Table of Contents
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.
Are bio balls good or bad?
Now, you may have been warned that bio balls are no good for your aquarium because they can become a nitrite factory. Dead leaves, poop, uneaten fish food and other waste can become trapped in the bio balls’ patterned structure.
What can I use instead of 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.
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 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.
Does Bio balls float?
Yes. They float. But when placed into a confined space they did fill the area no problem.
How do you sterilize 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.
How many bio balls are needed per gallon?
How Many Bio Balls To Use Per Gallon? Of course, this depends on your specific tank set up, but a good general rule is to use about 2.2 gallons of bio balls per 100 gallons of water in your tank.
Can I reuse old bio balls?
They are very good for a bio filter, but the byproduct is that it produces a lot of nitrates. You can use them, but you’ll have to rinse detritus out of them frequently or they become a nitrate factory.
Is lava rock a good bio media?
Lava rock – the igneous rock that forms as an erupting volcano’s molten lava cools and hardens – is very porous. When chunks of it live in your filtration system, you provide a lot of surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize and grow. That’s what makes it such a great filter media.
How long does it take for bacteria to grow on bio balls?
Two weeks should be enough time for bacteria to grow on them. That’s if the tank is fully established.
How long do Bio balls last?
How long do Bio-Balls last? Bio-Balls are made to have a large SA to encourage the growth of marine nitrifying bacteria. Once they have a stable poulation, changing them would leave you without all of the bacteria that had grown there. They should last forever.
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.
Which is better bio balls or lava rock?
Bio balls are more comfortable to adjust in the tank, and they don’t involve a lot of preparation. In contrast, lava rocks take a while to prepare. You have to clean them and dry them before you can use them as a filter. These rocks can also be bulky and require time and effort to remove, clean, and put back.
How do bio balls work?
Bio balls are spheres consisting of tiny tubes that provide a large surface area on which water-filtering microbes can grow. Bio balls work best as wet-dry filters, with moving water passing over them. This allows more oxygen into the tubing, feeding the growth of the beneficial bacteria inside the balls.
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.
Will lava rock affect pH?
The lava rock is red due to the iron in it. It has no calcuim so it will have no affect on your ph.
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.
How often should bio balls be replaced?
Fluval says – About half of your Fluval Bio-Max media should be replaced approximately every 6 months – it is not recommended that you replace all of the Bio Max filter media at one time because to do so would upset the balance of beneficial bacteria in your aquarium.
What’s 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.
Can I use both bio balls and ceramic rings?
Bio balls can only carry nitrifying bacteria but ceramic rings carry both nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria. The pores of ceramic rings offer extra space for bacteria to live. But they can get clogged easily and even permanently blocked.
How do you clean bio media?
“Biomedia should be cleaned minimally, just enough to remove all visible debris. You can do this under tap water.
Do you have to replace bio balls?
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. Carbon on the other hand needs replaced.
