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BioBalls are commonly used to provide biological filtration in koi ponds, water gardens and freshwater or saltwater aquariums. These bioballs allow good nitrifying bacteria to grow and colonize on them thereby breaking down harmful ammonia and nitrites in water.
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.
How do you use bio balls in a pond filter?
How To Use. Place the appropriate number of The Pond Guy BioBalls into a mesh filter media bag (sold separately) and place into an area of your pond in direct contact with flowing water. For best results place The BioBalls on top of the filter media pad in your waterfall filter box.
What can I use instead of bio balls?
Conventional bio filter materials such as lava rocks, plastic balls, polyethylene beads, sponges and PVC material are less effective than nylon bio-balls because they are heavier, take up more space and are harder to maintain than the nylon shapes.
Are bio balls necessary?
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.
How long does it take for bio balls to work?
Most new aquariums take 3-6 weeks to fully cycle, meaning that the nitrogen cycle can successfully process ammonia into nitrates.
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.
How do I clean my pond 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 often should you 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.
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 many bio balls are needed per gallon?
Excellent filtration media for bacteria colonization; each bioball is approximately 1.5″ x 1.25″ in diameter. 750 bioballs equal 1 cubic foot, and 100 bioballs equal 1 gallon.
Which is better bio balls or ceramic rings?
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 often should I clean my bio filter?
The general rule of thumb is to clean your aquarium filter, regardless of type, once every month (four weeks). Though, you want to wait at least a week from your last cleaning, of the tank or filter, before your next session to help your fish adjust to the new conditions in the tank.
Can you have too much bio media?
there is no such thing as too much bio media. No matter what, your beneficial bacteria can only grow to the demand. If you have 100lbs of bio media and 1 small fish fed every other day, you will only have a small amount of bacteria despite having 100lbs of media. You absolutely can have not enough media though.
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.
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.
What’s the best biological filter media?
Let’s move on now, and see what the 5 best bio-media filters are for your aquarium: Biohome Ultimate Filter Media. Buy on Amazon » This is the first pick on our list. Seachem Matrix Biological Media. Eheim Substrat Pro. Fluval Biomax Filter Media. BrightWater Aquatic Bio Media.
Can I reuse old bio balls?
You can use them, but you’ll have to rinse detritus out of them frequently or they become a nitrate factory.
How often should I clean my pond?
It’s not a good idea to clean them more than once a year, and less than once every three to five is even better. If you keep the pond clean throughout the year by using nets to prevent leaf accumulation and removing plant debris as it begins to wilt, you’ll need to clean less often.
What is the best filter media for a koi pond?
The Best Pond Filter Media Review 2021 (updated list) 1) Matala Blue Filter Pad Review. 2) Matrix Bio Filter Media Review. 3) Laguna Biological Bio-Max Media Review. 4) SpringFlo Bio Ribbon Media Review.
How often should I clean my pond filter sponges?
If the filter has just one sponge it will need to be cleaned frequently to keep its shape and to remove muck from the system, but also to keep the bacteria alive. Only ever wash sponges in old pond water and you can wash them as often as you want, even daily, which may be necessary for some ponds in high summer.
