# XP2 Canister



## windchill (Aug 2, 2006)

OK I read a bunch on the canisters and am thinking of using this rather than the HOB I have. What I am understanding is, I can use carbon or other media as a choice. Has anyone tried the Nitra-Zorb media? If so, did it control the nitrAte problem or not? High nitrAtes is a problem I would like to control.

A second question I have about this product is, has anyone managed to hook up a gravel syphon? One of the attractions of the magnum canisters was the handy gravel cleaner included that could be hooked to the intake.


----------



## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Do you have high nitrate because your watersource has NO3 in it or are you just trying to get out of doing waterchanges due to overfeeding, overstocking or infrequent waterchanges?


----------



## Vermifugert (Jun 15, 2006)

Simpte said:


> Do you have high nitrate because your watersource has NO3 in it or are you just trying to get out of doing waterchanges due to overfeeding, overstocking or infrequent waterchanges?


nitrate is nitrate. will it do the job?


----------



## windchill (Aug 2, 2006)

Simpte said:


> Do you have high nitrate because your watersource has NO3 in it or are you just trying to get out of doing waterchanges due to overfeeding, overstocking or infrequent waterchanges?


My tap/well water starts out at around 10ppm nitrAte but is off the scale with hardness at 31 dGH and 19 dKH. 

My other source of tap/well water (which involves transporting water 7 miles) is half the hardness, 16 dGH scale, and 13 dKH, but is at least 20 ppm nitrAte (the test sucks to read at 20ppm or higher). PH is at 7.2 or 7.4 at both sources. 

I have a tap water filter which does a good job at bringing down all the problems but I still need to mix it with tap to bring the KH/ GH and PH up again. With as hard as my own water is, I am going to be burning out the tap water filter fast because of the GH/KH and not the nitrAtes, where I could use this at my other source of water for most likely twice as long before having to by another $20 filter replacement. 

Transporting the water needed for a change wouldnt be a problem, I am going over to the second water source a few times a week anyways, but it is the second water source that has the higher original nitrAtes. If I can get the nitrAtes under control within the tank I shouldnt have to filter near as much water to achieve a softer water and maintain good PH. Hence my question regarding the Nitra-Zorb. For the inital tank set up, if I can bring the nitrAtes down via Nitra-Zorb within the canister without messing up PH/KH/GH I am well on my way to a good start. No matter which option I take I am going to have to filter some water for hardness.

I am asking these questions because when I set up my own tank (55 gallon) I want to have all the information possible to ensure maintainable quality for the fish within. I thought if someone on the forums had used the product, they could give it a Thumbs up so I know its money well spent or Thumbs down and save me a bit of money.


----------

