Bio-ball volume

[richmond5]

I bought 500 1 1/2" bio-balls which are supposed to provide a 5-6 gal. volume. The actual volume of the 500 balls does not look 5-6 gal. So how does the bio-ball's 5-6 gal came from. For a 170 gal. tanks, does 5-6 gal volume of bio-balls be good enough? When people advertise a wet dry filter with 5 gal. of volume , is that the actual volume or the bio-ball's volume. Thanks!

[RockHound]

Gallons is a liquid measurement.

Dry good such as bio balls should not be measured in gallons.

It is a sales ploy:

to sell you less volume of dry goods;

while they make it sound like more.

1 US Gallon (liquid) = 231 cubic inches

1 US Gallon (solid) = 268.8 cubic inches

1 UK Gallon = 277.4 cubic inches

1 Cubic foot = 1,728 cubic inches

Take this with a grain of salt.
They say a good rule is 1 gallon of bio balls.
Will service 40 to 45 gallons of aquaruin water.

I have never had a problem with 5 gallons of bioballs.
Servicing a 100 gallon aquarium wet/dry trickle type biofilter.

But, that is just me.

[richmond5]

Thanks, that's very useful informations. One more thing, when filling up with water, should the balls be all the way above the waterline or partly under or totally immersed.

[kaceyo]

They are designed to be kept above the water so that none are underwater, so set your filter up like that if possible. There are much better types of media for submerged use.

Kacey

[richmond5]

Hi Kacey:
Thanks a lot. What would you suggested for post bio-ball filtration at the bottom slot before the pump?

[Graham]

Hi Put any mechanical filtration at the beginning, before the BB's. Nothing is needed after them.

Jim is that 1gal BB/40>45gallons of water with a 30'' koi in the tank or a few neons

[kaceyo]

Richmond,
It's not needed but you can put a sponge filter after the bioballs. You don't want to let it become biologicly active tho or it will deplete some of the oxygen the trickle filter just added to the water. Some people put a thin sponge on the pump inlet to protect it and keep it clean.

Kacey

[RockHound]

Hi Put any mechanical filtration at the beginning, before the BB's. Nothing is needed after them.

Jim is that 1gal BB/40>45gallons of water with a 30'' koi in the tank or a few neons

LOL, just a normal tropical fish aquarium, that is stocked reasonably.

Koi are a differing story.
They eat like hogs & produce ammonia/solid waste like a pig factory.

The 40/45 gallons of water, per gallon of bioballs is based on what you feed normal tropical fish, not 30 inch Koi.

For instance, Koi will eat apples, banana's, oranges, watermelon & cantaloupe.

That is more feed volume/weight than you would ever feed tropical fish at one setting.

[Graham]

The simple point is that bio-media and filters should never be rated on water volume and every manufacturer does it,along with a lot of web sites and hobbyists.

Since they have no idea whether the pond or the aquarium has Koi, Goldfish, Pacu's, Snakeheads, Discus, Guppies or Neons in it, how can the rating be anything but foolishness.

I have 17 koi ranging from about 22'' to 30'' in 2500 gallons of water (holding tank) with about 10cu ft scrubbies in a TT with a flow rate of about 3000gph going over it, handling anything that I can throw at it. I never get an NH3 spike..........so

2500/45 = 55 cubic feet of bio=balls.........

Bottom line is that bio-media and water volume have zip to do with each other regardless of fish type and food fed. It has everything to do with available bio-surface

G

[richmond5]

Interesting! With Koi eating like crazy, you are only having flow rate of no more than 2x the tank volume. What are scrubbies, by the way?

Alex

[Graham]

Kitchen scrubbies............they have about 370 sq ft of surface per cu ft. Mine have been in use for about 7 years now so they are well established.

The nitrifiying bacteria will colonize on any media an increase thier numbers to utilize the available food source. Within reason the volume of media isn't all that critical....it's available surface area

[RockHound]

Interesting! With Koi eating like crazy, you are only having flow rate of no more than 2x the tank volume. What are scrubbies, by the way?

Alex

[RockHound]

The simple point is that bio-media and filters should never be rated on water volume and every manufacturer does it,along with a lot of web sites and hobbyists.

Since they have no idea whether the pond or the aquarium has Koi, Goldfish, Pacu's, Snakeheads, Discus, Guppies or Neons in it, how can the rating be anything but foolishness.

I have 17 koi ranging from about 22'' to 30'' in 2500 gallons of water (holding tank) with about 10cu ft scrubbies in a TT with a flow rate of about 3000gph going over it, handling anything that I can throw at it. I never get an NH3 spike..........so

2500/45 = 55 cubic feet of bio=balls.........

Bottom line is that bio-media and water volume have zip to do with each other regardless of fish type and food fed. It has everything to do with available bio-surface

G

Graham,

I agee with you 100%

That is why I said;

>>>>> Take this with a grain of salt.

They say a good rule is 1 gallon of bio balls.
Will service 40 to 45 gallons of aquaruin water.

I have never had a problem with 5 gallons of bioballs.
Servicing a 100 gallon aquarium wet/dry trickle type biofilter.

But, that is just me. <<<<<<

I have used a 5 gallon bucket full, on a 100 gallon tank.
Which was enough for the load in that particular tank.

That is why I said:
Take this with a grain of salt.
They say

[alxjss]

ok rockhound. where did u get ur supply. I have been looking and can't find what u have. Please, do tell. THanks

[salth20]

I found scrubbies at Dollar General.