Table of Contents
Bio balls provide a place for all the good nitrifying bacteria you need in your tank to live. The surface of each bio ball is designed to have as much surface area as possible so the bacteria have as much as possible to cling to.
Are bio balls better than ceramic?
Bio balls should only be used for biological filtration only. They simply exist to trap and remove waste. Ceramic rings will ultimately trap more bad stuff, but your bio balls will ultimately do a better job of denitrifying bacteria.
How long do Bio balls take to work?
Most new aquariums take 3-6 weeks to fully cycle, meaning that the nitrogen cycle can successfully process ammonia into nitrates.
What do bio balls do in a pond?
Bio balls are used to hold the beneficial bacteria from your tank and not for removing waste products from the system. We recommend that these are used after the water flows through filter foam as the foam will catch and remove any debris from the water meaning these will not get stuck in the groves of the Bio balls.
Can you reuse bio balls?
Looks good, you can throw them in there. Your tank is still going to cycle some, remember, your going from a 55 (small Bio-Load) to a much larger 210 (large Bio-Load).
How many bio balls do I need?
A general rule of thumb is 2.2 gallons of bio balls per 100 gallons of water. Bio balls are available in a range of sizes to fit different types of filters – you will be able to fit more small bio balls in the same-sized filter than you will large ones.
How long does bio media last?
Structurally the filter media can last indefinitely but efficiency start to decline after 6-10 years of use even in a well set up filter where media is protected by foams and allowed to operate in clean water.
How do you clean bio balls?
If you just want to clean the gunk out of the bio-balls and don’t care about the bacteria that is on them, just put your dirty bio-balls into an old pillow case and run it through your washing machine on the “gentle” cycle with a little laundry detergent for a few minutes.
Can you have too much bio media in a reef tank?
While you cant have too much surface area, you can take up more space than you need to. Too much rock in a dt, may detract from visual appeal or room for fish to swim. Taking up space in your sump for bio media may remove space for something you want down the road. Also may increase things to clean.
Why does my aquarium filter get dirty so fast?
Too much food, exposure to sunlight, lack of live plants, or too many fish. Overfeeding causes uneaten food, which decomposes, creating ammonia and the bloom of several kinds of bacteria. We can forgive beneficial Nitrosomas and Nitrobacter, they’re just doing their job in the presence of ammonia and nitrites.
Should I use bio balls in a reef tank?
Bio Balls can be used in saltwater aquariums but if left uncleaned they easily trap detritus which can lead to high nitrates & phosphates. They provide a large surface area for nitrifying bacteria to colonize however newer technology is available to work more efficiently & require less maintenance.
Does carbon kill beneficial bacteria?
Does Activated Carbon kill beneficial bacteria? No.
What is the best biological filter media?
Biofilter Media Reviews
- Fluval BioMax Bio Rings. Fluval BIOMAX bio rings are composed of silica and aluminum oxide formed into a porous ring.
- Fluval Bio Foam. Fluval Bio Foam is manufactured from a dense, porous foam material.
- Seachem Matrix.
- Eheim Substrat Pro.
- CerMedia MarinePure.
- Marineland Biofilter Balls.
- Bio-Chem Stars.
Where do you put bio balls?
Place the bio balls in the stream of water running through your fish tank’s filter. Although bio balls will catch some pieces of algae, they are not meant to be used as a physical filter. Installing them downstream of a filter membrane will help keep them from clogging.
Do bio balls need to be replaced?
Bio balls don’t really need replaced. They simply provide a foundation for the helpful bacteria to cling to. In fact replacing them would remove a huge amount of good bacteria that you need.
Should fish tank filter make bubbles?
It is normal for aquarium filters to form some bubbles. However, if your filter is producing more bubbles than it usually does, then it is a cause for concern.
Can you have too much bio media?
Can you have too much bio media? Yes, especially in a planted tank where the plants are doing a lot of the bio filtration. The excess volume of bio media may take up the space in the filter that could be better used by more mechanical media.
What can replace bio balls?
Bioballs are nothing more than surface area for nitrifying bacteria to colonize onto. A better replacement would be a sand bed or porous rock.
How does Bio media work?
Biological media houses bacteria involved in the nitrogen cycle. It provides a larger surface area for beneficial nitrifying bacteria to colonize, where water can pass through the colonies, bringing nutrients and oxygen required for the nitrogen cycle. They can accommodate a lot of bacteria in a small space.
What are bio balls made of?
Our Bio balls are made of high-quality polypropylene, which makes them a secure & reliable biofilter media for fresh and saltwater. They are manufactured for use in koi and water garden ponds, freshwater fish tanks, saltwater aquariums, aquaponics, fish hatcheries, and much more.
Where do bio balls go in a sump?
They are not intended to trap detritus and particles, and if you are using them in the sump, should be placed in the area of your sump least likely to come into contact with detritus, normally closest to the return. Detritus should be removed through other forms of filtration such as a filter socks or filter sponges.
Do bio balls sink?
The Laguna PowerFlo Pro Biospheres Filter Media SINK. The cheaper knockoffs FLOAT. Depending on your application floating bioballs may be fine. We have a 700G tank and require sinking bioballs, therefore we use the Laguna ones Which Indeed DO SINK.
Is it OK to have 2 filters in a fish tank?
If your aquarium is large enough, it is completely fine to have multiple filters for your fish tank. There are even some instances where having multiple filters can be more beneficial than one large filter.
