Bio balls

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tropicfishman

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Jan 16, 2006
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Ashland KY
I have a 10 gallon tank and the LFS gave me 3 large blue bio balls brand new just to be nice, I put one in the filter itself and 2 are floating in the tank. I was wondering how long it took you guys and gals to get your bio balls started on growing bacteria and where you have yours located, such as the filter, floating, etc. If you put yours in a HOB type filter, where in the filter did you put yours, I put mine right where the water exits behind the filter cartridge and on top of my C- 100 ammonia remover bag.
 
as far as my knowledge with bio balls go, the one in the filter should the correct spot. the only ppl i kno with bio-balls is ppl who put them in their sump for a saltwater. but they are to build up beneficial bacteria (sorry i like pointing out the obvious sometimes) so i would say they could go anywhere.

im not much help here, but i tried...

hope someone else has a better response

good luck!
 
They can also go into a Co2 reactor to breakup the Co2 bubbles.
anywhere there is a flow of water will get them growing bacteria (filter would be best)
 
Welcome to AA :)

Bio balls belong in the filter only (don't float them in your tank), and will work just fine in FW. The nitrifying bacteria needs oxygen rich water to sustain itself. So, any place in your filter where the water flow is moving through it will work.

The type of filter you have should determine the best place and type of media to colonize this bacteria. What type of filter are you using? Also why are you using an ammonia remover? Is your tank cycled? Have you tested for ammonia?

Please read the article on tank cycling. It may help you undestand what you can expect. :wink:
 
I too am curious as my local fish store has them just free floating.
 
There is nothing bad about it. That is, they won't harm anything. To be at it's most effective they should be placed in a continually moving current. That's why sumps and filters are the ideal place to cultivate nitrifying bacteria. Besides... just how great do bio balls look floating in your tank? Very natural. LOL
 
Ah ok... so for best performance keep it with the filter, but it won't hurt to have it floating free. Great! I've been considering getting a couple for my tank.
 
Not to put too much of a damper on things ..... but one or 2 bioballs prob won't make a lot of difference .... sure you have some surface area for the bacteria, but compared to your tank wall, gravel, decorations, rocks, etc. 2 bioballs isn't much.

People who use bioballs put in gallons of the stuff ..... For a 100 gal system, for example, the recommended number is 2-3 gallons (that works out to a few hundred balls) ... that's why they are usually hidden in sumps.

However, having a few won't hurt things, so if you like the look of the balls in the tank, by all means put them in .... just don't expect miracles!
 
No benefit to float them...and who wants big blue balls floating around in the tank? its an aquarium, not a pool :)
 
I figured it wouldn't do a whole lot of difference, but I like to try things out to see how they work and what not, plus i got 3 for free, better than paying a buck a piece somewhere
 
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