Biomedia: Bioballs vs. Dimpled ceramic

[Kinetix]

Which biomedia is best? I'm setting up two Aquaclear 110s for my new 90G, and I've always used ceramic media, but since I've gone and run out I'm trying to decide what needs to be bought.

In your experience, should I be using bioballs in each unit (and my DIY CO2 reactor) or is it better just to top up with more ceramic?

 

[Jaybird]

I have biostars in my canister filter. They provide more surface area than either the balls or rings.

 

[chotie]

ceramic rings holds bacteria better. supposedly.

 

[Guest]

I think your comparing two different animals. Probably the best thing to do would be to add the ceramic rings into the aquaclear because you can put a whole lot more into it that compared to the amount of bioballs you could fit into the thing. I think the reason bioballs are so popular is because of what they are in. Wet/drys have the room to put tons of bioballs in them and then trickle water over them. This promotes gas exchange in the water and allows massive amounts of oxygen to come in contact with the aerobic bacteria. I hope I said that right. In a hob however you would probably have a larger bacterial community using the ceramic media, just because of size vs surface area IMO.

The DIY reactor on the other hand would probably be okay using the bioballs, because if I understand the idea behind it there not used in a biological filter sense. In a reactor there designed to break up the water flow threw the unit, and any unfortunate Co2 bubble that gets in there is smashed up against the balls making it smaller and smaller thus diffusing it more efficiently into the water.

 

[trotty]

Totally agree wit above... Apart from the reactor cause i dont know anything about them.

IME ive always used ceramic rings and sometimes with the balls, but thats mainly in canister filters. I'm now using Johnson Glass noodles that look pretty much the same but are supposed to be better for surface area...