Bakki Shower/Bacteria House vs Conventional Submerged Filtration System.

[PapaBear]

Quote: Originally Posted by KoiCop Re: your post #28 (this thread): ( pssst: They-uh he-yuh! Don)

At the time I made that post they were still hiding on the dark side of the moon playing with the unicorn poop hidden deep within the green cheese craters

[James P]

The EXISTANCE of FIR and the emitting of FIR from this ceramic product are two entirely different conversations. Somehow, because it does exisit we are then obligated to accept that a ceramic byproduct is the same as a ray gun?!!

A third conversation, whether FIR has the ability at all, or at these levels, to change molecular structure of water and to accelerate minerialization.

It is all rolled into one - a truth wrapped in a speculation, folded into wishful thinking. And all the time, the actual reasons the product does have some merit are poo pooed as 'rival propaganda'.

I do agree that all this will become clear in time. Very similar to the way spirorex had the spot light of truth applied to it in time.

[Maurice]

Luke, I hope you have done extensive tests on both medias to be able to come to that 'difinitive' conclusion.

Maurice.

[KoiCop]

Quote: Originally Posted by PapaBear At the time I made that post they were still hiding on the dark side of the moon playing with the unicorn poop hidden deep within the green cheese craters

Too funny! Don

[Valarc]

I have to disagree with JR here - this media DOES emit FIR. So does the stainless steel enclosure. So does the rock work around the pond. So does the dirt you dug up to make the pond. In fact, anything that's above absolute zero temperature emits some FIR. In fact, the exact cutoff point between "regular" infrared and "far" infrared is fairly ambiguous depending on which marketer promoting which snake oil product you talk to. It's a real shame to have a filter which seems to work well marketed with such a stupid gimmick.

[luke frisbee]

Maurice,
not definitive just an understanding by MOST of the breeders and hobbyists i have talked with....but When SMG did her tests she seemed to be fair and impartial... and had No ecomonic, business, or social position to cloud her judgement.
All the rich people out there SHOULD use Bakki media. but those that value their nickels and dimes can get the same bang for alot less buck using Lava rock..just do the same flow rates and water changes.
If it was only twice as expensive I'd buy it just because the big peices are easier to work with than the rubble that lava rock is.

[James P]

Right Valac, I should have qualified what I said in terms of amount and its effect. JR

[dtbh]

I have 3 comments.

#1 - I have checked my nitrate levels with a new Sera Test Kit (chart comparison) and the reading was 20mg/l. (my Tetra Tesk Kit, also with chart comparison, read 12.5mg/l...not 12.5md/100ml). Since my source water has the same level I will take it that my source water is the cause of the persistent nitrate level. My next task is to stop water change temporarily and monitor the nitrates. Is there a better way to check nitrate that is not too expensive?

#2 - Many of us have gone from one end of the spectrum to the other in terms of landscaping. I started off with a landscaped pond with a cascading waterfall of 6ft. First went the waterfall as it created too much water quality problems esp after a thunderstorm. This was followed by most of my artificial rocks as it caused too many injuries. Then addition of above-ground filters. These are real eyesores. My wife is already numbed to my unending pond changes. If one has a deep pocket it is easy to beautify any changes made. However with so frequent a change it still may not be easy. When I added the montrous Bakki Shower the sight (good or bad) to my wife is a given. She actually liked the waterfall-like sounds that it has created. I have made no effort to beautify the landscape of my pond and I do not intend to. For me the maintaining (and hopefully improving) the beauty of my kois is my overriding priority. I prefer to play with water quality rather that worry about the landscape (hence this new fun experiment). On the same note, a fellow koi hobbyist who went to Japan with me for the 1st time remarked that all this while he thought kois are just part of the landscape. After seeing so many gorgeous kois in Japan he now has a paradigm shift and believe the reverse is true.

#3 - I plead to all involved parties to leave controversial topics and personal attacks on the sidelines for the moment and allow time to tell us a definitive answer. This time will come and until such time let us come together and concentrate on our efforts to see the pros and cons of the many filtration systems at our disposal. I am sure BH works. Whether there is FIR or not makes no difference to that fact. Personally I am against yet-to-be definitely proven claims in advertisements (there are many in this business world). But again that makes no diference. Hobbyist long enough in this hobby are experienced enough to be above all these claims. I thank you all in anticipation of your understanding.

Back to the experiment. Water quality status quo. No exraordinary changes noted in objective/subjective parameters. Still siphoning like crazy......doubts that BS/BH has any significant effects on sediments remain for now.

[frankchong]

Now you got your scale correct Tetra test kit is in mg/litre which is equivalent to ppm ( parts per million ). It would be interesting for you to find out from which dam is your water supply taken. Some dams are more poluted by the sewage discharge.

[PapaBear]

Some of our friends in Singapore have had water problems of late in their tap water which makes me wonder if there may not be a climate condition causing many lakes in the geographic region to be in a turnover cycle. That would explain a temporary nitrate rise. If this has been a long term issue (judging by your preliminary test reports it seems that is the case) it could possibly be a natural mineral source in the local aquifer causing the problem.
Either way it sounds as though you have things well in hand .
Thanks again for your unbiased approach to this experiment.