Archive for the ‘aquarium fish’ Category
Bio Balls
What should I do with Bio-Balls?
So I just bought 6 bio-balls to help cycle my 55 gallon freshwater tank. I have a few questions.
#1. Do I need more than that?
#2. Do I put them in the OTB filters(I have 2, one on each side) or just float them in the main Tank Water or both?
#3. Should I slowly remove them after the cycle or is it beneficial to keep them?
#4. Do they already have bacteria in them somehow? Will it speed up the cycle process or do they just become part of it?
The purpose of bio-balls is that they have a lot of surface area for bacteria to grow. They do not contain bacteria prior to use. The bacteria will colonize and grow on them. You can place them in a mesh bag, and just leave it in the tank, or put them in your OTB filter, if there is room… you still need your Carbon Filter media too. You can put them in a cave decoration, or in an overflow tank. If you choose to use them, leave them for the life of the tank and do not clean them. You can rinse large debris off of them if necessary, but rinse only in tank water (the water you remove when changing the water is perfect for rinsing Filter Media). The balls become part of the cycle and are the bio-filter media. Some filters include a bio-filter wheel, in which case bio-balls are not needed.
Episode 59 pt 1, Cleaning Bio-Balls in a Wet Dry Trickle Fil
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