best biological media
- Thread starter gio28
- Start date
spanko
Active Member
Originally Posted by nycbob
bioballs and filter sponge. they need to be rinsed regularly though to prevent buildup.
+1 here. Rinsed but not scrubbed if you are to use them as your biofilter. Just rinse off the loose accumulated junk - buildup. On the bio balls do 1/4-1/3 per week. Some people have bought different color balls so they know which have been rinsed and which have not. Blue this week, red next week, black the third week then start over.
bioballs and filter sponge. they need to be rinsed regularly though to prevent buildup.
+1 here. Rinsed but not scrubbed if you are to use them as your biofilter. Just rinse off the loose accumulated junk - buildup. On the bio balls do 1/4-1/3 per week. Some people have bought different color balls so they know which have been rinsed and which have not. Blue this week, red next week, black the third week then start over.
lion_crazz
Active Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3077696
+1 here. Rinsed but not scrubbed if you are to use them as your biofilter. Just rinse off the loose accumulated junk - buildup. On the bio balls do 1/4-1/3 per week. Some people have bought different color balls so they know which have been rinsed and which have not. Blue this week, red next week, black the third week then start over.
Oh, that's a really good idea. I never thought of different colors before!
http:///forum/post/3077696
+1 here. Rinsed but not scrubbed if you are to use them as your biofilter. Just rinse off the loose accumulated junk - buildup. On the bio balls do 1/4-1/3 per week. Some people have bought different color balls so they know which have been rinsed and which have not. Blue this week, red next week, black the third week then start over.
Oh, that's a really good idea. I never thought of different colors before!
coral keeper
Active Member
Sand filters are the best IMO, much better than bio balls IMO.
flower
Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Coral Keeper
http:///forum/post/3077787
Sand filters are the best IMO, much better than bio balls IMO.
This is a new thing...or I shouild say I never heard of it before.
Is it an actual sand filter, or do you use sand in the filter? Also if the last mentioned...what type of filter could you use sand in?
I ask because it sounds good.
http:///forum/post/3077787
Sand filters are the best IMO, much better than bio balls IMO.
This is a new thing...or I shouild say I never heard of it before.
Is it an actual sand filter, or do you use sand in the filter? Also if the last mentioned...what type of filter could you use sand in?
I ask because it sounds good.
coral keeper
Active Member
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3077789
This is a new thing...or I shouild say I never heard of it before.
Is it an actual sand filter, or do you use sand in the filter? Also if the last mentioned...what type of filter could you use sand in?
I ask because it sounds good.
Not many people use sand filters as they are not familiar with it.
You put sand in a tube reactor and you hook up a pump and pump water through the sand.(the sand tumbles) Public aquariums have them and they are HHHHHUUUUUGGGGGEEEEE!
http:///forum/post/3077789
This is a new thing...or I shouild say I never heard of it before.
Is it an actual sand filter, or do you use sand in the filter? Also if the last mentioned...what type of filter could you use sand in?
I ask because it sounds good.
Not many people use sand filters as they are not familiar with it.
You put sand in a tube reactor and you hook up a pump and pump water through the sand.(the sand tumbles) Public aquariums have them and they are HHHHHUUUUUGGGGGEEEEE!
coral keeper
Active Member
Also, if your power goes out, be sure to turn the sand filter back on because if you leave it off for like 1-2 hours, your bacteria in the sand will die as they will have no more oxygen. So, if your pump shuts off for 1-2 hours, be sure to unhook it and clean the sand out then put it back in, because if you don't you can crash your tank.
ophiura
Active Member
Yes, that is a big risk and unique to sand filters which is why I would not recommend them to most hobbyists for standard tanks. Like a sand bed, the sand filter can collapse and basically solidify...leading to a huge issue. They can also take up a fair amount of space. In many aquarium applications, they are simply a pool filter....sometimes very, very large pool filters.
In 99% of home tanks, bioballs are my primary recommendation for a secondary biomedia in a larger (wet/dry style) filter. In smaller cannister filters, the ceramic ring media sold by Hagen and others is very good and has good porosity to increase surface area.
In 99% of home tanks, bioballs are my primary recommendation for a secondary biomedia in a larger (wet/dry style) filter. In smaller cannister filters, the ceramic ring media sold by Hagen and others is very good and has good porosity to increase surface area.
coral keeper
Active Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/3077839
FWIW, many public aquaria using circulating systems also have bioball towers...literally 15' towers, full of bioballs, in addition to the sand filters.
Will a 15' tower filled with bioballs be enough filtration for my 180 gallon?
http:///forum/post/3077839
FWIW, many public aquaria using circulating systems also have bioball towers...literally 15' towers, full of bioballs, in addition to the sand filters.
Will a 15' tower filled with bioballs be enough filtration for my 180 gallon?
coral keeper
Active Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/3077943
15' of 1" diameter, so that only a single bioball stacks on top of the next? No.
lol Will a 15' x 4' tower filled with bioballs be enough filtration for my 180 gallon??
http:///forum/post/3077943
15' of 1" diameter, so that only a single bioball stacks on top of the next? No.
lol Will a 15' x 4' tower filled with bioballs be enough filtration for my 180 gallon??
coral keeper
Active Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/3077945
in back of these skimmers, you see a big white modular compartment with screws...it is full of the equivalent of bioballs. There are also sand filters on it.
WOW.
http:///forum/post/3077945
in back of these skimmers, you see a big white modular compartment with screws...it is full of the equivalent of bioballs. There are also sand filters on it.
WOW.
ophiura
Active Member
We relied so heavily on bioballs that we always kept big bags of them floating in high bioload tanks so in an emergency, we could use them. Here a very primitive wet/dry
being used for additional biofiltration during an ammonia spike.
So in short, when it comes down to it....bioballs, secondary to live rock.
So in short, when it comes down to it....bioballs, secondary to live rock.
fishkid13
Active Member
Originally Posted by lion_crazz
http:///forum/post/3077698
Oh, that's a really good idea. I never thought of different colors before!
+1
Originally Posted by Coral Keeper
http:///forum/post/3077812
Not many people use sand filters as they are not familiar with it.
You put sand in a tube reactor and you hook up a pump and pump water through the sand.(the sand tumbles) Public aquariums have them and they are HHHHHUUUUUGGGGGEEEEE!
We got a extra pool sand filter in the garage, rated up to 20,000gal. Hhhmm I don't know if it will be enough for my 135.
I am all confused. When I ask about bioballs or read about people talking about bioballs they are always saying you should not get them because they are too hard to keep clean and bla bla. And now I am being told it is the second best to live rock. Head ake.
http:///forum/post/3077698
Oh, that's a really good idea. I never thought of different colors before!
+1
Originally Posted by Coral Keeper
http:///forum/post/3077812
Not many people use sand filters as they are not familiar with it.
You put sand in a tube reactor and you hook up a pump and pump water through the sand.(the sand tumbles) Public aquariums have them and they are HHHHHUUUUUGGGGGEEEEE!
We got a extra pool sand filter in the garage, rated up to 20,000gal. Hhhmm I don't know if it will be enough for my 135.
I am all confused. When I ask about bioballs or read about people talking about bioballs they are always saying you should not get them because they are too hard to keep clean and bla bla. And now I am being told it is the second best to live rock. Head ake.
ophiura
Active Member
They are very effective...but it depends on the end user.
Purely from a theoretical perspective, bioballs are an outstanding high flow, large surface area media that allows to excellent oxygenation and growth of bacteria that break down ammonia and nitrite.
Second only, IMO, to live rock or live sand - because both of the have an added benefit to the natural ecosystem concept.
Bioballs may not be necessary in a system which has adequate lr, ls and is not overstocked. However in large predator systems they are, IMO, mandatory and can save a lot of systems from a crash. They are, hands down, the best insurance policy.
Most people who say they are "nitrate factories" are, to be honest, a bit premature in their dislike and probably, to some degree, uninformed and taking the party line.
The KEEPER of the tank causes nitrate problems. That is the start and the end. Overstocking, overfeeding, lack of maintenance and export...cause nitrate problems.
Bioballs are fantastic but like anything it ASSUMES a certain amount of responsibility in using them. Any filter is going to kick your butt at some point if you are overfeeding, etc. I nearly lost my tank to a crash because I just stopped maintaining it and fed like crazy. Stupid me. But it wasn't my filter that did that. It was my filter that probably allowed me to get by so long. It was an insurance policy...my filter includes LR and a tidepool (effectively huge biowheel).
They are not hard to keep clean. This hobby actually takes a bit of effort. But they are certainly not hard to keep clean if you actually start your maintenance regime on the feeding and stocking side.
all, JMO
Purely from a theoretical perspective, bioballs are an outstanding high flow, large surface area media that allows to excellent oxygenation and growth of bacteria that break down ammonia and nitrite.
Second only, IMO, to live rock or live sand - because both of the have an added benefit to the natural ecosystem concept.
Bioballs may not be necessary in a system which has adequate lr, ls and is not overstocked. However in large predator systems they are, IMO, mandatory and can save a lot of systems from a crash. They are, hands down, the best insurance policy.
Most people who say they are "nitrate factories" are, to be honest, a bit premature in their dislike and probably, to some degree, uninformed and taking the party line.
The KEEPER of the tank causes nitrate problems. That is the start and the end. Overstocking, overfeeding, lack of maintenance and export...cause nitrate problems.
Bioballs are fantastic but like anything it ASSUMES a certain amount of responsibility in using them. Any filter is going to kick your butt at some point if you are overfeeding, etc. I nearly lost my tank to a crash because I just stopped maintaining it and fed like crazy. Stupid me. But it wasn't my filter that did that. It was my filter that probably allowed me to get by so long. It was an insurance policy...my filter includes LR and a tidepool (effectively huge biowheel).
They are not hard to keep clean. This hobby actually takes a bit of effort. But they are certainly not hard to keep clean if you actually start your maintenance regime on the feeding and stocking side.
all, JMO
ophiura
Active Member
Sand filters, by the way, also need to be kept clean and backwashed now and then or they may "solidify." This can cause possible hydrogen sulfide release which, compared to a nitrate issue from bioballs, can be catastrophic and instantaneous. they are not bad or hard to use, but they don't come free from work.