A primary reason that aquarium hobbyists throw in the towel is that they tire of the endless battle against unwanted and unsightly algae. You’ve gone to the trouble of getting your aquarium looking just how you want it, so you want the water to be clear with the minimum of green gunk! Nitrates and phosphates, the two major causes of algae and other undesirable phenomena in your aquarium can be dramatically reduced by using our newly developed Bio Pearls.

iQuatics® Bio Pearls are 100% biodegradable polymers which kick-start and nurture the growth of bacteria and enzymes that consume troublemaking nitrates and phosphates in the water. They are designed to be used with a fluidised reactor, such as those manufactured by Arcadia, Bio Aquatek and AFM Marine.

Once the Bio Pearls have been activated, the bacteria and enzymes start to form on the surface of the pearls, thanks to essential nutrients contained within the pearls that prompt their growth. The bacteria feeds on the Bio Pearls built-in carbon source, whilst nitrogen and phosphorus are taken from the water as nitrates and phosphates. Whilst consuming these nitrates and phosphates from the fluidiser reactor water column, the bacteria and enzymes actually break down the Bio Pearls, leaving no undesirable pollutants in the water.

The clever bit

Once the unwanted nitrates and phosphates have been reduced to trace levels and a stable state is reached, the bacteria and enzymes no longer grow. However, if the levels of feeding or waste production increase in the tank, iQuatics Bio Pearls will spring back into action and start controlling the surplus nitrates and phosphates once more.

Why not just use a skimmer?

Only about 30% of the unwanted nutrients in the water can be captured by standard skimming. This is because the other 70% are not capable of sticking to the surface of the skimmer bubbles. iQuatics Bio Pearls absorb these nutrients and convert them into slime coated bacteria, which can be skimmed. Furthermore, the bacteria’s sticky surface facilitates the capture of tiny particles of waste from the fluidiser column as they pass through the skimmer, removing them before they start to break down. All of this means much clearer water in your tank, and less work for you!

IMPORTANT NOTE: To avoid causing shock to your aquarium inhabitants by the sudden reduction of NO3 (Nitrate) and PO4 (Phosphate) we recommend the gradual addition of Bio Pearls to your system, the following is a guideline for the addition of Bio Pearls to a 300L aquarium.

Recommended quantities are 100-150ml per 100l of water.

To get the best results from your iQuatics Bio Pearls we recommend the following:

• It is important to maintain water flow through your bio pearl reactor to prevent the build-up of Sulphide gasses. Regularly ensure that the pearls are tumbling correctly and haven’t stuck together or become a mass.
• iQuatics Bio Pearls MUST be used with and effective protein skimmer to achieve the export bacteria and assimilated nutrients. It is not necessary to have reactor outflow pipes near the skimmer but a skimmer must be running on the system.

• The use of UV and Ozone can have a negative effect on the bacterial recruitment of the Bio Pearls and can increase the maturation time of the product. We don’t recommend that Bio Pearls and UV/Ozone are run simultaneously.