exactly the hobbyist I've been talking about. By monitoring what you are doing you can come up with the correct formula for making things works. Thanks for the info.

[@TonyGriffitts]

When you change the environment of the substrate it takes time for the anoxic and aerobic layers to stabilize. Once the bacteria populations normalize in the layers you should start getting denitrification. Your analysis is spot on. 👍👍

[@iainaquariumagic]

Brilliant upload 👏

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@davidspangler-dk8ug]

Dr Novak, A few weeks ago my nitrates were going from about 5 to about 20 in a couple of weeks. My water changes of 30% were maintaining the nitrates. I decided to increase the air flow to see what change would occur. We'll now my nitrates are holding at 5. My water will be changed a little less, but mostly just to ensure other stuff doesn't build up. Thanks, this reinforces what I did. Keep it up.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Thank you for the information I greatly appreciate it. It seem like with the heavy feeder goldfish that I have nitrates within a week with jump up to 29 to 31 ppm. Thanks for the info.

[@joshvalentiner29]

All my tanks with undergravel filters have a sweet spot where after about 1 year or 2 without stirring up the substrate works really well but fresh start up or after a "slight gravel vac/stirring substrate" I find for 3 to 6 month period I do have to do water changes more often that being said I also use to run powerhead on all my lift tubes but now just run air and depends on depth of substrate how tall I make my lift tubes and length of time between turning over the substrate in essence dictates on the performance but my tanks are decently planted and I do run compressed co2 and extra ferts on my 75 and 40 breeder display tanks but besides what I just mentioned when it's working it is working great without the extra ferts my plants would become nutrient deficient and die!

[@vanissaberg5824]

Substrate compaction is exactly what I am thinking as well along with the accumulated mulm that works its way down could also be contributing to the plenum slowing down to a halt. It might be a good idea to gravel vac a portion of the tank in alternate weeks just to open it back up again. I'll keep this in mind when I set up my new tank in the coming weeks.

[@Sinserg]

I made the error of keeping the air stone that came with my UGF kit, it clogged up and now I am certain that's barely moving any water and I've noticed that my nitrates are going back to 30ppm I been too lazy to fix it, but thanks for the input I'll fix mine soon, thanks for sharing! 😊

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

We all get a little lazy and let our tanks go, but as long as you now know it can be fixed that's the main thing.

[@what.if.youre.wrong...]

This is interesting, I copied you system, but.. I used seachem zeolite 1 inch layer over rhe plenum, then 0.5 inch flourite natural with the higher iron content, topped with fluval soil for plants. The tank is four foot long with just one lift tube in the middle. It's a one inch lift tube, I had it short to start with but I couldn't get the syatem to work. The zeolite of course used up all the ammonia first, and the I got nitrates. I ended up raising the tube to the surface level, and it seemed to start working a little, nitrates dropped a bit. I thought I didn't have it bubbling slow enough, but then noticed on a water change that it was hardly coming out the top when the water level dropped below it. It only lifts 1 inch above the water level, but wasn't really dripping out. So, I but the bubbler to max, and then it started becoming a noticeable trickle. A week or two later, bingo, seems to be working!! However, I have Ranchus, and I cannot get rid of the diatoms, they cover everything, so haven't figured that one out yet

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

That's why I inject every day 30 mL of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons of water that seems to do the trick of keeping all algae at bay in the goldfish aquarium. I did a video on it if you want to look at my archives.

[@SammyR-q5r]

I have been stealing ideas from your channel setting up my aquariums. Good video again sir. So no longer a ‘slow moving plenum’? In my opinion, (universally I think) Plenum seems to deal with all other algae apart from hair algae.

[@icarlsw34]

Yes i would say it is still slow moving plenum. The problem was it was clogging up and compacting. In order to get things moving again he increased the flow. The end result is still slow moving though because it is still hindered by the compacted soil.

[@mickeysr5817]

Great video 😊 DETROIT

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Thanks for the visit

[@bryanprather783]

It looks like the uplift tube is on one side of the aquarium. Perhaps if it was in the middle and using an air stone, an equilibrium of water movement from both sides would be achieved without the power head?

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

When I do my 6 foot aquarium, I will put the uplift tube in the center not at one end.

[@rockfella27]

​@@anoxicfiltrationplenums. 6 feet ! Woah... I'd love to build one for you 😅

[@JDLuffy]

yes i have successfully used your method and its been more than 2years this small 2ft shallow shrimp tank been running until recently i started to notice the air bubble lift is having issues as what you have pointed out, the substrate is starting to compact. i wonder what happens to the fish/shrimp waste that is accumulating inside the substrate over time? do they actually get to break down fully over time or it will eventually accumulate and block the substrate over time ?

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Great to hear!

[@steverees1936]

Hi Kevin. Could you tell me what powerhead that is as I can't seem to find one that has a slow flow? Also do you think that laying filter sponge under the gravel filter, in the plenum would be good for bacteria growth? My thinking is that the gravel acts as the filter and the sponge acts as the media to grow beneficial bacteria. I am also going to add a layer of clay cat litter under the gravel with landscaping fabric between the two. The tank is a 26 imperial gallon. What's your thoughts? 🤔

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

It's a cheap one I found on Amazon.

[@segdoh]

Hello Dr. Novak, I'm very interested in using a micro submersible pump to move water through the substrate. Are there any guidelines that you could offer as to how much flow is too much flow. I'm seeking quantitative data if such data exist. Please point me in the direction I should go. Thank you, Lloyd

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

You can use a powerhead, but make sure it's adjustable so you can slow it down or speed it up. THE seem to work the best.. It doesn't have to be the biggest one out there. The smallest one is highly recommended even for 6 foot long aquariums.

[@segdoh]

Hello Dr. Novak, Is your book, Anoxic Filtration System still available. If so where might I obtain a copy?

[@oioioioioioioioio]

So this means a drastic change now, so instead of bubbler slow moving plenum, now use a power head…this may deter ppl from doing a plenum because it adds to the cost

[@icarlsw34]

No. I would say it doesn't change as much as you think. A bubbler would still be used for most situations. But in this case because of the high food load his substrate is clogging and compacting. So this is why he increased the flow. The end result is still a slow moving plenum because it is being slowed by the compacted substrate. I did something similar with a tank with a sand substrate. I found I had to increase the flow because it was just too slow through the compacted sand.

[@jonathanhenry5465]

I have a similar problem. I also use a Maxi jet pump for my Ugf and it works great but the substrate does seam to get clogged still over time so trying to find a solution for that.

[@stevecox8066]

That big water change kind of negated the testing results. You said nothing has changed several times, but I'm seeing that water change as a huge change. Those who don't use anoxic filtration use water changes to reduce nitrates as you know... And you basically did the same. Curious about your thoughts?

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

I've been doing a water change on the tank every week for the past four years. So that remains a constant. The water that is taken out of the tank is used to water all the plants in the lanai. Then freshwater is put back into the aquarium.

[@angiebear8727]

My female goldfish “Spot” passed today after a battle with dropsy. Did my best to treat her but was unsuccessful 😢 her partner “Marbles” seems like he may be depressed though so far he appears healthy. Do you have any advice for this horrible fish disease, dropsy. Hopefully I’ll never need them but would be good to know. Also should I get “Marbles” another friend? Do goldfish actually get sad? Best wishes in the never ending battle with nitrates. Seems to go hand in hand with keeping goldfish. Have noticed good flow makes a difference. I plant extra plants and trimmings in my goldfish pond for them to munch on and doesn’t seem to effect nitrates but good flow does.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

DROPSY the goldfish I have now came from the United States, breeders not from overseas, and they do not seem to be susceptible to dropsy like those coming from China or Thailand. In Thailand, for example all goldfish are grown up in Ponds then they have to take them out of the pond and try to acclimate them to aquarium life. Is the acclamation successful? Or are there long term effects once the animals going to a fish tank after being in the pond for all their life until they're sold. There is a goldfish breeder I believe in Georgia that grows real nice goldfish like they do in Thailand, but from my understanding, they do not have the same problems as the goldfish from Thailand.

[@angiebear8727]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums ty. Going to look more closely at where my next fish was bred and in what conditions because it was absolutely heartbreaking watching her suffer. She was about an inch when I first adopted her and had grown to about 6 inches when she got ill.

[@christinamorris2823]

how long a period of time are we talking about here...haven't the fish grown too.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Yes, you're absolutely right they have grown quite a bit since I first introduced him into the aquarium.

[@parkerrosengreen9138]

My impression was moving fluids through the plenum faster than a small bubbler allows would increase the ppm of oxygen at depth and hinder dissimulative denitrification. Is this not the case?

[@icarlsw34]

It depends on your substrates ability to pass water. His substrate is compacted and clogged from months of high food load. So an increase in pressure from the Power head allows for things to start moving again. But that does not mean it is no longer slow moving. Since the flow is still being slowed by the compacted substrate . Novak said the increase in pressure from the Power head allows for more of the substrate to be be used. So it is kind of an experiment to see if fixes the issue he is having. And it appears to be working so far

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

A brand new system this is true. However, all substrate begin to compact as time goes on, and therefore testing will tell you if you need to speed up or slow down the amount of water going through the Plenum. If you look at some of the comments that people have made, you'll see that what I am saying is true, and other people have adjusted their plenums to suit their needs.

[@sushilpadhye3624]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums I think there should be some way we would be able to measure dissolved oxygen under the plenum kindly guide 🙏

[@sushilpadhye3624]

How to not let substrate compact how to make it permeable all the time so much so that there shall be anoxic conditions always under the plenum kindly keep guiding I guess annamox is going to be the coming thing

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Great point!

[@arturproc7047]

Hi, is it possible to use bentonite or diatomite as a sbstrate? Our catlitters and oil absorbers are made of this.

[@gk9417]

Now I’m confused Just air bubbler or small power head Which way to go 🤷🏼‍♂️✌️🙏🇨🇦

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Some people do not like bubblers because they make noise in splash. However, a very low powered powerhead that's adjustable output is also feasible.

[@gk9417]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums thanks I’ll do the small pumps Love your knowledge ✌️🙏🇨🇦

[@fownine4life853]

Meaning using 2 uplift tubes with 2 bubblers pushing it vs 1 uplift tube with a power head on it?

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

When I make my 125 gallon aquarium, it will be 6 foot long and I will still only use one uplift tube in the center of the aquarium only.

[@nat-xs2fs]

Would a taller/wider lift tube have a similar effect to increase the flow?

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

It could have the same effect if you increase the airflow in that tubing.

[@dakutatsu6450]

What device did you use to test ? I need to get one

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Are use an expensive test kit called Exact iDip which is Bluetooth friendly. Which means you can connect directly up to your computer, iPad, your phones, or whatever, so you can read and store all your test.