Seachem Matrix is one of the best biological filter media currently available on the market as it will help reduce ammonia, nitrites and nitrates in your fish tank. So, how much flow rate do you need to get the most out of this product?
You can find out in this guide at Aquarium Blueprints.
Quick Summary
There are no flow rate restrictions when it comes to using the Seachem Matrix filter media in your fish tank. As a result, you can set the water flow speed of your filter to the rate that is to your liking.
In general, a faster flow rate is better at removing any dead zones that may have water quality problems. With that said, you should set the speed to whatever your pet fish and/or live plants are most comfortable with first and foremost.
How Seachem Matrix works
Seachem Matrix provides surface area for the beneficial bacteria to colonize. While the bacteria colonies that will consume ammonia and nitrites will grow all over your tank, the porous structure of the Matrix pebbles will provide a lot more surface area in relations to how much this media will take up in your filter or aquarium.
These pebbles also feature small chambers that are devoid for oxygen, providing an ideal environment for the bacteria colony that consumes nitrates to grow.
Seachem Matrix won’t work immediately as you need to wait for weeks or even months for the beneficial bacteria to fully establish themselves on this filter media.
To learn how you can speed up this cycling process for this biological filter, you can check out our quick cycling tutorial for this product.
How flow rate affects Seachem Matrix
Unlike the Seachem De Nitrate, the Seachem Matrix does not have any strict requirements when it comes to water flow. Therefore, you can set the flow rate to however fast or slow you want.
In general, a faster flow rate is better for your aquarium as there won’t be any dead spots where the tank water will have a hard time getting inside your filter and/or making contact with the Seachem Matrix pebbles. Otherwise, these dead zones may be susceptible to higher ammonia, nitrites and/or nitrate levels.
With that said, a high flow rate can be detriment to your pet fish as they may not be able to handle the high current. The faster flow may also stress out some of plants in your tank as well.
If your fish or live plants can handle the higher current, then we recommend setting a faster flow for your filter. Otherwise, you can use a slower flow to make your aquatic pets and plants more comfortable.
If the flow rate of your filter is less than 50 gallons per hour or less than 200 liters per hour, then you may want to get the Seachem De Nitrate instead as that product is more efficient in getting rid of nitrates at slower flow rates.
To learn more about the differences between Matrix and De Nitrate, you can take a look at this comparison article.
