How much bio-media?

[thecoolguy]

hey guys....

i would do a poll, but want to hear what people have learned/use for a standard in how much bio-media to use....

stats: 275gal, heavy stocking level (1 black aro, 4-6 pbass, 3-5 dats)

plan: 20gal bio-balls, 25kg(50lbs) ceramic media

enough?

i have actually never purchased a box of pre-packaged ceramic rings in the states, and have no idea (in weight kg/lbs) how much bio-media people put into their cannisters or wetdrys.....

my application will be a wetdry so i am not sure of the technicalities that flowrate plays into how much media is required...if any at all...

all input more than welcome.....main reason i ask is because 1) i obviously want enough but also 2) if i am using too much, i would like to utilize other compartments of the wetdry for other applications (plants/heater/etc....)

 

[Nic]

well you could swap some of the bio balls for nylon scrubbies they have a lot more surface area.... as far as the rings go I would just use like 2 liters of eheim subrat pro... much more surface area.... also hanging on the side of your sump you could add a FBF(fluidized bed filter) for added bio...all it needs is a small pump in the sump...

 

[thecoolguy]

thanks for the input....

i am planning on have 1 or 2 fb900 model fbf's running off the sump and returning flow to the beginning of the sump (so any sand that does get exhausted will get caught in the pre-filter material)

a little redundant, but i think i might go a little crazy on the stocking.....

as for ceramic ring quantity - the only reason i have 55lbs of it (about 20gal worth) is because i am bringing it from china....it is DIRT cheap....

so, my sump will be 3 chamber

1) 50 packs of filter cotton (again, from china......)

2) 20gal of ceramic

3) return pump / heater / 2 fbf's

that should do it.....

 

[thecoolguy]

bored.....so made a picture of the plan

anyone see any major problems?

 

[johnptc]

be nice to get some air to the bio media

 

[thecoolguy]

be nice to get some air to the bio media

hey john

that is actually something i am debating over big time....

99% of the large comm tanks here in china that i have seen and examined filtration - have this type of setup - where the bio-media (all of which is usually ceramic rings) is about 95% or more submerged

the fish seem healthy, and the water pristine - so i dont know what the deal is - i know that the bio-media needs air - but the fact that water is constantly flowing over the media, albeit submerged, provide enough oxygenated water for it to all work?

at a loss on what to do.....add airstones?

 

[Nic]

air stones would probally help you out

 

[johnptc]

hey john

that is actually something i am debating over big time....

99% of the large comm tanks here in china that i have seen and examined filtration - have this type of setup - where the bio-media (all of which is usually ceramic rings) is about 95% or more submerged

the fish seem healthy, and the water pristine - so i dont know what the deal is - i know that the bio-media needs air - but the fact that water is constantly flowing over the media, albeit submerged, provide enough oxygenated water for it to all work?

at a loss on what to do.....add airstones?

many people run the bio media fully submerged.......the added air will support more bacteria.....but it will work either way....