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You have a gorgeous fish tank and it has a variety of aqua lives in it. You have a well-organized ecosystem in your aquarium. Your lighting for the aquarium is praised by your friends over and over again.
All of a sudden you have noticed something fishy with your fish in the tank and now you are concerned. A few of your fish have Purple, red, or bleeding gills. Colorful fish are looking pale.
Some or all of them are gasping on the water’s surface for oxygen. They look tired and have sunk to the bottom. Some fish may have red streaking on the fins or body.
These are the clear symptoms of ammonia toxicity in a fish tank, and now you have to take this problem seriously. If you have any doubts, you can always go for an ammonia meter to check the level of ammonia in the fish tank water.
Cleaning your fish tank is a very important, crucial, and lengthy process and you have to go through a lot. The easiest process to reduce and remove the toxicity of ammonia from fish tank water is to use Zeolite.
Zeolite materials are a great activity in your aquarium to extract ammonia. Zeolites, which consist mostly of silica and aluminum, are strongly absorbent porous minerals. Zeolites are structured in segments and sub manner.
Certain additives are used for water removal. These tiny white rocks in the aquarium enthusiast help to eradicate water ammonia. Choose one precisely designated for aquarium use when selecting zeolite.
However, using Zeolite for more than several months may not be a good idea. They become exhausted. If you do not have enough choices only then you should go for Zeolite.
Now, let’s get straight down with the dos and don’ts of Zeolite in aquariums.
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Zeolite Cleaning Process
In an emergency, usually applied to an aquarium to extract ammonia rapidly. It may also be scattered into a tank and the rock is safe if kept permanently or so long as salt is not applied to the tank. A variety of chips are stored in a bag to be removed later.
Removal of 1.5 mg of ammonia requires 1 gram of zeolite. By using ordinary table salt the stock can be recharged. Take a liter of saltwater 5 percent and wash it in with zeolite for 24 hours.
A filtration method for zeolite to purify soil water which removes 99 percent of viruses. We have researched the use of natural zeolite to filter slurries to erase or inactivate MAP because Zeolite is cheap.
Zeolite has no toxicity. Constipation can happen in rare cases where the intake of fluid is too low. Dosage-dependent and adequate hydration and dosage control should be avoided.
Truth And Myths About Zeolite
Among fish tank owners and average people, there have been many myths about zeolite. Below, we will be busting the myths. Read through;
| Myths | Truths |
| Zeolite is Safe and can be used in every way! | In saltwater or brackish tanks, zeolite formulated for freshwater can never be used. Nor is zeolite medium used, nor is salt in a freshwater aquarium applied. Salt can lead to the ammonia it absorbs being released by zeolite, which leads to a sudden and potentially dangerous ammonia spike. |
| Zeolite takes too much time to do any reaction. | Zeolite can be recharged in a five percent salt solution by soaking in freshwater aquariums. This leads to a reduction of all ammonia by the zeolite. Let this mineral soak for at least 24 hours in the salt solution. |
| Zeolite can be used for the rest of your life. | Every 6 weeks, zeolite must be recharged. Replace for each recharge 50% of zeolite. Prepare and soak the chunks for 24 hours to recharge. |
| You can not reuse Zeolite. | Zeolite’s most notable feature is that it is reusable indefinitely in rock form! In breathable bags, which can withstand odors and gasses for up to 3 months, they are accessible to the public, according to the case. |
| Zeolite only removes ammonia, and doesn’t kill the viruses | Zeolite only removes ammonia and doesn’t kill the viruses |
Usage Methods In The Fish Tank
Zeolite is usually in the shape of carbon media and stored in a filter in a bag. It can be bought in loose bulk or weighed in medium bags. The zeolite must be inserted between the foam, mechanical media, or rings, and the biological media if you have a body filter.
The nitrifying bacteria have a broad surface. Any businesses have a zeolite pad, which can be cut into a power filter or fitted in a canister filter next to the foam. Zeolite can be mounted within the bag and can be directly hung in the water flow within the tank.
Recharging Zeolite
Though Zeolite is very inexpensive, yet, you can reuse your aquarium zeolite by recharging them. Here’s how you can recharge them;
- Saltwater: Soak it in a salt solution of 5%, which allows the ammonia consumed to expel it. Spread it over a cookie tray after 24 hours and encourage it to dry up a day or two in sunlight.
- Baking: To dry it out in a baking oven at 350 F for half an hour to an hour. Sun drying is beneficial because zeolite will also be kept in its initial bag and is not safe to hold at high temperatures.
Replacing Zeolite
As mentioned above, once depleted, zeolite has to be extracted. If the ammonia is gone or almost gone, zeolite in the filter can not be substituted. When you have recently recharged zeolite, it can be discarded in two or three months and replaced by fresh zeolite.
Restriction Of Zeolite Usage
If you have read till here, then you have the exact idea, of what you should use zeolite in your aquarium. Now, let us give you some heads-up about the usage restriction of Zeolite.
Most owners of fish tanks make a misunderstanding using BioSpira with Zeolite. You’re not allowed to use BioSpira with Zeolite. To construct a new marine aquarium, BIO-Spira is an important water conditioner.
Contains proprietary, patentable live nitrifying bacteria that break Ammonia and Nitrite and decrease fish kills due to ammonia and radioactive nitrate in marine aquariums.
Zeolite consumes ammonia that BioSpira bacteria have to remain alive and expand for your tank to cycle. This is why you add the fish directly by using BioSpira to feed the ammonia of the fish in Spira. If not fed, your tank will not cycle and your bacteria will die off.
However, anytime you have a bacterial bloom, murky water is usually caused by BioSpira. You can’t tell whether the bacteria have been caused to die by zeolite or not. You should keep an eye on the water parameters and be able to take either a BioSpira dosage again or start adjusting 50% of the water every day before it cycles.
You should never require a substance such as a zeolite in normal circumstances. You should never have ammonia or nitrites in a well-cycled tank which is not unnecessary.
Resources: Zeolite and its uses
Final Words
Using or not using Zeolite, all depends on necessity. As we mentioned, if your water condition is not worse than it is now, you should not go for the option of using Zeolite. And if you have to use it, keep the level of ammonia in check. As soon as it reduces, remove the zeolites.
It would not be wrong if any alternative is benign used. You must do anything you need to do, to improve the health of your fish. Just don’t forget to consult an expert before taking any step you are not experienced in. Good Luck!
