Untile now, I never truly thought much about the science behind SM. I will say I have used this in past and Seachem products have always produced positive results. The cost has always been a bit higher, but I guess this is just an added luxury (as per engrossing in this fantastic hobby)!
Why use matrix when you can use purigen? If the filter is air tight (as all external filters are) then there's no way that anaerobic bacteria can grow! External filters are air tight and will fail when they are full with air because the impeller can't pump air on its own and that's why filters like the FX series auto stop for a minute or two every 24 hours. Anaerobic bacteria will grow on your decor (with highly oxygenated water) and that's about it! In sumps, air can enter, and leave the water column and media due to the fresh feed that absorbs oxygen on the path in and isn't in any way pressurised until it leaves the sump via a pump.
@@nathangroves3177 what the hell are you on bro? Do you think water is completely deoxygenated by being sucked through a pump? Anaerobic bacteria isn't gonna grow meaningfully on the surface of aquarium decor, where it is also surrounded by oxygenated water. I'm dubious on the science, but the idea is that extremely finely porous media will create anaerobic conditions inside the individual pieces of media, not inside the entire filter.
@@BillyPipes Thats bcuz you're not running your water thru a fine filter first to help catch all the "muck". THINK... It'll save you lots of time AND money, honey :)
Just found you as my water got a cloudy from a food having alot of corycats letting my platys go slowly hatching eggs wich was fun over the past 2 year havng an aquarium for 45 yrs know, I use a tiddal110 as well as a aquaclear and a spong filter as well as I`m trying the Matrix as I`ve been useing the biorings as well as the polyfill and just got some carbon that really didn`t do much so I also picked up som topfin nitrogenfilterpads and regular filterpads as well.watching some more videos before useing all in 1 filter 1st as leaving the second will be to fast I think, No algy I must say I always clen with clean water when cleaning the filers TY for your videos, Windsor Ontario.
Green aqua who are seriously awesome based in Budapest did a tutorial on filters and media and in a nut shell at the end they said sorry for the technical stuff but to keep it simple and in summery fill the baskets up with Matrix. Looking at their tanks if its good enough for them them jeeze it will do me,plus I dont think its that expensive for what it does.
Interesting that Reps told you it expires, where the product's website states that it doesn't expire. In reality, it shouldn't expire. It's a rock. That would be like saying you need to change out the live rock, in your system, periodically. That being said, there would be less maintenance (in terms of rinsing crap off of it) if the pumice rock was in an area of a system that is after good mechanical filtration (filter sock, filter pad/floss). This is true of any bio-filtration (MarinePure, bio balls, etc).
+Kreger's Reef very true. They say water should run through a filter floss/sump sock but even ditritis gets through socks and floss. So it depends on how heavy of a bioload the tank has. It won't expire on a shelf but it will in a tank
Yep that stuff never expires in fact if your looking for Anoxic conditions you are supposed to never remove any type of BioMedia filtration you are using
I just did a 50% water change on sat and it's up to 10ppm already. Both canisters fully cleaned just a couple of weeks ago and I don't use tap water to rinse the matrix. It's possible the matrix I got was bad, I kind of remember it having a lot of granite looking rocks and black quartz in it which I picked out. Who knows someone could have ordered it and sent back rocks and Amazon just resold it.
BassMan Strikes 10 ppm isn't too bad. When I was all fresh planted tanks I would have it up to 40-50ppm. I used seachem prime a lot too with every water change
“Matrix™ is completely inert and will not breakdown. It need not be replaced. Since the majority of the bacteria are internal, Matrix™ may be rinsed when needed without damaging the filter.”
@JonathanBarrow I read the EXACT same information on the Seachem website. *shrugs* Partially why I chose this product... kinda bummed learning that it may in fact NEED replacement. 😕
I don't think you need to rinse it. ADA bio rio does not need rinsing. I might be wrong though. Just got this today. Using 100 grams in a 10 G tank with 4 Danios.
Billy, you initially had this on the bottom of your fuge and then switched to placing in filter bags because you wanted water to flow THROUGH IT. Matrix instructions show to put in canister filter or drip technique which to me is usually lower flow. Where did you get info on HIGHER FLOW? I am debating on placement. Either in DRAIN area sump because of high flow or inside reactors where I can control the flow. What do you think? IF I put in reactors, how much GPH is IDEAL?
Thanks for the info. Someone recommended this stuff as an alternative to the filter cartridges. They said I can just put it in the little compartment in the back and put a sponge filter on the intake.
Nice video. I recently did some in-depth research on popular biomedia and did a video on it. I myself am a biohome fan, but.......after extensive research, I quickly discovered that Seachem Matrix was king in useable surface area and nitrate reduction.
Would it be reasonable to suppose that Seachem's Pristine, which contains bacteria engineered to breakdown detritus, would extend the life of Matrix by slowing or preventing the clogging of its pores?
Hi, I just bought Seachum Matrix. I'm wondering how does it work. Can I place this in my Marineland magnum polishing internal canister filter? And if so will it be ok to use it along with the Black Diamond Carbon filter media? I bought all this stuff and don't know how to use it. I have a 20 gal tank w/ a adult red-earred slider turtle. Pls help me. Can't find any videos to help me.
18 months lifespan even with monthly washing? Or are you saying that a neglected matrix will expire in 18 months? 18 months is a very short time especially if it is proper maintained.
Hi Billy, in your experience can Matrix remove nitrates (i.e. grow anaerobic bacteria)? Thank you for the video and taking the time to answer so many questions.
Hello. Great video. I want to use matrix for the extra surface area it provides for denitrifying bacteria. ( I have no gravel bed in DT) Since matrix also removes nitrates will it starve the chaeto I have in my sump ?
Couple years late but, I have a marine land 360 canister filter, what media would I replace in place for this type of media? Thanks ahead of time. Would appreciate some feedback
You could probably clean and "refresh" the brown ones like Purigen, with bleach. Did you ask the representatives about that? Maybe you should. I'd imagine it'd be fine, as long as you're careful.
Hahaha, yeah I'm iffy about it too.. but I read since it's supposed to be chlorine, eventually it evaporates by itself, like with regular water. Add a double dose of Prime to it and it... should be ok? Thing is the media is porous so... It'll probably take long to do so. Maybe regular cleaning of the media avoids this? I dunno..
great video! how did you find matrix for keeping a handle on nitrates? I know its great either way but does it actually live up to the hype of removing the final stage nitrates from the water ?
@@BillyPipes Thank you for your reply. I am a beginner :) and just realized that larger holes are important. However I have not seen bags like yours with a drawstring only with a metal zip. Any suggestions where to look for a media bag like yours are greatly appreciated.
Does the Aquarium benefit if you put some stones directly into the Aquarium above the soil? I have bought to much of searchem matrix and now I am wondering what I can do with the left over Cheers
@@BillyPipes thanks for your reply! But why it shouldnt? I mean it still has the same surface for bacteria to settle down and there would also be a constant water flow. I just want to understand it ☺️
What if you have excellent mechanical media before the seachem Matrix and every time you go to clean the Matrix it's basically spotless because all the mechanical media took care of all the detritus? Do you think it would last longer? I did not know it had an expiration date everybody told me it lasted forever although I do have a freshwater aquarium
Thanks for the excellent video. What's the difference between seachem matrix & seachem de*nitrate? Both appear to be the same thing from the RUclips videos. If different which is better for breaking down nitrates?
Hi Billy , thanks for the video. learned a lot about Seachem matrix from this video. We are making large biofilters for RAS fish farming. I have seen in some website that Matrix has surface area of 700m2 per liter. That means 700,000 m2 per cub meter !! is it true ? The other types of bio media like MBBR K1/K3 type has highest surface area of 1000m2 per m3. Some flat biochips may have 3500m2 per m3 . But according to the claim of seachem, it is incredibly high. If it is true,then we can use the Matrix instead of traditional K type MBBR media. Can we use air bubble through the Matrix in the biofilter to make the nitrification process more efficient ? Please make your comments . Thanks .
I'm not totally sure how it works on large systems. And I wouldn't think bubbles would be beneficial going through it because it needs to have the surface bacteria to colonize
It says 500ml of seachem for 400 l tank. I have 150 l tank so that means I need only about 190ml. My question is can I still use the whole 500ml as I have lots of space in the tray available? If I use more than required will that be harmful?
hay pipes. I also have matrix in my sump for 2 years. tired of stirring up detritus from it to clean. do you know what would be a good clean up crew for matrix? I have bristle worms, thank god. but I want something more. has a huge brittle star fish, but it made itself through egg crate and into my UV pump. prolly see you on daves live stream tonight.....its Saturday whoo-hoo.
Hi just watched your video, very informative, however I am confused why you did not use some water from you Aquruim to rinse the matrix stones in a bucket, then put it in to a mesh bag. Then you would not need to use any prime and more water to rinse it again like you have just done. Just an observation so please don’t be amended as I’m only trying to be helpful. We all make mistakes and as a fish hobbyist for 55 years it always good to share and give opinions to each other which can be helpful to each other. I use bio matrix for my African cichlids tank of which I have three, one peacock 345 litre tank and two smaller mbuna cichlids tanks. I have always believe to secret to healthy fish is very good water quality and regular maintenance. This is a great hobby but I have found one has to be prepared to do regular maintenance and water changes. I do water tests twice a week on all of my aquariums, even my community Aquruim as the water condition in that tank need to have soft acidity water so I use Cappa leaves and cones which works really well. As a further note, I use purigen in my external filter for better water quality. Take care and happy fish keeping to you all. From retired ex army veteran.
Hi I'm very new to this hobby and I just to clear some things, so the reduction of ammonia is done by the bacteria right, so I need to add bacteria with this for it to work, the stones alone wont do anything?!. Again take it easy on me lol
What I should have said was can I place the mesh bag directly in the pond , not in a filter, I would hang it underneath a return so it wouldnt be sitting on the floor of the pond. The pond is above ground and is in my basement. Thanks
@@BillyPipes I mean Prime is 5ml for 200Litre, that vase holds like 5 litre max, i think you might have poured enough to treat 1000 Litres ahah, but i get it you were tryna saturate the media in dechlorinator to make sure all surface is ready for bacteria
Seachem just told me that matrix does not work in very high flow filter... I feel cheated as they recommend matrix if you have high flow rate will de-nitrate works on lower flow rate. I have 100gal of flow rate and it's not working at all.
I thank you for the info! I am willing to use this product as a substrate to my future freshwater shrimp tank. Do you think the nitrate removal will get saturated after a while? Because it won't be possible to rinse the rocks... How does the nitrate removal works anyway? Is it just an absorption mechanism?
This must have been a free matrix review! Either that or a new fish keeper. No-one replaces their biological media every 18 months and the truth is in the test results and not what the manufacturer says!!
Hey genius watch my latest video and tell me I'm a new fishkeeper. This review is for a saltwater aquarium. And if you know so much about the product then why are you researching it on RUclips?
You never need to replace this media, just every big cleaning cycle take tank water and give it a good slosh around. The only lasts 2year thing is kinda expensive, resets your cycle and honestly bs.
I swear by this stuff and have it in every system I have, including the turtle tank lol. Great product along with alot of their other products also. I'm a big fan of Seachem if you hadn't noticed lol. Great review Billy.
Hi Billy, I'm a novice in the hobby but I learned that when you're using RO/DI water you don't need to use dechlorinator 5:40 Ryan, the marine biologist from BRS said that that's actually the purpose of the filtration system, getting rid of all the unwanted mineral including chlorine. What do you think about that??
Rosco's Reef with Scott Are you getting sneak previews before the rest of us Scott? I'm sure your comment was up 23 seconds before Billy's video... 😂😂 👍👌😉😉
@@BillyPipes gotcha. I’m starting a new tank tomorrow and I got a fluvial Aqua clear filter so instead of using the bio max I might use this it seems better
why take the chance of getting chlorine in your saltwater tank, why not rinse the matrix with either fresh saltwater or saltwater removed from your tank during a water change
The fact you can buy the same stuff from a garden center for cheaper and larger quantities, but buying it from an aquarium filter company at a higher price and less quantity is better. 🤦♂️
250ml for 50 gallons, i think is an absolute lie. That is probably the minimum, for a fully planted freshwater tank with a few fish in. You know how companies are with filters. Same thing.
So you need to replace it? Thank you for this, now I'm determined to not buy any more Matrix, going to use Biohome media instead since it does't need replacement.
Even Biohome needs replacement eventually say after 5 to 7 years or 10 years depending upon how much effective your mechanical filteration is. If the pores are all clogged up then you will need to replace it. However I found a way to renew the matrix. Boil it to loosen the gunk then follow the same method they recommend for Purigen.
@@cristiansofake7854 I'm kidding. I don't even use this stuff anymore. This video is 5 yrs old. It's good stuff tho. Don't worry bout doin a water change. It's fine. Just add some carbon for a week
@@BillyPipes the reality is that Seachem matrix is just ordinary pumice stone. It’s been graded somewhat through a sieve but it does contain other darker volcanic rocks mixed in to the batch. At the end of the day the product is nothing special. Eheim Substrat Pro is precision made in Germany and is much better.
Who told you that it needs to be replaced? Lol. Buddy,I'm sorry you seem to be knowledgeable about the hobby but no way in hell does your matrix ever need replacing..rinse oh yes but don't ever replace it and if a representative of seachem said that then they work in sales...don't replace EVER
@brad7806 you asked me a question and then answered it at the end of your comment lol. Buddy, I'm sorry but you're the one one youtube researching matrix to begin with yet you have all the answers 😉
I've been using the product for yrs in my 220gl fresh water tank.Good stuff has never failed to keep the tank clean and healthy.
👍👍👍👍
I use it with purigen and my water is always clean no ammonia or anything bad
Untile now, I never truly thought much about the science behind SM. I will say I have used this in past and Seachem products have always produced positive results. The cost has always been a bit higher, but I guess this is just an added luxury (as per engrossing in this fantastic hobby)!
LGW3 Orchids & Exotics very true my friend
Why use matrix when you can use purigen? If the filter is air tight (as all external filters are) then there's no way that anaerobic bacteria can grow!
External filters are air tight and will fail when they are full with air because the impeller can't pump air on its own and that's why filters like the FX series auto stop for a minute or two every 24 hours.
Anaerobic bacteria will grow on your decor (with highly oxygenated water) and that's about it!
In sumps, air can enter, and leave the water column and media due to the fresh feed that absorbs oxygen on the path in and isn't in any way pressurised until it leaves the sump via a pump.
@@nathangroves3177 what the hell are you on bro? Do you think water is completely deoxygenated by being sucked through a pump? Anaerobic bacteria isn't gonna grow meaningfully on the surface of aquarium decor, where it is also surrounded by oxygenated water. I'm dubious on the science, but the idea is that extremely finely porous media will create anaerobic conditions inside the individual pieces of media, not inside the entire filter.
Only reason to replace it is to feed seachem money
It will get completely clogged in a saltwater aquarium
@@BillyPipes
Thats bcuz you're not running your water thru a fine filter first to help catch all the "muck".
THINK... It'll save you lots of time AND money, honey :)
@@BillyPipes Just rinse it out every few months when you do a water change. You really don’t need to replace it.
@@bigbowlowrong4694 I know. And I dont even use it anymore
@@BillyPipes what do you use now?!
Just found you as my water got a cloudy from a food having alot of corycats letting my platys go slowly hatching eggs wich was fun over the past 2 year havng an aquarium for 45 yrs know, I use a tiddal110 as well as a aquaclear and a spong filter as well as I`m trying the Matrix as I`ve been useing the biorings as well as the polyfill and just got some carbon that really didn`t do much so I also picked up som topfin nitrogenfilterpads and regular filterpads as well.watching some more videos before useing all in 1 filter 1st as leaving the second will be to fast I think, No algy I must say I always clen with clean water when cleaning the filers TY for your videos, Windsor Ontario.
Thanks for the breakdown ... i think you did a good job in explaining how this works and should be used. Thanks big guy.
U got it bro
Hi
I never thought about running matrix in my media chamber instead of the floor of the sump. Thanks for the insight! Great video!
u got it buddy
Good idea putting it in a reactor! i never considered that route.
ReefDudes yup. per seachem they say it's awesome in a canister filter so I figured it would be good there
Green aqua who are seriously awesome based in Budapest did a tutorial on filters and media and in a nut shell at the end they said sorry for the technical stuff but to keep it simple and in summery fill the baskets up with Matrix. Looking at their tanks if its good enough for them them jeeze it will do me,plus I dont think its that expensive for what it does.
👍👍👍
Interesting that Reps told you it expires, where the product's website states that it doesn't expire.
In reality, it shouldn't expire. It's a rock. That would be like saying you need to change out the live rock, in your system, periodically. That being said, there would be less maintenance (in terms of rinsing crap off of it) if the pumice rock was in an area of a system that is after good mechanical filtration (filter sock, filter pad/floss). This is true of any bio-filtration (MarinePure, bio balls, etc).
+Kreger's Reef very true. They say water should run through a filter floss/sump sock but even ditritis gets through socks and floss. So it depends on how heavy of a bioload the tank has. It won't expire on a shelf but it will in a tank
Of course because they want you to buy more $$$
Yep that stuff never expires in fact if your looking for Anoxic conditions you are supposed to never remove any type of BioMedia filtration you are using
Nice Intro Bud and great Matrix review
Thanks Dave 👍
That video was helpful. I just got me some and I hadn't known about changing it. Thanks
John Zimm 👍
I have 4 liters in a large canister filter for almost a year and it doesn't seem to reduce nitrates at all. This is on a 75gal freshwater setup.
Do you have a lot of fish and do you feed a lot?
There are a lot of smaller mollies and 4 small blue gouramis and I don't feed them much, just a pinch every other day.
I just did a 50% water change on sat and it's up to 10ppm already. Both canisters fully cleaned just a couple of weeks ago and I don't use tap water to rinse the matrix. It's possible the matrix I got was bad, I kind of remember it having a lot of granite looking rocks and black quartz in it which I picked out. Who knows someone could have ordered it and sent back rocks and Amazon just resold it.
Oh and a year old bristle nose pleco, he is not big though, 2.5 to 3 inches.
BassMan Strikes 10 ppm isn't too bad. When I was all fresh planted tanks I would have it up to 40-50ppm. I used seachem prime a lot too with every water change
I throw the colored ones in my tank as decorations lol
Man you got me thinking about the shelf life of my marine pure balls and if they clog over time as well. Great informational video.
Maybe try shaking some in a bucket of saltwater and see what happens. It would make for a good video 👍
good review man. i tried it and saw no difference. i'm thinking about just buying a large sponge and placing it in my sump. going to home depot today.
Rotter Tube Reef 👍my nitrates have always been in check. hopefully it's due to the matrix🤔
The matrix exists?!
“Matrix™ is completely inert and will not breakdown. It need not be replaced. Since the majority of the bacteria are internal, Matrix™ may be rinsed when needed without damaging the filter.”
Jonathan Barrow I was told otherwise by 2 seachem representatives. They also spoke at a convention about it.
Billy Pipes that’s very strange, I guess they need to coordinate with their market department. Lol.
Jonathan Barrow lol
@JonathanBarrow I read the EXACT same information on the Seachem website. *shrugs* Partially why I chose this product... kinda bummed learning that it may in fact NEED replacement. 😕
It can just be rinsed. I preferred to swap it out
I don't think you need to rinse it. ADA bio rio does not need rinsing. I might be wrong though. Just got this today. Using 100 grams in a 10 G tank with 4 Danios.
It's just to rinse off the dust
Billy, you initially had this on the bottom of your fuge and then switched to placing in filter bags because you wanted water to flow THROUGH IT. Matrix instructions show to put in canister filter or drip technique which to me is usually lower flow. Where did you get info on HIGHER FLOW? I am debating on placement. Either in DRAIN area sump because of high flow or inside reactors where I can control the flow. What do you think? IF I put in reactors, how much GPH is IDEAL?
The flow rate doesn't matter. As long as water is flowing through it and not around it. And canister filters are usually a high rate
Thanks for the info. Someone recommended this stuff as an alternative to the filter cartridges. They said I can just put it in the little compartment in the back and put a sponge filter on the intake.
Yup👍
Nice video. I recently did some in-depth research on popular biomedia and did a video on it. I myself am a biohome fan, but.......after extensive research, I quickly discovered that Seachem Matrix was king in useable surface area and nitrate reduction.
Frank's Tanks nice!!! I like that the matrix can fit in tight spots too
damn i just have biohome in for a year now, i want this stuff too gonna hook up a second filter whit all matrix in it so flow here we come .
Ronald Kasteel 👍👍
biohome is a very close second in surface area and reduces nitrates like matrix, so its still a good choice.
Thanks billy i need to be watching more of your videos thought i was already sub to you
ms. resa 143 Hunter stay tuned for the new tank build really soon lol
Billy Pipes ok will be looking forward to your new video meanwhile gonna go check out the ones i missed
ms. resa 143 Hunter awesome. thank you
Billy Pipes no problem im watching your diatom video im having that problem now
Would it be reasonable to suppose that Seachem's Pristine, which contains bacteria engineered to breakdown detritus, would extend the life of Matrix by slowing or preventing the clogging of its pores?
Sounds like it would work
Hi, I just bought Seachum Matrix. I'm wondering how does it work. Can I place this in my Marineland magnum polishing internal canister filter? And if so will it be ok to use it along with the Black Diamond Carbon filter media? I bought all this stuff and don't know how to use it. I have a 20 gal tank w/ a adult red-earred slider turtle. Pls help me. Can't find any videos to help me.
You can use it in a canister filter. I recommend putting it in a media bag while it's in the filter 👍
Thanks for the education. Great video. Awesome intro too
EDK ReefMeister thanks man
18 months lifespan even with monthly washing? Or are you saying that a neglected matrix will expire in 18 months? 18 months is a very short time especially if it is proper maintained.
18 months with a heavier bioload👍
What is you have a great mechical filtration totally clean from actual dirt before the water hits the matrix
That's great I will try some 👍
Lee and Mandy Battersby I like it better than marine pure cause it can be rinsed and fit to any size compartment
Can you just buy any pumice blocks, wash and rinse in salt water then use it?
I'm not sure about that. They do make bio blocks meant for saltwater tanks which is what I use now. Marinepure blocks
nice review.I just bought some for my new Fluval evo 13 gallon. Now,just need to figure out how much to put in.
👍. you can add as much as you want. I put in as much as I could fit. 1 liter is good for 100 gallons.
Billy Pipes Sweet! Thank you so much!
GhostCrisp86 no prob. I'm gonna start filming my planted Fluval tank next week
Billy Pipes Sweet. I'll sub :)
actually that's just a marketing strategy. if u rinse it once a year u can use it forever ;)
Better safe then sorry I always say
@@BillyPipes it's just a waste of money trust me
@@LoneWolf_RO ok
Hi Billy, in your experience can Matrix remove nitrates (i.e. grow anaerobic bacteria)? Thank you for the video and taking the time to answer so many questions.
It definitely can. Once the matrix has been established it should definitely help with nitrate just a little bit tho
Hi may I know for this matrix need to be replaced after few years or can be use for long time?
Any advise
I've heard of ppl using it for many years. I ran mine for about 2 years before I switched it out
That tank is nice!
Thank you 👍
Hello. Great video. I want to use matrix for the extra surface area it provides for denitrifying bacteria. ( I have no gravel bed in DT) Since matrix also removes nitrates will it starve the chaeto I have in my sump ?
Nope. It will be perfect in that section
Couple years late but, I have a marine land 360 canister filter, what media would I replace in place for this type of media? Thanks ahead of time. Would appreciate some feedback
Marinepure spheres or Marinepure gems is what i would use👍
package says 2 liters treats 400 gallons......not 200 gallons. Correct?
I'm not 100% sure. I don't have a container at the moment to check
I see that you are now running a kessil. Do you have it set on a schedule or are you manually turning it on and off? Great vid👍👍
Aiden Tolomay I'm using the spectral controller. but I miss my T5's still lol
You could probably clean and "refresh" the brown ones like Purigen, with bleach. Did you ask the representatives about that? Maybe you should. I'd imagine it'd be fine, as long as you're careful.
+Voeris naa. I wouldn't trust that
Hahaha, yeah I'm iffy about it too.. but I read since it's supposed to be chlorine, eventually it evaporates by itself, like with regular water. Add a double dose of Prime to it and it... should be ok? Thing is the media is porous so... It'll probably take long to do so. Maybe regular cleaning of the media avoids this? I dunno..
great video!
how did you find matrix for keeping a handle on nitrates? I know its great either way but does it actually live up to the hype of removing the final stage nitrates from the water ?
I feel like all media is the same. It worked good but ive tried others and had the same results
I've found biohome works.
Great video. Thank you. Which media bags are you using and where can I get one?
Thank you. I honestly don't remember the name of the bag. Any media bag with larger holes is good 👍
@@BillyPipes Thank you for your reply. I am a beginner :) and just realized that larger holes are important. However I have not seen bags like yours with a drawstring only with a metal zip. Any suggestions where to look for a media bag like yours are greatly appreciated.
@@Myspecialphoto yup, I'll check the name brand when I get home
@@BillyPipes Thank you!
It's just a standard bag I got from Petco.
Does the Aquarium benefit if you put some stones directly into the Aquarium above the soil? I have bought to much of searchem matrix and now I am wondering what I can do with the left over
Cheers
It wont add any extra benefits on the bottom of the tank
@@BillyPipes thanks for your reply! But why it shouldnt? I mean it still has the same surface for bacteria to settle down and there would also be a constant water flow. I just want to understand it ☺️
@@nicholasschulz5528 needs water to flow thru it, not over top of it
@@milkyway270 do you use it in saltwater or freshwater?
What if you have excellent mechanical media before the seachem Matrix and every time you go to clean the Matrix it's basically spotless because all the mechanical media took care of all the detritus? Do you think it would last longer? I did not know it had an expiration date everybody told me it lasted forever although I do have a freshwater aquarium
In freshwater there is no need to replace it
Thanks for the excellent video. What's the difference between seachem matrix & seachem de*nitrate? Both appear to be the same thing from the RUclips videos. If different which is better for breaking down nitrates?
I dont even use this stuff anymore
@@BillyPipeswhy don’t you use it anymore?
@@carina4893 found something better
wonder if you could boil these to clear out the pores after they "fill up"
Probably but then the tank would try to start a new cycle
Wonderful explanation. Thank you
Thanks, glad to help😀
Hi Billy , thanks for the video. learned a lot about Seachem matrix from this video. We are making large biofilters for RAS fish farming. I have seen in some website that Matrix has surface area of 700m2 per liter. That means 700,000 m2 per cub meter !! is it true ? The other types of bio media like MBBR K1/K3 type has highest surface area of 1000m2 per m3. Some flat biochips may have 3500m2 per m3 . But according to the claim of seachem, it is incredibly high. If it is true,then we can use the Matrix instead of traditional K type MBBR media. Can we use air bubble through the Matrix in the biofilter to make the nitrification process more efficient ? Please make your comments . Thanks .
I'm not totally sure how it works on large systems. And I wouldn't think bubbles would be beneficial going through it because it needs to have the surface bacteria to colonize
I have a internal filter with marine pure and bio home ultimate would it be ok to use this with what I'm using in the same filter
Lee and Mandy Battersby yup
Does it need to be in ur filter or can I just dump it in the tannk
It works best in a filter👍
It says 500ml of seachem for 400 l tank. I have 150 l tank so that means I need only about 190ml. My question is can I still use the whole 500ml as I have lots of space in the tray available? If I use more than required will that be harmful?
Nope. I used way more than required and had no negative effects
hay pipes. I also have matrix in my sump for 2 years. tired of stirring up detritus from it to clean. do you know what would be a good clean up crew for matrix? I have bristle worms, thank god. but I want something more. has a huge brittle star fish, but it made itself through egg crate and into my UV pump. prolly see you on daves live stream tonight.....its Saturday whoo-hoo.
I'm not sure what would be good besides the worms. I'm currently using marinepure now
Hi Billy! What’s the tank brand that you are showing in this video, I want to get a similar one.
This was the nuvo 40
Billy Pipes thank you so much!
That stuff is the Bee's knees Mr Pipes =)
dudesreef lol👍👍
can i add phosguard and matrix in the same reactor by adding a filter floss as a divider
I wouldn't do it since phosgaurd needs to be replaced every 30 days
Does 250mL (100g n.w) enought for a 9.5gallon tank?
It should say on the container
Hi just watched your video, very informative, however I am confused why you did not use some water from you Aquruim to rinse the matrix stones in a bucket, then put it in to a mesh bag. Then you would not need to use any prime and more water to rinse it again like you have just done. Just an observation so please don’t be amended as I’m only trying to be helpful. We all make mistakes and as a fish hobbyist for 55 years it always good to share and give opinions to each other which can be helpful to each other. I use bio matrix for my African cichlids tank of which I have three, one peacock 345 litre tank and two smaller mbuna cichlids tanks. I have always believe to secret to healthy fish is very good water quality and regular maintenance. This is a great hobby but I have found one has to be prepared to do regular maintenance and water changes. I do water tests twice a week on all of my aquariums, even my community Aquruim as the water condition in that tank need to have soft acidity water so I use Cappa leaves and cones which works really well. As a further note, I use purigen in my external filter for better water quality. Take care and happy fish keeping to you all. From retired ex army veteran.
My tank is a saltwater aquarium not freshwater
My tank is a saltwater aquarium not freshwater
How does this compare to Pond Matrix? I know a lot of people seem to like that stuff.
jahhoeva pond matrix is identical. just bigger in size.
Thanks bro...
👍
They advertise it as never needing replacing?
In my opinion anything that can trap fish waste eventually needs to be replaced
Can I put a bag of matrix directly in my tank?
It works best with water flowing through it like in a hob filter or canister filter
Hi I'm very new to this hobby and I just to clear some things, so the reduction of ammonia is done by the bacteria right, so I need to add bacteria with this for it to work, the stones alone wont do anything?!.
Again take it easy on me lol
Thats correct 👍👍
The bacteria naturally develop inside your tank. No need for extra supplements, but some like Tetra Safestart and Seachem Stability won't hurt
Yup. I use aquavitro seed with every water change 👍
@@BillyPipes wow with every water change? Ok I need to buy bacteria lol
Hi how long we can use this media after how many months we have to replace the media
You can use it for the life of the tank
Can I sit pond matrix that is in a mesh bag on the bottom of a pond that is about 2800 gal ?
I'm not sure. I've only used it in a freshwater and saltwater tank. I would think it would get covered in sludge in a pond
What I should have said was can I place the mesh bag directly in the pond , not in a filter, I would hang it underneath a return so it wouldnt be sitting on the floor of the pond. The pond is above ground and is in my basement. Thanks
@@ToddLB4567 I think that would work 👍
@Jym E. Changa that's not what a seachem representative told me
In how much time bacteria grows because today I have added 170 gm biomedia of matrix for 2 feet tank
It totally depends on the bioload in the tank. I always add aquavitro seed or seachem stability. There's a 8 day regime that cycles the tank
@@BillyPipes I just have one flowerhorn in 2 feet tank
@@SachinBharati93 was the tank established?
@@BillyPipes it's just a week today but I had added water from the old tank
@@SachinBharati93 you should be good.
man i felt so poor after seeing you pour that much Prime into that amount of water xD
Lol i did use a little bit more than i should have but this bottle last forever
@@BillyPipes I mean Prime is 5ml for 200Litre, that vase holds like 5 litre max, i think you might have poured enough to treat 1000 Litres ahah, but i get it you were tryna saturate the media in dechlorinator to make sure all surface is ready for bacteria
Seachem just told me that matrix does not work in very high flow filter... I feel cheated as they recommend matrix if you have high flow rate will de-nitrate works on lower flow rate. I have 100gal of flow rate and it's not working at all.
Ken Wu I had matrix in a high flow canister filter and it worked fine. They do recommend high flow. Not sure who you talked to...
I thank you for the info! I am willing to use this product as a substrate to my future freshwater shrimp tank. Do you think the nitrate removal will get saturated after a while? Because it won't be possible to rinse the rocks... How does the nitrate removal works anyway? Is it just an absorption mechanism?
I wouldn't use it as substrate. It works when water flows through it.
Do you recommend keeping them on media bags or loose
Doesn't matter. It's just preference
This must have been a free matrix review! Either that or a new fish keeper. No-one replaces their biological media every 18 months and the truth is in the test results and not what the manufacturer says!!
Hey genius watch my latest video and tell me I'm a new fishkeeper. This review is for a saltwater aquarium. And if you know so much about the product then why are you researching it on RUclips?
is this just filter media or different?
It's just a type of media
You never need to replace this media, just every big cleaning cycle take tank water and give it a good slosh around. The only lasts 2year thing is kinda expensive, resets your cycle and honestly bs.
Yup I agree. 👍
No need to replace your media won’t clogg if your mechanic filtration is good and it’s not the best quality has random rocks in it
In a reef tank it will glow eventually
I swear by this stuff and have it in every system I have, including the turtle tank lol. Great product along with alot of their other products also. I'm a big fan of Seachem if you hadn't noticed lol. Great review Billy.
lol. thanks Welsh
sharon terry what the nitrates at?
sharon terry using tapwater on a saltwater aquarium isn't a good idea
Why is Matrix pack not sealed? Is there a reason for it ?
The bottle has a seal under the lid👍
Can you use this on a hang on filter?
Yes. Just put it in a media bag
Is it suitable for hob filter?
Yes but you have to put it in a media bag
Hi Billy, I'm a novice in the hobby but I learned that when you're using RO/DI water you don't need to use dechlorinator 5:40 Ryan, the marine biologist from BRS said that that's actually the purpose of the filtration system, getting rid of all the unwanted mineral including chlorine. What do you think about that??
George Arias I agree. But I rinsed it with tap water and just wanted to make sure all the chlorine was removed
Great review and video Billy.....First
Rosco's Reef with Scott 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Rosco's Reef with Scott Are you getting sneak previews before the rest of us Scott? I'm sure your comment was up 23 seconds before Billy's video... 😂😂 👍👌😉😉
DrOfWelshMagic just insider notification Dr.lol
DrOfWelshMagic lolol
Can I stick this in my HOB filter?
Darya definitely. Just put it in a media bag because it's light weight in the water
@Billy Pipes thanks for the reply :P
Does it really take out nitrates?
Slowly
You are saying it to replace after two years, but company claims that it is for lifetime. Please clarify.
I rinsed it over to clean anything unwanted off then put it right back in the sump👍
@@BillyPipes but my question is different please read again.
I met a seachem rep and he told me that in a saltwater environment it can get clogged from ditritus
@@BillyPipes OK Sir thanks for clarification. So can I assume that you also say that this media is for lifetime in a freshwater tank?
@@RohitTulsiyan yes, but shake it off once or twice a year in a bucket of tank water
can i use this in my fluval hang filter?
Yes, but you will need to put it in a media bag so it doesn't flow out of the filter
@@BillyPipes but would I replace it with my bio media?
@@carlos92fs87 this is the same thing as media. But add it to what you have for a month before you take out the existing media
@@BillyPipes gotcha. I’m starting a new tank tomorrow and I got a fluvial Aqua clear filter so instead of using the bio max I might use this it seems better
Can this be use to saltwater tank ?
Yes but there are better media for saltwater
@@BillyPipes what are better media for saltwater?
@@celgibson7219 marinepure
uhh thats wayyy too much Prime, 5mL treats 50 gal, double if you have lots of chorine/chloramine, you don't need 1 cup to treat a gallon of water...
I know. I like to add a lot because it's going in a saltwater system with coral
why take the chance of getting chlorine in your saltwater tank, why not rinse the matrix with either fresh saltwater or saltwater removed from your tank during a water change
Hey billy where you got that caddy?
Jonathan Soto I got it from one of my LFS but I think BRS has it. $40 I believe
Super nice video n review!
The fact you can buy the same stuff from a garden center for cheaper and larger quantities, but buying it from an aquarium filter company at a higher price and less quantity is better. 🤦♂️
Yet here you are researching it?🤔
How many liters is this bottle?
I'm sorry I don't remember.
@@BillyPipes you said 2 litres in the video.
So don’t wash it right
Not if it's been in a tank.
250ml for 50 gallons, i think is an absolute lie.
That is probably the minimum, for a fully planted freshwater tank with a few fish in.
You know how companies are with filters. Same thing.
Yeah I've learned over the years the same thing. This is an old video
Will it work too well?
I dont want 0 nitrates cuz i keep soft corals
It wont zero out your nitrates. I was always at around 5-10ppm
So you need to replace it? Thank you for this, now I'm determined to not buy any more Matrix, going to use Biohome media instead since it does't need replacement.
In my opinion and many others eventually any type of media needs to be replaced including marinepure and biohome
true, I just got the feeling ceramic rings and biohomme would last longer than matrix.
@@echoes1891 totally agree👍👍 I've since switched to marinepure
Even Biohome needs replacement eventually say after 5 to 7 years or 10 years depending upon how much effective your mechanical filteration is. If the pores are all clogged up then you will need to replace it. However I found a way to renew the matrix. Boil it to loosen the gunk then follow the same method they recommend for Purigen.
@@DeepikaAditya totally agree with you 👍
I could have lived without the intro crazy sound effects
That noise scared my cat 🐈
I've changed it
👍
😁😁
Only two years then replace it 🤷✌️🇨🇦
For a saltwater or freshwater tank?
@@BillyPipes fresh water was hoping it would last long with good maintenance ✌️🙏🇨🇦
@gk9417 yeah this video is about a saltwater aquarium
Forgot to wash mine before putting in🤣 ill do a 80% water change tomorrow lol
I'd do 99% just to be safe👍
@@BillyPipes yo really? Kinda scared doing that, ive heard people saying half their fish dying after doing 80% water changes
@@cristiansofake7854 I'm kidding. I don't even use this stuff anymore. This video is 5 yrs old. It's good stuff tho. Don't worry bout doin a water change. It's fine. Just add some carbon for a week
is this stuff used in freshwater as well?
Waxy Parsnips yup
Thanks Billy!
Waxy Parsnips 👍
one further question... How much of the Matrix would you suggest I use in a 55 gal. Freshwater (Non cichlid) tank? Thanks!
Waxy Parsnips 250ML per 50 gallons of water
What evidence do you have that Seachem source the finest grade pumice on the planet ? Have Seachem really explored places like New Zealand and Japan ?
Is new Zealand and Japan the best place on the planet for resources?
@@BillyPipes the reality is that Seachem matrix is just ordinary pumice stone. It’s been graded somewhat through a sieve but it does contain other darker volcanic rocks mixed in to the batch. At the end of the day the product is nothing special. Eheim Substrat Pro is precision made in Germany and is much better.
@@Spruikermania if you know its better than why are you doing research on it here on RUclips?
Who told you that it needs to be replaced? Lol. Buddy,I'm sorry you seem to be knowledgeable about the hobby but no way in hell does your matrix ever need replacing..rinse oh yes but don't ever replace it and if a representative of seachem said that then they work in sales...don't replace EVER
@brad7806 you asked me a question and then answered it at the end of your comment lol. Buddy, I'm sorry but you're the one one youtube researching matrix to begin with yet you have all the answers 😉
@@BillyPipes question was sarcasm.assumed you would get it..yes I was watching videos how much matrix helped.led into yours..that's all
That intro is horrible
@DRZLLZRD watchbmy most recent video and tell me if it's better. And it's definitely better than your intro or lack there of lol
This stuff is garbage better off using lava rock
Then why are are you on RUclips researching it. And good luck using lava rock in a saltwater aquarium dumbass