Table of Contents
Swell Ceramic Bio Media is a very porous biological filter media with an extremely large surface area which encourages bacteria to congregate. It can be used in any external aquarium filters or pond filters. The pieces are around 2-5cm but it can easily be crushed up to fit even the smallest filters.
What does ceramic do in aquarium?
Ceramic rings are biological media that provides a very large surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow and live. This bacteria on your ceramic rings is required to complete the Nitrogen Cycle in your tank, which converts harmful ammonia and nitrite in to the less harmful nitrate.
How long does ceramic media last?
Even the manufacturers don’t agree! Fluval, for example, recommends that ceramic rings be swapped out every 6 months. Marineland, another ceramic filter manufacturer, states that the rings should never be replaced.
Is ceramic OK for fish tanks?
Plain non glazed ceramic objects such as terracotta pots are universally suitable as aquarium decoration. Just examine carefully to ensure the object is indeed unglazed and not finished in a matte glaze or paint. When using broken pieces of pots be careful to avoid any sharp edges. These can injure both fish and owner.
What’s the difference between bio balls and ceramic rings?
Bio balls only carry nitrifying bacteria. Ceramic noodles can carry both nitrifying bacteria on the surface and denitrifying bacteria inside. That makes ceramic rings the hands down winner since they can carry both types of bacteria. You see, ceramic rings increase their surface area through tiny little pores.
What do ceramic noodles do?
Ceramic noodles are highly porous and provide the ideal environment for beneficial bacteria to grow on. Large waste particles naturally created by excess food and faecal matter in your aquarium are caught and ingested by the bacteria therefore removing and reducing the potential toxicity of the waste.
How often should you change biOrb ceramic media?
Replacing some of the media every year or so can help to keep the filtration efficiency. Never replace more than 1/3rd of your media at one time and wait at least a month before replacing any more in order to keep a healthy population of bacteria.
How long can filter media last?
Filter media has a typical life expectancy of 10 to 15 years. The life span of your media may vary based on your raw water quality and filter maintenance, as consistent maintenance can prolong the life of your media. Signs that you may need to replace your media are often indicated in your system performance.
When should bio media be replaced?
Bio-media does clog over time, and it is recommended to provide clean filter media for effective colonization by bacteria. This family of nitrifying bacteria will benefit from partial media changes every 3-6 months to ensure clean porous surfaces are available.
What materials are safe for fish tanks?
Glass is durable and lasts hundreds of years underwater so it is usually suitable as an aquarium decoration. Dishware and Pottery (mugs, plates, bowls, etc) – These pieces are usually safe. Plastic and Rubber – In general, safe!! Plain colored plastics are inert and can make excellent decorations!.
How do you make ceramic aquariums safe?
Avoid Air-drying Clays and Polymers Water submersion will cause these sculptures to deteriorate and fade, leaching toxic chemicals into the tank. You can create aquarium-safe sculptures by using ceramic material, then glazing and kiln-firing the piece twice before adding it to the aquarium.
What objects can you put in a fish tank?
Here is a list of household items that are safe to put in your aquarium. Glass items. Clay pots. Mugs. Infant safe plastic toys. Pictures and posters as backgrounds.
Are ceramic bio balls good?
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.
Are bio balls worth it?
Bio balls provide a place for all the good nitrifying bacteria you need in your tank to live. This is why they have grooves and spaces, as this allows more bacteria to cling to the ball, making these more effective compared to simple spheres.
Are bio balls good or bad?
And, plastic bio balls have been designed to provide as much surface area as possible for the bacteria to cling to. The foam is perfect for growing large colonies of nitrifying bacteria. It’s what makes a sponge filter so good at biological filtration – the process of ammonia and nitrites being converted to nitrates.
How long do ceramic filter rings last?
The frequency of replacing your aquarium filter media depends on many factors like the type of manufacturer and how regularly you clean them. Some ceramic rings manufacturers recommend replacing the rings after six months, while others like Marineland claim that their rings should not be replaced.
How fragile are ceramic rings?
The question that most people often worry about when buying ceramic rings is, do ceramic rings break easily? The simple answer is yes. The ceramic is a bit harder and therefore slightly more brittle. If falls on a hard surface, it can easily crack or break.
Which filter media is best?
Let’s move on now, and see what the 5 best bio-media filters are for your aquarium: Biohome Ultimate Filter Media. This is the first pick on our list. Seachem Matrix Biological Media. This is the second item that’s worth checking out. Eheim Substrat Pro. Fluval Biomax Filter Media. BrightWater Aquatic Bio Media.
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.
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.
Can you clean BiOrb ceramic media?
If you do ever need to do this you should keep at least 1/3rd of the old water and clean the ceramic media in dirt water taken from the aquarium (never clean ceramic media in tap water). For optimum filtration the biorb filter cartridge should be replaced every 1-2 months.
How often should I change the Airstone in my BiOrb?
Your airstone should be replaced every 4-8 weeks after which their effectiveness diminishes as calcification occurs due to the hard water in your aquariums.
How often do I need to change my BiOrb filter?
The disc filter cartridge in your BiOrb should be changed every 4-8 weeks*.
