# Killies Import > Non-Killie Segment >  Bentonite or Montmorillonite as graval/ filter material?

## keehoe

Any one tried this material/ rock before? It was recommended to by a china hobbist to keep shrimp.

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## Scott_sg

Hi Keehoe,
Bentonite is clay, Aluminium silicate stuff I think, they use it for lots of things in industry.
I dont know how you would use it, unless it was fired pellets I imagine it would make the the water very cloudy. I think it actually comes from ancient volcanic ash, so there would probably be lots of minerals in it. Good for plants I guess.

Scott.

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## keehoe

It suppose to be able to clean the toxic and heavy metal in the water equalvalent to its weight.

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## stormhawk

In other words, work something like activated carbon or those ion exchange resins?

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## kodiak

I mainly use it in my koi pond and also on my discus aquariums from time to time. Although it temporarily clouds the water it will clear in about 24 hours and result in even better water clarity than before. It also removes toxins and heavy metals as well as adding many different minerals.

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## keehoe

I think this one works a lot harder and if buy in bulk. Much cheaper, anyone care to organize a group order. Say a ton in total? It can go by truck and dump infront of Azmi's shop. (Just joking).

It was reputated as one of the "must have" in china crystal red shrimp group.

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## whuntley

Montmorillonite is one of the constituents of Bentonite, aka "Driller's Mud." They are silicates of a structure that swells strongly when wet, and makes drilling coolant more effective by making it slimey and it seals the sides of the drill hole to reduce loss of that fluid.

Because the swelling involves penetration of a layered crystalline structure, contact between water and silicates is very high. While this can result in a very high CEC, the principal ion exchanged from it is usually sodium which can be a problem in some tanks with softer water. Basically it is like using water-softener water, which can be a terribly bad idea in already soft water that lacks the other essential electrolytes, particularly potassium.

Unless you know your water is already very hard, I would urge some caution about using it.

On cloudiness, it tends to form a gel (which is why it seals drill holes) so I would not expect it to stay in suspension very long. It will give you a very slimey substrate, tho.  :Very Happy:  

Wright

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## keehoe

Come interesting comment from some websites


http://curezone.com/cleanse/bowel/bentonite.asp
Once hydrated (combined with water), bentonite has an enormous surface area. According to Yerba Prima, a single quart bottle can represent a total surface area of 960 square yards or 12 American football fields. Bentonite is made of a great number of tiny platelets, with negative electrical charges on their flat surfaces and positive charges on their edges.

Does that translate to better Material for Henri filter?

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## whuntley

Probably not.

The Bentonite groups are pretty chemically active, so you would have that problem as well as the fact that they are such fine little particles it will be impossible to keep them constrained to the filter.

If you want a powder-like material with enormous surface area, I'd suggest you follow the example of the pool-filter people and use diatomaceous earth. The diatome skeletons are not flat platelets and are easier to constrain with a fiber pad. Being almost pure silica (SiO2), DE is less active chemically than the Ca, Mg, silicates of the subject material.

Free advice, again worth every penny!

Wright

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## keehoe

Thank Wright. Bought a bag of Sodium Bentonite and after adding some to water. The water become milky. Have not measure the water chemistry. But from the look of it. I don't like it. Some glue to the bottom of the tank. Thats what i call, gluey mess. As if someone vomit into the fish tank. Although no smell.

Saw something similar in fishshop. But too expensive to consider giving it a try.

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