PlanetCatfish.com

Would a plastic media such as bio-balls be as effective when submerged? Or should I use something more like lava rock or ceramic noodles?
Thanks
Shaun.

Hi Shaun,

You need to look at the surface area of the bio-medium. Essentially you need living space for the beneficial bacteria to set up shop.

Just from my own observations of media I've sighted, the pores of the volcanic rock sort of thing provide much more area than the plastic bio-balls, particularly given the space thay take up.

I have the Ehiem 2213 and 2217 cannister filters. They have a layer of that sort of volcanic rock, and a layer of the noodle type (plus the plastic sponge stuff). I can't imagine getting anywhere near the performance (bio-wise) from bio-balls within those same cannisters.

Thanks Kana,
good to see another Aussie into catfish. I don't live too far from melbourne myself.
Shaun

I meant to answer this one earlier, but got side-tracked...

I think the Bio-balls are good for "bacteria living space", and make a decent mechincal filter too.

The "ceramic pipe" stuff are (according to Eheim at least) designed as a "Mechanical filtration media", so they are there to block particles and keep them in the media.

I have EfhiMech (pipes) (one tray) and EhfiSubstrat (two trays) in my filter. The latter is a artifical version of volcanic rock.

--
Mats

Thanks Mat, think I will use them in a canister then. I want something that won't restrict water flow whil providing bio-filtration.