In my Drs. Foster Smith catalog I see a product called Nitrex in the
Biological Media section... " Unique, effective, patented biological
filtration. Thes granular material for fresh and salt water has the ability
to grow specific nitrifying bacteria to eliminate ammonia, ammonium,
nitrate, and nitrate in hours.... " It looks like aquarium carbon, black and
fine chunks. Perhaps they have included something like this, or maybe it is
simply used gravel from their extablished tanks (My best guess is this is
used gravel)

In the chemical Media section you will find other magic grael=like subsances
containing zeolite, carbon, and many carbon substitutes. Go to
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/ to read what the sales brochures say, then
find the manufacturer sites to search for further information.

Now I have head that someone was selling used gravel online, or trying to
find out how long such gravel would be good in shipping. Having seen the
prices some people will pay on Ebay for common things, I am no longer
surprised. In fact, I guess now that my narrow leaf java fern is producing
so much, I need to set myself up on Ebay to auction it off bit by bit.
Nothing like an auction to get folks to over pay for stuff!

Ann V


"Emily" wrote in message
news
Hi,

I am hoping somebody on this group may be able to point me in the right
direction.

I am doing a high school research project that involves keeping
some fish (specifically, Siamese Fighting Fish). The one that I bought
comes in a small plastic container, with some apparently "special" gravel
at the bottom of the tank that I gather is somehow impregnated with
nitrifying bacteria.

Now my question is about the gravel (I need to discuss an innovation for
my research report). Has anyone heard of such bacteria-impregnated gravel?
Where can I look to find out more about it, such as who invented it and
when, how is it made, and what its properties, advantages and
disadvantages are? I asked the people who sold me the fish and they were
strangely evasive -- presumably because they don't want anyone cutting in
on their business.

I would be very grateful for any clues, no matter how small.

Thank you very much.

Regards,

Emily