KittenFishMom Posted February 4, 2022 Share Posted February 4, 2022 I'm ordering some "bio balls" and given the wide selection, I wondered if there is any real difference between the different sizes and styles and colors?. Has anyone out there got a favorite? All opinions are welcome! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modified lung Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 The main difference is they each have different surface areas, open space, and buoyancy. I use a Kaldnes type media because it has a high surface area and is 90% open space so they won't get clogged with gunk easily. They are extremely buoyant though so they tend to get everywhere which is annoying. They weren't really designed for fish keeping. If you want to use your biomedia to filter some solids or if you don't want to worry about your filter spilling media all across the top of your tank AGAIN 😒 then Kaldnes isn't the way to go. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyGenusCaps Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 I'll echo what @modified lung said. It will depend on your application. In my regular sumps, I want a sinking bioball. That's the most important thing. But I am about to put together one with air to circulate K1 for the conversion efficiency - but it is designed to deal with the down sides of the media. What is your application? Perhaps that would help folks weigh in as there are trade-offs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KittenFishMom Posted February 5, 2022 Author Share Posted February 5, 2022 (edited) Well, I want to build a scud tank like Torrey's, and she has bio balls in the bottom. I am also researching setting up a sump for my 120 tank this spring. I might build a sump for my 55 tank. I'm setting up a tank to cycle and was thinking a bag in there might help, but then again, if I take it out later, it might take with it any benefit it had while I was cycling the tank. I was thinking about putting an air stone under some, and covering it with rocks to make a bio-filtering bubbling pile of rocks as part of a build. I think it could look a bit like an upside down waterfalls, but you never know. I'm sure the kitten would love to chase some into my path as I walk around. The possibilities are endless. Plus they seem like a handy thing to have on hand Probably sinking ones would be good. Edited February 5, 2022 by KittenFishMom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modified lung Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 @OnlyGenusCaps If you don't mind me giving a tip, the rolling K1 for increased efficiency concept was brought over to aquaculture from wastewater treatment. Turns out it only applies at ammonia levels that would kill our fish. At the low levels we want, rolling your media can actually have to opposite effect. Keeping your media static is usually better unless you have a lot of particulates that need to be constantly knocked off the media. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KittenFishMom Posted February 5, 2022 Author Share Posted February 5, 2022 @OnlyGenusCaps Which ones sink? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 Through much trial and error, I have learned these work best for my repurposed drink dispensers as scud tanks. 1. While it is 100% a PITA that they float, if you set up the dispenser properly from the get go, you won't ever have to break down the UGF in the system (and if you do need to break it down, the fact that they float won't be the issue) 2. The openings in these bioballs allow scuds, and especially breeding scuds, to easily move through the bioballs. 3. Because the balls are a largely open design, water easily moves through the bioballs, preventing anaerobic spots developing while also allowing the water to very easily pull scuds out the spigot... which is the point of using the drink dispenser.😁 Summary: for growing scuds you need easy flow that also has a ton of surface area to grow the biofilm that baby scuds eat. For other purposes, there are much better bioballs that do *NOT* attempt to defy gravity. Aquariumscience.org has a pretty good summary of benefits, and results of using the different options. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Stewart Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 I've been considering adding/switching to bio balls in my canister, but I've never had an issue with the Seachem Matrix I use, so I don't know if it's worth it. This is interesting info, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyGenusCaps Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 (edited) On 2/4/2022 at 7:21 PM, modified lung said: If you don't mind me giving a tip Of course not! That's why I am following you; I want to hear what you have to say. On 2/4/2022 at 7:21 PM, modified lung said: the rolling K1 for increased efficiency concept was brought over to aquaculture from wastewater treatment. Yup, I was aware of that bit. Always cool when tech can transfer from one are to another. On 2/4/2022 at 7:21 PM, modified lung said: Turns out it only applies at ammonia levels that would kill our fish. At the low levels we want, rolling your media can actually have to opposite effect. Keeping your media static is usually better unless you have a lot of particulates that need to be constantly knocked off the media. So this I have not heard. New information here. I'd love to learn more about it. Can you post some references? Thanks! On 2/4/2022 at 7:29 PM, KittenFishMom said: Which ones sink? The only ones I found that truly sink right away and reliably were a no name type on Amazon. I could look that link up if you like, but my efforts were not exhaustive. Plus, if you are trying to emulate @Torrey's setup, I'd just use what she is succeeding with personally. What do I know?! 😁 Edited February 5, 2022 by OnlyGenusCaps Missed a quote. Coudln't add it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modified lung Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 On 2/5/2022 at 6:30 AM, OnlyGenusCaps said: So this I have not heard. New information here. I'd love to learn more about it. Can you post some references? Thanks! I can dig some stuff up when I have some time. This mostly comes from pieces of a bunch of different sources I connected together and trials I ran myself. I used to cycle 20-30 tanks and small recirculating systems a year. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HH Morant Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 I would recommend that you read the aquariumscience.org articles on filter media in order to see how bio-balls compare to other filter media. The articles describe testing to compare different kinds of filter media for effectiveness. If I were setting up a sump from scratch and I could do anything, I would do a moving bed filter with K1 media, I would have no mechanical or chemical filtration, I would use all the available space for a moving bed filter. That is the most efficient biological filter. I have two canisters on my 120-gallon, and they are full of 30 ppi foam, the best static filter media according to aquariumscience.org. I have no mechanical or chemical filtration. My water has never been clearer than it is now. That is my two cents. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 Jumping in and for a just FYI, aquariumscience.org is where this table is from and it seems pertinent right here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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