Nutrient Control and Export Mechanisms

In this section, we will identify and discuss some simple techniques that you can use to help reduce and eliminate the accumulation of nutrients and get on the road to better water quality. None of these techniques are revolutionary; most have been around as long as the aquarium hobby. However, in our quest to achieve optimum water quality and control nuisance algae, we often overlook some of these basic techniques in our quest for The Big Solution to our

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These are some of my absolute favorite power filters. They are simple, reliable, inexpensive, and have an extremely large and versatile media basket. The standard foam block functions as a decent mechanical filter, and in time, will become colonized by beneficial bacteria and provide some amount of biological filtration. They also use a large bag of activated carbon for chemical absorption and can be fitted with an additional product Hagen calls

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Counter-current air-driven protein skimmers can be very efficient at removing significant amounts of quality skimmate. They have lost favor with some hobbyists because of their dependency on sometimes frequent maintenance and adjustments. Wood air stones decay over time, which results in increased backpressure, decreased bubble production, and less skimmate extracted. I recommend the replacement of wood air stones monthly or better to maintain optimum performance. Another dra

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