Sicce zeolite for aquarium filters, 1 L with net bag
Zeolite is a porous mineral that binds ammonium dissolved in the water, before the bacteria in the filter convert it. This 1 L bag with its mesh bag slips into the filter, either as zeolite alone or combined with resins and activated carbon.
The summary
- What it is: a porous mineral that removes ammonium from the water by ion exchange.
- Three compositions: zeolite alone, with resins, or with resins and activated carbon.
- In aquaponics: occasional use, in a quarantine tank or during an ammonium spike.
- When to replace it: when the ammonium level rises despite the bag being in place.
Mineral filter media that binds ammonium, in a 1 L bag with net
Sicce zeolite is a porous mineral filter media that removes ammonium from the water by ion exchange, before the filter's bacteria convert it. The 1 L bag with net comes in three compositions and suits freshwater and seawater alike. In aquaponics, it is reserved for occasional use, as it deprives the crops of nitrogen.
Zeolite is a volcanic mineral whose structure, riddled with microscopic channels, holds on to certain ions and releases others in their place. Placed in the flow of a filter, it captures dissolved ammonium, the form in which the nitrogen from fish waste enters the water, before the bacteria even convert it into nitrite. Its porous surface also traps some of the suspended particles, and after about 15 days it becomes colonised in turn by beneficial bacteria. The pack contains 1 L of media and a mesh bag to place it in the filter.
🪨 Three compositions
The HyperZeo version combines several filtering zeolites only, so it acts on ammonium without affecting the other elements in the water. The AkuaClean version adds filtering resins, which also remove phosphates and silicates, two nutrients that algae feed on. The AkuaClear version completes this blend with activated coconut shell carbon, which retains discolouration and treatment residues. All three leave the pH of the water unchanged and suit freshwater and seawater alike, so you choose according to what you want to remove from your water.
🐟 When to use it
In an aquaponics system, the ammonium that zeolite captures is precisely the nitrogen that bacteria convert into nitrate for the plants. Zeolite left permanently in the loop therefore deprives the crops of part of their fertiliser, and the resins in the AkuaClean and AkuaClear versions also remove the phosphate the vegetables need. It does, however, have its place in a quarantine tank, in a holding tank before new fish are introduced, or during the first few days of a system whose filter has not yet been colonised. The guide to getting an aquaponic system started describes this period, when the ammonium level rises faster than the bacteria can establish themselves.
In an aquarium without demanding plants, zeolite spaces out water changes, because it removes part of the nitrogenous waste before it breaks down. It also eases the load on an overstocked tank while you rehome some of the fish, or on an aquarium that has just received a treatment. Its effectiveness depends on the amount of ammonium present at the outset and on how well the biological filter is working, so two tanks of the same volume will not exhaust it at the same rate. That is why the decision to replace it should rest on testing rather than on a fixed length of time.
The 1 L bag suits most aquarium filters, and you can use only part of it in a small internal filter, the rest keeping in its closed box. Zeolite does not replace the biological filter, however: it removes ammonium by binding it, whereas bacteria convert it, and only this conversion keeps the water healthy over the long term. When you remove the bag after a quarantine period, the biological filter must therefore already be in place and colonised.
The ammonium test tells you when to change the bag
Zeolite becomes saturated as it binds ammonium, so the life of a bag depends on the load in your tank rather than on the calendar. The NH4 ammonium water test drops show you when the level starts to rise again despite the bag being in place. One reading a week is enough to tell whether it needs replacing or is still binding ammonium.
🧺 Fitting it in the filter
Pour the media into the bag supplied, then place the bag in a filter compartment that the water flows through freely, after the mechanical filtration. Placed this way, the zeolite receives water already cleared of coarse debris, which would otherwise clog its pores. You can remove and replace it in a single movement thanks to the bag, without touching the biological filtration balls that house the filter bacteria.
Technical specifications
The essentials
- Volume
- 1 L, net supplied
- Main action
- Binds dissolved ammonium
- pH
- Unchanged
- Water
- Freshwater or marine
The three compositions
- HyperZeo
- Zeolites aloneActs on ammonium without affecting phosphate.
- AkuaClean
- Zeolite and resinsAlso removes phosphates and silicates.
- AkuaClear
- Zeolite, carbon and resinsAlso removes discolouration and treatment residues.
- Origin
- Italy
Use
- Place in the filter
- After mechanical filtration
- Replacement
- When ammonium risesOne test a week is enough to spot it.
- Aquaponics
- Occasional use, in a separate tankIn the loop, it removes the nitrogen intended for the plants.
- After 15 days
- Bacteria supportIts cavities become colonised by nitrifying bacteria.
To budget for separately
- Ammonium monitoring
- Ammonium drop test
- Nitrite monitoring
- Nitrite drop test
6 further specifications are available in the detailed view.
In the box
- 1 L of filter media, in the composition of your choice
- 1 net for placing in the filter
Composition, action, effect on pH and use taken on 08/10/2026 from the Sicce pages and packaging. Role of ammonium in aquaponics: FAO, small-scale aquaponics, 2014.
Manufacturer and product safety
- Manufacturer
- SICCE S.r.l. (TVA IT02883090249)
- Postal address
- Via V. Emanuele 115, 36050 Pozzoleone (VI), Italie
- Contact
- info@sicce.com (service client support@sicce.com) ; +39 0444 462826
- Website
- www.sicce.com
Information provided under Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety.
Zeolite alone, or with resins and carbon?
The three media bind ammonium and leave the pH unchanged. They differ in what they remove in addition to the water.
| Ammonium | Phosphates and silicates | Discolouration and treatment residues | Composition | Water pH | Aquaponics system | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recommended HyperZeoYour choice | Yes | No | No | Zeolites alone | Unchanged | Separate tank or start-up | 1,200.00 RSD |
| AkuaCleanYour choice | Yes | Yes | No | Zeolite and resins | Unchanged | Separate tank only | 2,000.00 RSD |
| AkuaClearYour choice | Yes | Yes | Yes | Zeolite, carbon and resins | Unchanged | Separate tank only | 2,100.00 RSD |
Formulations, actions and effect on pH recorded on 08/10/2026 from Sicce pages and packaging.
Help choosing
Two questions to help you choose the weight
Estimate your
delivery time
Your estimate
It covers preparing your order and then the transit time quoted by the carrier, counted in working days.
It is not a guaranteed delivery date: public holidays, peak periods, customs or a carrier delay can extend it. The exact amount, in your currency, is worked out in the cart once your address is entered.
The bag of zeolite goes in a small parcel, dispatched within 48 hours to your door by Colissimo or Chronopost, as you choose at checkout. The exact cost is calculated in the basket according to the total weight of your order.
Frequently asked questions
6 questions
6 key questions
You may also like
Let us talk about your project
A question about this product or your setup? Our team will answer and advise you.
Interest-free instalment payments
Offered depending on the cart amount, at checkout.
Delivery in 2 to 15 working days
Depending on the products and shipping sites. Estimate by destination in the estimator on this page.
After-sales service 7 days a week by email or chat
Our team answers all your questions.
Shop responsibly
Become part of the change.








