running Emperor 400 without carbon?

[Austy16414]

I agree, but I'm kinda stuck with the emperors for now so I'll have to make do with bagged bio media and pads, thanks guys.

[Austy16414]

Any thoughts on putting a bag of plants in each of my filters to remove nitrates?

[rmalford]

Any thoughts on putting a bag of plants in each of my filters to remove nitrates?

How are you going to keep the plants alive?

[Austy16414]

I was going to pick something low maintenance like java fern, java moss, swords or anubias. Just tossing ideas around

[mnemenoi]

With solid lighting above the filters, use emergent plants. Atmospheric CO2 levels are almost double what is present in water. Add some lucky bamboo (Draceana sp.) or even some Pothos Ivy or something nearly bulletproof. Once it gets going too crazy, just hack it off and throw it away, Nitrates successfully 'exported' to the trash. That is why floaters are so successful in this regard. Submerged growth is limited by its limiting factor, usually CO2 though there can be others. With emergent growth this is not its limiting factor and growth can be drastic. Be fun and creative, look at marginal and other water lovers. Philodendron, some ferns, nearly anything. I've seen folks use it for herbs like mint. Look at vivarium/riparium plants as these do well with submersed roots and emergent foliage. Some aquarium plants grow in this manner as well, The hygros to be specific, but ludwigia, rotalla, and even mosses can grow out of water.

[rmalford]

Yeah... what he said^