Anoxic Filtration System: January 2016

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Q & A from Manky Sanke http://www.mankysanke.co.uk/

Q & A from Manky Sanke

http://www.mankysanke.co.uk/

A: I've only got about 10,000 liters (2641.72 gph) per hour at the minute going through the Anoxic Filter, this is why I'm building the new Anoxic filter pond. Once it's up and running it will gravity flow back to the pond and hopefully I can turn it over at about 20,000 lts (5283.44gph).

Q: Would you need to double the flow if it's fine at the minute?

I'm curious that's all

A: It stands to reason that, the faster the pond turnover rate, the faster any ammonia will be removed from the pond and presented to the anoxic pond. These ponds are very tolerant of water flow rates through them provided that the flow is diffused enough so as not to disturb the baskets.

Good read thanks Manky, I read the whole lot and the filter building guide too, excellent stuff...........not sure I understood it all after one read.........am I right in thinking that an anoxic filter works straight from the outset the and doesn't need to mature?

David

A: No. All biological filters use bugs and so we have to give them time to multiply to a large enough colony to do the job we want to do e.g. convert ammonia to nitrite or convert nitrite to nitrate or, in the case of the bugs in biocenosis clarification baskets, convert ammonia into nitrogen gas (dinitrogen) plus metabolize other pollutants such as phosphate.

However, the bugs in baskets are heterotrophs whereas the bugs in conventional nitrogen cycle filters are autotrophs. Heterotrophs get their energy from organic carbon (the cells of something that is or once was alive), autotrophs get their energy from inorganic sources (chemicals such as ammonia or nitrite). Since there is more energy in organic carbon than can be obtained from chemicals, heterotrophs form colonies more quickly than autotrophs, therefore the bug colonies in the baskets mature more quickly than the bug colonies in conventional biofilters.

Moving water from the Anoxic Filter into the pond as fast as possible is the best way to run the filter. The water flow shown in this photo is turning over this pond twice in one hour.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Anoxic Filtration System Article By: Manky

Anoxic Filtration System Article By: Manky
Design, Researched and Built by Dr. Kevin Novak

There are a few considerations to observe when stacking baskets. Nothing complicated but it's something I've described in the anoxic filtration article on my website. It's in the second part, which concentrates on building a system, but, if you're seriously considering building a system, the whole article is a long read but I highly recommend it.

http://anoxicfiltrationsystem.blogspot.com/2014/12/well-long-anticipated-informative.html

Manky AKA: Syd Mitchell

Excerpts from a fish forum that were started just recently on the internet and posted 1/6/2016.

Excerpts from a fish forum that were started just recently on the internet and posted 1/6/2016.

Anoxic filter

So I thought it was time to bore you all by banging on about my pond filter

By: Dave Collins: a senior member of eXtreme Koi, the internet’s top Koi site!

http://www.koiforum.uk/water-treatment-protein-skimmers-filtration/16124-anoxic-filter.html

Anoxic filtration: For those who are curious about this type of filter or who are even considering installing one, I thought I’d write about my experiences of running one for the last 4 and half years. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of filter?

Disadvantages: I’ll start with this first because it’s much easier. The Anoxic filter is a bio filter only so although this is not strictly a disadvantage, it does require some sort of solids removal system as a first stage. Depending on how the Anoxic container is constructed then it can take up a fair bit of surface area unless you stack the baskets vertically.

Advantages: These are many but I will try and explain a few of them.

Cost: As in everything in life nothing is free BUT there is no need to spend thousands chasing the nitrogen cycle. I currently have 60 Biocenosis Clarification Baskets in a liner pond that filters the main pond. The baskets were filled with cat litter and Laterite although there are now cheaper alternatives available to Laterite. The Biocenosis Clarification Baskets litter and Laterite worked out at £19’s each so not cheap but could be reduced to about £12’s today. The Laterite has a reported life of at least 20 years and the baskets and cat litter are forever.

Water parameters: The Anoxic filter will first “eat” ammonia, so as such there is no nitrogen cycle except for the bacteria living on all pond surfaces. As there is very little ammonia then nitrite is also low and is consumed by the filter when it has finished with the ammonia. Once this is in short supply then the filter will start to consume the nitrate and phosphate leaving the water clean. The filter has no influence on KH or pH so the pond is very stable, I have been running my pond with a KH of 2dh for years with no signs of any change.

Cleaning: I have an RDF fitted so there is very little dirt that gets into the Anoxic filter. All I have is a very light covering of mulm on some of the baskets (between 1 & 2 mm thick or .039-.078 think). I last cleaned the Anoxic filter on 4th October 2013 and have no plans to clean it in the near future.

Water changes: I don’t change the water at all and haven’t done so since installing the Anoxic filter. I top up with about 200-liters of RO water a day that is used by the RDF but that is all for my 45,000 liter (11,887.74-USG) pond. The pond is crystal clear and all parameters checked on my Hanna 83203 electronic meter are low. Current temperature is 9.4°C (48.94 ͦF) and I’m still feeding 250-gms (8.8 oz. or ½ lbs.) of 36% protein food a day.

Koi: I have about 40 Koi in the pond of which 20 are over 60cms (23.622 in). They are all looking very well and I’m hoping my Chagoi which is currently at 85cms (33.46in) will pass the 1 meter mark in the next two years. The Koi are growing well but I don’t feed for quick growth so there are no growth records being broken in my pond. The Anoxic filter also consumes growth suppressant pheromones which would explain why the Koi in my overcrowded pond are still growing.

Please read my article for more information on pheromones: http://anoxicfiltrationsystem.blogspot.com/2015/12/pheromone-fermon-noun-zoology-chemical.html

Conclusions: I wish I’d found the Anoxic filter system before I spent thousands on all sorts of fancy filter systems that only leave you with a pond full of nitrates and a very large water bill trying to eliminate them.

Dave

Reply:

Thanks for that Dave a very good read. I did a new pond build early last year and put in a small anoxic filter {didn’t have much room for a bigger one} I too get a small mulm deposit but it is interesting that you don’t clean yours out.

I read somewhere to clean it out twice a year to be honest I haven’t touched mine yet, though I have a drain at the bottom of it so I have flushed it out quite often.

Does it take a long time to kick in like an ordinary filter? All my readings have been good since I built the pond so maybe it is working ok

John

Reply: Dave

Hi John,

No need to clean really as the drum keeps nearly everything out. For the very small particles that get through the filter acts like a settlement chamber, still used by many, the oxygen in the water renders them harmless.

As you say, Dr. Kevin Novak recommends complete water changes and clean out in the filter every six months. I haven't felt the need to do this, the water is sparkling and the water parameters are good.

I'd say the Anoxic filter takes about 2 weeks to start working and depending on where you're starting from can take from 6 weeks to a few months to be performant. I had Nitrates of 200mg/l so it took about 3 months to reduce it to the current level of 25mg/l

Reply:

Does it work as good throughout the winter?

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

Reply:

My pond is at 8°C (46.44 ͦF) this morning and I'm still feeding a little. The performance of the filter in winter slows down with the lower temperatures just like any other filter but it is still working.

Reply:

It's good to hear comments from someone who's actually running an anoxic system as I'm considering it for my next pond.

Reply:

Steve,

There are a few considerations to observe when stacking baskets. Nothing complicated but it's something I've described in the anoxic filtration article on my website. It's in the second part, which concentrates on building a system, but, if you're seriously considering building a system, the whole article is a long read but I highly recommend it.

http://anoxicfiltrationsystem.blogspot.com/2014/12/well-long-anticipated-informative.html

Manky

Reply:

Thanks Syd, I have read through your write up a couple of times and also downloaded and flicked through Kevin Novak's papers but as always with me it takes a while for things to sink in completely.

My biggest beef with an anoxic set up is that I could use the space and construction cost and effort for pond space so stacking baskets would be a major benefit.

I definitely need to do a bit more reading and see few more Koi keepers reviews before I decide what direction to take but I do like the concept of anoxic filtration.

Reply: from Dave Collins

Hi Steve,

I forgot to add to my Conclusions - Its bloody GREAT !! With an RDF and an Anoxic filter, all I do is watch the Koi grow whilst drinking a beer (summer only)

Excerpts from a fish forum that were started just recently on the internet and posted 1/6/2016.

Excerpts from a fish forum that were started just recently on the internet and posted 1/6/2016.

Anoxic filter

So I thought it was time to bore you all by banging on about my pond filter

By: Dave Collins: a senior member of eXtreme Koi, the internet’s top Koi site!

http://www.koiforum.uk/water-treatment-protein-skimmers-filtration/16124-anoxic-filter.html

Advantages: These are many but I will try and explain a few of them.

Please read my article for more information on pheromones: http://anoxicfiltrationsystem.blogspot.com/2015/12/pheromone-fermon-noun-zoology-chemical.html

Dave

Reply:

I read somewhere to clean it out twice a year to be honest I haven’t touched mine yet, though I have a drain at the bottom of it so I have flushed it out quite often.

Does it take a long time to kick in like an ordinary filter? All my readings have been good since I built the pond so maybe it is working ok

John

Reply:

Hi John,

Reply:

Does it work as good throughout the winter?

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

Reply:

It's good to hear comments from someone who's actually running an anoxic system as I'm considering it for my next pond.

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Do you know if there are bacteria used for this purpose that could live in an anoxic environment and hypothetically out compete the facultative anaerobes?

Hello Kevin,

Thanks for your time. I am not trying to take advantage of your willingness to give the benefits of your knowledge and experience. Needless to say I greatly appreciate it. Hypothetically, say I could find a product that was free from pathogens to hopefully colonize the surfaces of the aquariums that would breakdown waste and out compete unwanted bacteria as an adjunct to the anoxic filter for my application. Without knowing the specific bacteria being added at the time of me writing this, could you say whether or not there could be disruption in the anoxic filter? Do you know if there are bacteria used for this purpose that could live in an anoxic environment and hypothetically out compete the facultative anaerobes?

Thanks Again,

Jeff

Sent from my iPhone

Hi Jeff,

I think you almost answered your own question in your question itself. Too find a bacterium free from pathogens is not hard to do for most, but not all, are grown on a sterile medium of nutrient broths for hobbyist use. The problem is you don’t know what you’re getting when you buy bacteria cultures and that is the big secret that manufactures like to keep to themselves. The microbiological cultures you buy are “ you take their word for it” mentality or do it the old fashion way and let nature take its course in your aquatic environment.

Would such bacteria cultures be counterproductive to the Anoxic Filtrations BCB’s? NO and YES! I’ve use different bacteria cultures myself just to find that they, being use with an Anoxic filter, were useless in providing anything that was worth the money spent on them. Maybe in a conventional filter they have their place but not so in an Anoxic filter.

The BCB’s provide is a nutrient rich media that literally provides all the available elements that most bacteria need for growth like glucose, various salts like nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium and sulfur, lets not forget amino acids too. Because the BCB’s are not what in a lab would call a “selective media” those new bacteria you add may become antibiotic resistant bacteria if selectivity is not known. Will the new bacteria outcompete the facultative bacteria and insure their survival or worse yet out proliferated those bacteria that the Anoxic filter depends on…the possibility are there. Especially if they are heterotrophic bacteria type cells that have a quick regenerative life. If the available foodstuff is there and the environment is friendly then any bacterium that is aggressive enough will outcompete with other bacteria for space, carbon and oxygen.

Cheers,

Kevin

Petri dish full of E. Coli bacteria the same used in agriculture.

Photo taken from Internet archives.

Friday, January 1, 2016

probiotic use in aquaculture added to the water to breakdown waste carbs, fats and protein as well as algae.

I am the guy with the 1600 Gallon system with Leiarius Pictus catfish amongst others. As I have told you before the Anoxic filter has revolutionized my ability to predatory catfish. All other fish in the system are doing great. The L Pictus are also doing well except for sporadic periods of some dorsal fin deterioration as previously described although the Anoxic filter has overall improved its occasional progression with even rare times of fin regeneration.

I read an excellent thread on Monster Fish Keepers in the general aquaria section on probiotic use in aquaculture added to the water to breakdown waste carbs, fats and protein as well as algae. The products don't say what strains of bacteria or enzymes are in them but they seem to be used with success in septic tanks and according to the posters are safe in aquariums.

Do you think these products would interfere with the anoxic filter? I would guess the anoxic is already doing a lot of what the probiotics are pro ported to do. The probiotics may have some function maybe more locally in the aquarium itself at breaking down waste that does not reach the anoxic filter. The product Pentair Aquatic Eco sells is Microbe Lift PL. The company that makes it has there own website. I am willing to try it but do not want to interfere with the anoxic filter in anyway. Any thoughts?

Thanks again for you innovation and time, Jeff

Sent from my iPhone

Hi Jeff,

I have written about probiotics and how to introduce them to our fish in the past, what’s the safes way to do it, and why they work. Probiotics are used with bird breeders a lot and have been around for decades in aquarium use. Adding beneficial microorganisms to the GI track and gut are nothing new in humans too.

Okay I’ll let you in on a little secret on how to introduce free probiotics to your animals that I have written about. If your fish eat plants this is one freebee for them to get bacteria into their gut and intestines. The best way is worms, yes Mother Natures way of feeding our fish and giving them what they want is worms full of beneficial bacteria.

This beneficial bacterium in worms is especially important in early springtime with pond fish. They (worms that is) break down their food into bacteria much like that of the heterotrophic bacteria you can order from a lab but without all the bad bacteria you may get from unreliable grown lab bacteria that may add bad E. Coli bacteria commonly found in warm-blooded organisms.

However, lab bacteria may not be the same E. coli as worms have produced, which is the essential organism that aids fishes, benefiting their hosts by producing essential vitamins and being a harmless strain of E. Coli that assist in the natural flora in the gut and/or intestines like that of Koi. In some cases worms act as a natural laxative for fish (like goldfish and Koi) because of the beneficial E. Coli they produce. Worms will also aid in the preventing of the colonization of pathogenic bacteria inside the fish as well, because of this good E. Coli they produce.

Worms will even benefit Octopus in captivity with the same beneficial bacteria, not to mention that Octopus love big fat Night Crawlers. My pet Caribbean octopus Mortimer would grab the worms so fast out of your hand way before they would even hit the water.

My caution to you about using bacteria meant for septic systems is that bacteria is not meant for consumption because it’s made cheaply and not meant for anything except breaking down fecal mater inside a septic field. Which means there can be other garbage bacteria in it that may work at first but then be counterproductive to the beneficial bacteria in the gut within time. It is not live bacteria (but bacteria spores) like you would find in an Earthworm.

To read more about bacteria read my article: http://anoxicfiltrationsystem.blogspot.com/2013/08/buyers-beware-there-are-numerous.html

Now you will see what trickery goes on with bacteria spores that will fool the hobbyist into a false hope for colonizing their aquatic systems.

The photo shows that Earthworms benefit a lot of animals on this planet and not just fish. All photos taken from the Internet photo bucket.