Do Juwel Nitrate Spongues Work? Mine Doesn't Appear To

[jaminzx7r]

Has anyone found the Juwel Nitrate Removal Spongues to be effective?? I've had mine a couple of weeks in my main internal filter (Vision 260 Standard H type) and not seen the level decrease at all.

The tank was recently stripped down and restarted with a few occupants including established filter (fluval plus 3) from a second tank used to get the cycle going. Occupants and filter where obviously only added once tank had reached temp etc.

I assume that the Fluval 3 plus from the second tank was happy with the move as ammonia and nitrite never really peaked, however have seen a steady rise in Nitrate, which I was not expecting so soon having fitted Nitrate spongue, hence the reason for the question.

Thanks Ben

 

[Rodders]

I had an interpet one and it was 100%
Cant see why another make wouldnt, probably the same chemicals inside.

 

[daza]

I added a Juwel nitrate sponge one week ago.

The nitrate was about 25 mg/l when I added it.
Today it measures zero (using a TetraTest 5 in 1 kit)

 

[jimbooo]

it depends on the original concentration. i'll illustrate an extreme case

the sponge works like a carbon filter ie. it has a maximum load it can take at which point you have to replace it. if say for example it can absorb 100ppm nitrate.

tank has nitrate at 200ppm you then put the sponge in and the level drops to 100ppm in day one. on day 2 the sponge will start to leak out the nitrate it has absorbed.

the best way of using them is to do a big clean up and get the level as low as possible. then put the sponge in. you will find it will take much longer for the nitrate to build up again as it will absorbit as it's produced.

if you just add it to a tank without the clean up and your levels are already sky high it's not going to do much.

if your starting at 30ppm nitrate though then you've got a duff sponge.

not the most scientific of explinations but the result is the same.

 

[Rodders]

Makes sense to me.....