Pre-existing colonies of bacteria in used bio balls means you won’t have to wait a long time for bacteria to form in your newly bought bio balls. Ever wonder how these tiny balls grow beneficial bacteria in them? Well, if you take a closer inspection on the bio ball’s design you’ll see a lot of grooves in them, these serve as a surface area for the beneficial bacteria.

Carbon: Carbon filters can absorb some compounds from your water, such as chlorine and some phenols, but are not necessary for most aquarium setups.Ammonia is highly toxic to your fish and, if left to build up in the water, can cause death at around 2.0 mg/L [ 3]. Thankfully, this is where the nitrogen cycle comes in, the first step being the breakdown of ammonia (NH 3) to nitrite (NO 2). When it comes to biological filter media, there are many different types and sizes to choose from. It is important to consider how the media will fit into your filter, what type of filter it is compatible with, and whether or not you are willing to spend the extra money on quality bio media. Our Verdict Bio balls sit in your filter. As water passes over these balls, the nitrifying bacteria filters your water, removing ammonia and nitrites – dramatically improving the water quality.

These bio-balls from Marineland are a great option if you want an effective bio media for your canister or HOB filter at an affordable price. As each ball is about the diameter of a quarter dollar (0.95 inches) they’ll fit in a small HOB as well as a larger canister filter. Since ceramic rings are placed inside filters and filters are based on the size that’s appropriate to your tank, then all you need to do is fill up your filter with ceramic rings. With that said, bio balls are a larger media and will work best in a large sump or external filter. How do you use bio balls? The mesh media bag makes this biological filter media really easy to remove and replace in your filter with very little mess. And the rough, porous surface is very effective for allowing beneficial bacteria to colonize and keep your water ammonia free.

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If placed in a high flow filter or sump, agitated water filled with dissolved oxygen is constantly being flushed past this media, allowing that bacteria to complete those processes. Biohome Ultimate Filter Media is a premium biological filter media and that is reflected in the price. But while most bio media supports aerobic nitrifying bacteria (which break down ammonia to nitrite, then nitrate), this product supports anaerobic denitrifying bacteria too. These balls are designed in a patterned structure, hence they contain ample spaces or grooves that increase the surface area and enable them to carry even more amounts of nitrifying bacteria. Ceramic rings have a lot of surface area in them because if you look closely at their outer surface, you’ll see that there’s a significant amount of pores in there. Also, not only will the bacteria grow in said pores but they will also grow through the hole of a ceramic ring.

To increase the efficiency of bio balls, you can add a sponge filter inside of them. This would increase the number of beneficial bacteria you have stored in your bio balls. Ultimately, this would be a beneficial thing for your tank because these bacteria will either eliminate toxins inside the tank or make them less harmful. Can You Have Too Many Bio Balls? Now, you may have been warned that bio balls are no good for your aquarium because they can become a nitrite factory.Safe Place To Colonize: The right bio media inside your filter will give a dedicated home for the beneficial bacteria in your tank to thrive. And the water flow will bring a supply of ammonia for them to feed on, as well as release new colonies throughout your tank. If you have a goldfish or koi pond, then Bio Balls Filter Media – 1.5 Inch Large Bio Ball for Pond Filter might fit your system exactly. This product allows the customer to choose between 100 large bio balls with an included 10 x 12 inch (25.4 x 30.5 cm) mesh bag, one 13 x 20 inch (33.0 x 50.8 cm) mesh bag, three 13 x 20 inch (33.0 x 50.8 cm) mesh bags, or 300 large bio balls with an included 13 x 20 inch (33.0 x 50.8 cm) mesh bag; 300 large bio balls will treat 1,000 gallons (3785 L). Cleaning the sponge and adjusting the flow is easy, with clear instructions provided by the manufacturer. In our four-week testing window, the only issue encountered was needing to adjust the suction cups. But once fixed, there were no further issues. This was the most expensive model we tested, but our testing confirmed its value. Having figured out what each of these two is all about, how do you make the choice to go with either? This comes down to a number of factors, with personal preference and availability being the most prominent ones. As far as similarities go, bio balls and ceramic rings are both used for biological filtration, and both operate in the same manner, providing homes for beneficial bacteria to thrive. It is important to remember that you should only add a few fish at a time so that your filter system can keep up with the ammonia and nitrite levels in the water. What is the difference between bio balls and ceramic rings?