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View Poll Results: What Bio Filter Medias are you using?

Voters
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  • Biohome

    73 37.24%
  • Eheim Substrat Pro

    59 30.10%
  • Mr Aqua CR

    20 10.20%
  • Power House

    5 2.55%
  • DAZ CR

    0 0%
  • Seachem Matrix

    49 25.00%
  • ADA Bio Rio

    17 8.67%
  • Others

    20 10.20%
Multiple Choice Poll.
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Thread: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

  1. #41
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

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    So, a couple of qns:

    Qn1: is K1 media a type of bio-ball?
    Qn2: what brands/grade of bio balls are recommended/popular?

  2. #42
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

    Quote Originally Posted by tetrakid View Post
    Probably what is needed is for the bio-ball makers to produce rough surfaces on the plastic rods and crevices in the plastic balls.
    Yah you're right, unfortunately i've yet to see bioballs with rough surfaces. So far i've seen one brand of bioballs that comes with a bio-sponge in the centre of the bioball which to me is much better as compared to the normal ones.

    Quote Originally Posted by dc88 View Post
    BB can cling to "smooth" surface liked nothing, think of your fish tank glass surface, there are plenty of them just our eye can't see. "Smooth" is relative to our human scale of perception.
    One testimony is that I have this setup since 2000 till now and never bother to change them.
    And it adds no load to the canister pump, no clog, or waste builtup.
    I used ceramic ring before too, and it needs to be replaced sooner or later. May be a fresh batch of ceramic ring works more superior than bioball but soon the ceramic ring will run out of steam but the bio ball keep steady in the marathon.
    Smooth surfaces can also have BBs BUT it can't colonise as many BBs as rough surfaces eg. if you were to compare CR to Bio-sponge, you'll need to use very much more amount of bio-sponges to colonise the same amount of BBs as compared to CR medias. Which means you're not making efficient use of whatever limited spaces you have in your cannister or overflow filter.
    As for replacing old filter medias.... If the media is clogged up internally, it is deemed not as effective as when new. Meaning the total surface area (internal and external) that is stated on the packaging of the media is now lesser due to the clog, thats why manufacturers recommends that consumers replace them regularly to maintain at optimum level all the time. But if you're kiasu like alot of us including myself, who pack our filters with as much good biomedias as possible, we may actually have more than enough medias to provide enough external surface area for the BBs to not bother about the clogged up internal parts of the media. Which means we actually don't need to change the medias.

    Quote Originally Posted by dc88 View Post
    found some old data on Dupla bioballs :
    Dupla Minikaskade
    surface area: 3900mm2/ball.
    Package: 70 balls recommend for canister filter upto 100L tank
    273000mm2
    I use 70 of these in a Ehiem Classic 2213 for a 80 L tank. Total surface area=70x3900=
    Will check out hows the ceramic ring data to compare surface area,
    For easy comparisons of the different types/brands of biomedias, let us use m2 or sq ft since most manufacturers use these 2 units of measurements.
    From the converter calculator,
    273,000mm2 of surface area = 0.273m2 = 2.9385sq ft
    As compared to Eheim Sub Pro's 450sqm = 4,844sq ft of surface area.
    Admiring my Fishes calm the Beast within me

  3. #43
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

    Bioballs will beat ceramic cylinders holllow.
    LIFE IS UNBEARABLE WITHOUT A FISH TANK!!!

  4. #44
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

    Quote Originally Posted by aquarius View Post
    From the converter calculator,
    273,000mm2 of surface area = 0.273m2 = 2.9385sq ft
    As compared to Eheim Sub Pro's 450sqm = 4,844sq ft of surface area.
    "

    Wow !!! Thank you, indeed CR is more surface area.
    Didn't know this much different, hopefully not just for a fresh batch only
    How long the CR last ?

  5. #45
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

    A good quality CR should be able to last a very long time without breaking apart. There are those cheap brandless $5 a pack CRs which looks rather brittle, so don't know how long they'll last before breaking apart. Maybe people who have used them can share their experiences.
    Admiring my Fishes calm the Beast within me

  6. #46
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

    Quote Originally Posted by aquarius View Post
    A good quality CR should be able to last a very long time without breaking apart. There are those cheap brandless $5 a pack CRs which looks rather brittle, so don't know how long they'll last before breaking apart. Maybe people who have used them can share their experiences.
    Those "no frills" ceramic rings would always have the tendency of leaving a layer of reside at bottom where they are placed after a period of use.
    Hey Fishy!!! Your So Fine; Your So Fine; You Blow My Mind

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  7. #47
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    It is around 1 year you see them breaking up.

    I had some mr aqua bought 2nd handed when i started hobby still good condition.
    Learning the hardway, not the highway.
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  8. #48
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

    CR is better for mechanical filtration. It has limited biological filtration compared to Biohome or Substrat pro.
    It is quality and price.
    High quality, high price
    Rearing L-numbers : 3 x semi adult L333, 7 x Adult L66, 1 x 10" L190, 1 x 4" L027 XP, 10 Adult L46, 2 adult L273
    Filtration : 1 x Eheim 2075, 1 x Eheim 2032
    Media : Substrat pro, Mech pro, Bio mech pro, Biohome, Matrix, ehfi lav

  9. #49
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

    I am currently using alot of CR (about 90%) and 5 kg of biohome... and i realised some CR starts to chip off and they are only used less than 2 months...

    Also, i have once spoke to a veteran farm worker, and he told me their farm use jap mat or similar to cutivate BB..... and told me using those expensive stuff is good in theory, but not in practical use...
    But the amount of jap mat used was not mentioned, and it would require maintenance to clean them from time to time...

  10. #50
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

    Quote Originally Posted by bravobb View Post
    I am currently using alot of CR (about 90%) and 5 kg of biohome... and i realised some CR starts to chip off and they are only used less than 2 months...

    Also, i have once spoke to a veteran farm worker, and he told me their farm use old fish net or similar to cutivate BB..... and told me using those expensive stuff is good in theory, but not in practical use...
    But the amount of fish net used was not mentioned, and it would require maintenance to clean them from time to time...
    Correction in RED.

  11. #51
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

    Quote Originally Posted by framejumb0 View Post
    CR is better for mechanical filtration. It has limited biological filtration compared to Biohome or Substrat pro.
    There are CRs made for mechanical and biological filteration. CRs made for mechanical filteration has smooth surfaces eg Eheim's Mech, while those for biological purposes have rough and porous surfaces to enable it to colonise much more BBs. Using either the mechanical or biological CRs for purposes other then the intended purpose it was manufactured for, will not give you the results it was intended for and is in my opinion a waste of money.

    Quote Originally Posted by bravobb View Post
    I am currently using alot of CR (about 90%) and 5 kg of biohome... and i realised some CR starts to chip off and they are only used less than 2 months...

    Also, i have once spoke to a veteran farm worker, and he told me their farm use jap mat or similar to cutivate BB..... and told me using those expensive stuff is good in theory, but not in practical use...
    But the amount of jap mat used was not mentioned, and it would require maintenance to clean them from time to time...
    In farms where very large volumes of water is used, farmers won't use most of the "traditional" medias that hobbyists like ourselves would use because of the very high cost involved, that's why he says it's not practical and not because it's no good. That's why you'll see them using cheap made in china type of jap mat or bio-sponges and also improvised materials like old fish nets etc etc. IMO most of the time it's not important for them to use the best available bio-medias because they change water everyday or every other day due to the very high stocking densities in their tanks, so even if the medias do not have enough BBs to remove the ammonia, their regular water changes would have eliminated most or all of the ammonia in the water.
    Admiring my Fishes calm the Beast within me

  12. #52
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    Currently using biohomme,Eheim sub pro...
    It works pretty well in my shrimp tank...

    Powerhouse seems to be popular now...but costly...

  13. #53
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

    I use seachem matrix, fluval Gnodes (got them for free ) eheim substrat pro.

    Out of them, I like the matrix and substrat just cause they are easier to clean and unlike the Gnodes, they dont break apart when I give them a good shake during maintenance. If I had to choose between matrix and substrat pro, I'd go with matrix just because I can get it cheaper and IME is just as good as substrat pro.
    Regards,
    Jalal K.

  14. #54
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

    I just added Sponge in the sump compartment after some research that it is good for BB cultivation plus cheap. And in order to prevent them from breaking off, i have combine 10 over pieces together in a washing bag. However, it is difficult to make it sink, i even try putting a 1kg rock on top but it is still floating on top. So currently, they are floating on top the sump compartment.
    Anyone knows how do you implement Sponge correctly into the sump ?

  15. #55
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

    1 thing I realized about Biohome+ is that it really needs to be rinsed before 1st use, otherwise all the fine red powder caused by the pieces grinding against one another while in the box, will really just gather in your canister compartments when you are using it. A few days back I tried rinsing some "fresh-out-from-packaging" Biohome+ media in a pail of (de-chlorinated) water by pouring the entire (plastic) bag contents into filter media mesh & thrashing them in the pail of water, I was surprised how red the water turned.

  16. #56
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

    I want to check whether is anybody using Bacter Rio 9000 biomedia? The packaging is silver in colour at the back while the front allows you to see the media, it looks abit like Biohome, is red in colour, looks very very porous and claims to have far-infrared capabilities. I was wondering whether does it disintegrate or break easily after some time of usage cos it's not cheap but it looks to be a good alternative to Biohome?
    Admiring my Fishes calm the Beast within me

  17. #57
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

    You know this media got me very interested a couple of months ago. I'm pretty interested to learn more and experiment with Seachem Matrix. The statement they made is pretty bold. Bolder than Duracell vs Energizer but then both does the same thing. Just which one is better. I'm using Eheim Subtrat Pro and Mech Pro. I did not dwell or read much into them...yet.
    Substrat Pro: a square looking media (it seems to break down after after a few months.)
    Substart Pro: small tiny balls
    Mech Pro: a black spiral plastic

    I've yet to research more into them. I do however am intereted to learn exactly what they really do to proof a better product that provides bacteria to colonise. Stormhawk post on Eheim Lav is getting me interested.

    The media have done its job for my tank even when i add more fauna or when i feed more than usual.

    I have a Fluval C4 which uses a media call C nodes. Seems similiar in material to the Eheim Substat Pro square media but it doesnt diintegrate as fast. The c nodes has done its job in cycling my tank with ammonia higher than 8ppm.

    Though it might not be a fair conclusion of this two but both did their job. Managing to get to the parameters of 0,0,5-10ppm. And cycling the tank within 22 days. So how do i tell whether duracell or is it energizer better? They both did their job.

    I would like to try my hands on matrix this weekend. Anyone has any real experience with them?
    VSGenesis
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  18. #58
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    The square white media is 'Eheim bio mech pro'
    It is act as both mech and bio media.
    I'm using eheim substrat pro, bio
    Mech pro n mech pro along with matrix 2L in 2075. Other than that have 2028 in same tank with substrat pro and mech.
    Addition of 2L really helped to control NO3 levels. I cant say for sure but now my tank is havin 20-30ppm of NO3. Before adding Matrix it was 40-50ppm.
    But i should admit the bio load is not so high. And i dont overfeed. Siphon out poo daily too.
    Rearing L-numbers : 3 x semi adult L333, 7 x Adult L66, 1 x 10" L190, 1 x 4" L027 XP, 10 Adult L46, 2 adult L273
    Filtration : 1 x Eheim 2075, 1 x Eheim 2032
    Media : Substrat pro, Mech pro, Bio mech pro, Biohome, Matrix, ehfi lav

  19. #59
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

    VSGenesis ~ Eheim Lav is a good and very much cheaper bio-media for use in a large tank but if i remember correctly, the packaging doesn't state how much square ft or square meters of surface area is in that 1L or 2L pack of Lava Rocks. So you can't compare it with the other bio-medias to know which is better. I'm guessing why Eheim didn't give the total surface area in it's packaging is because it may be very difficult to accurately estimate how much surface area is in that 1L/2L pack unlike the other mass produced bio-medias which is very uniformed. Because of this, i'd give Lava Rocks a miss when considering what type of bio-medias to buy but that is my personal opinion only. I've also come across some medias which claims to have 1000 plus square meters of surface area for that 1L box/pack which to me is highly questionable since a similar looking one from a reputable brand has a much lower surface area.

    Anyway, i look forward to your review of the Matrix if you had bought it.
    Admiring my Fishes calm the Beast within me

  20. #60
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    Re: What is your Favourite Bio Filter Media

    Have got some questions:

    Qn1: What advantages does "Eheim-branded" lava rocks hold over "normal" lava rocks?

    Qn2: For rough mechanical filtration, will "Eheim Mech" or "Eheim lava rocks" be superior?

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