Bio Balls : size matters ? : 1" or 1.25"

[Yanbbrox]

I'd go for the smaller ones, look to have a better bio load overall, the more stocking the more scope you will have to handle it, filtration wise. Just MO

 

[rallysman]

scrubbies.

 

[justin guest]

Just something to think about...

Mixing filter media

One thing that i see very little written about on this site though is about the importance of combining different filter materials in one filter chamber (forgive me if i´ve missed a post on this). The number of surface loving bacterial species in a filter qaudruples as a rule each time a new filter media type is added due to a reduction of species dominance. This is due to the fact that certain bacteria like certain surface types more than others. If you have different surfaces then no one species can become and remain dominant. A wider range of nitrifying bacteria species also means the filter becomes more biologically robust. It isn´t that important exactly what filter material you use (given that surface area isn´t too bad for a given filter material) but extremely important that you mix your filter medias - not layered like we aquarists love to see but mixed up with each other in the same chamber the way mother nature likes it

j<><

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

Just something to think about...



j<><

Ummm VERY interesting, never heard of this before...

 

[Onion01]

Just something to think about...



j<><

i don't see how this would make sense, unless the different medias contain properties that promote one type of bacteria growth over another

 

[ronin_man]

agreed, very interesting...
where did you site this info from ?
i'd like to read more into this.

 

[scoobydoo]

i would have thought the bigger the better for bacteria colonys too establish on a bigger scale

 

[justin guest]

agreed, very interesting...
where did you site this info from ?
i'd like to read more into this.

From studies from a couple of private firms I used to work with in Germany

j<><

 

[invisyblegypsey]

cool grate info!

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

From studies from a couple of private firms I used to work with in Germany

j<><

Please elaborate and educate us.

Are you saying that various BB colonize on various surface areas? That different BB are more prone to colonize on a preferred surface area?