These bacteria are essential for the breakdown of ammonia and nitrites in your aquarium water, which can be harmful to your fish. You will also need to consider that bio balls need some extra cleaning and don’t allow the necessary bacteria to grow that perform denitrification. Pallet delivery is to the kerbside (at least 2 people will be needed to off-load depending on item size.) Bio balls don’t need to be replaced as long as they are kept clean and show no signs of falling apart. Replacing bio balls will actually be detrimental to your system as they make up a good portion of your biological filter that allows your fish tank to sustain itself. The best 3 bio balls for your aquarium filter One of the most frequently asked questions about bio balls is how long they last. The answer depends on a number of factors, including the type of ball, the size of the aquarium, and the maintenance schedule.

And when that happens, the biological filtration becomes less and less effective. There will come a time when you eventually need to replace the ceramic rings in your aquarium. A mechanical filter should be in place before the bio balls in your filter system to catch any waste before it reaches your bio balls. Like fishes, turtles also need biological filtration to keep their tanks clean. Turtles produce a lot more waste than fish so you need to have biological filtration in your turtle tank.Be aware that adding fewer balls than recommended will lead to decreased bio-filtration. And it is definitely not a bad idea to have more bio balls than required — provided that the filter chamber can contain them all. Bio Balls or Ceramic Rings? Different types of bio media work best in certain filters. Not all types of filters are compatible with all types of bio media. Make sure to choose a type that fits your filter and is effective at trapping debris and providing a place for bacteria to grow.

But there's the argument of "if you clean them often enough then you wont have a problem." Wrong, rinsing any bio-media like its a mechanical media will eliminate the nitrifying bacteria, thus anytime you perform filtration maintenance will give you a "mini cycle." Regardless, both filter media provide extra surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize; so whichever option you choose, make sure to perform routine tank maintenance to prevent your biological filter from getting overwhelmed with waste. Even though both of these balls are the exact same size and shape, the bio ball on the left has much more surface area, making it capable of housing more bacteria than the ball on the right. Bio balls provide a place for all the good nitrifying bacteria you need in your tank to live. The surface of each bio ball is designed to have as much surface area as possible so the bacteria have as much as possible to cling to. 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.

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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. If you wish to exercise your right of cancellation after you have received the goods, you are obliged to retain possession of the goods and take reasonable care of them. There are many different types of filter media you may see on store shelves and you can always swap out what is in your filter for something that better suits your tank setup and inhabitants. Whichever you choose, all the bio media on this list can suit your canister or HOB filter well and is suitable for freshwater or saltwater biological filtration. So you’re sure to find the best option for you! FAQs

Now, you may have been warned that bio balls are no good for your aquarium because they can become a nitrite factory. The worst part of the Tetra Whisper is its filter media, which replaces the dense sponge found in most other filters tested with mesh pads sprinkled with carbon. Whereas sponge filters can last a few years between changes, the Tetra Whisper's filter medium seemed far less durable. Our best recommendation is to replace them with a sponge filter cut to the correct size. You can use ceramic rings instead of bio balls. Ceramic media is a great alternative for bio balls and some aquarists argue that it’s a lot more beneficial for a tank compared to bio balls. One option is to use live plants in your aquarium. Live plants will help to filter the water and provide a natural habitat for your fish.

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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? If these are placed before the foams in the system, or no foams are used, the debris that is caught in the bio balls will have a negative effect in your tank. This will cause the Nitrite level to rise which can cause your tank to crash and re-cycle. How do I clean bio balls? Floss: Another “sponge” providing a tighter network of fibers for collecting debris and housing good bacteria. Beware that these will get clogged much faster than other media on this list. 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. Most experts recommend changing your bio balls every six months to a year. However, this may vary depending on the size and type of aquarium you have, as well as the number of fish and other animals living in it.