Biomedia capacity..

[DanProwse]

I remember seeing a calculation somewhere of how to work out from the surface area of your biomedia how much ammonia it can convert in 24 hours, and therefore how much can be fed in 24 without compromising water quality.

Does anyone know where i can find this formula again or what it is as i cant find it again now.

cheers

 

[Fish Eat Fish]

just try it and keep testing. You should figure it out within a week.

 

[edtriou]

I don't know the formula for surface area of BB.

Although I do know that a typical fishless cycle recommends using 4ppm of ammonia and having enough BB capable of consuming that in 24 hours. 4ppm being well beyond any real fish loads, or so I hear.

So working backwards, if your BB can consume 4ppm in 24 hours, then you have enough combined surface area. If it can't, then you either need more surface area, more time for them to multiply, or both.

Ed

 

[DanProwse]

yea the tanks fine at the moment but i dont know if it will be when the fish are all bigger so just wanted to work out roughly how much my current media should be able to handle in theory...