Ceramic Bio Rings - 1L Or 1Kg?!

[daizeUK]

Anybody know how much these things weigh?
I have to choose between buying 1 litre or 1 kilo of bio rings so I wondered which was better value for money!

 

[techen]

1KG is a lot of Bio rings @.@

 

[daizeUK]

Really?  I need about a litre and I can get a kilo for around the same price
It's for my Eheim 2213

 

[daizeUK]

This is the stuff sold as 1kg  http/www.amazon.co.uk/Ceramic-Filter-Biological-Aquarium-Filters/dp/B00BUUNTKW/ref=sr_1_11?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1371731405&sr=1-11&keywords=ceramic+media
 
Is it just cheap and nasty or will it work just as well as the expensive Fluval rings for example?

 

[KirkyArcher]

It's way too shiny need lots of pores for bacteria to get into and cling onto! stuff like Alfagrog is much more effective
http/www.amazon.co.uk/Alfagrog-Fish-Filter-Media-Delivery/dp/B008U6XINC/ref=pd_sim_sbs_petsupplies_1

 

 

[goldfinger]

True I have seen very shiny ones and people do not understand the more roughness and porus the media the better bacteria will hook itself and grow faster.
I've heard at the moment that Aqua one bio media is one of the best, but a company up north sells a better BIOHOME media I think its called?

 

[KirkyArcher]

That would be Tyne Valley Aquatics, this guy knows what he's talking about 

   http/www.tynevalleyaquatics.co.uk/

 

[daizeUK]

Ah crikey thanks for showing me the light.  Seems like I was asking the wrong question!  That guy in the video tells it like it is
My next choice was going to be these Superfish rings http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/superfish-crystalmax-800ml-p-5320.html but they look quite shiny from what I can see too.
The Aqua One bionoods are surprisingly hard to get hold of!

 

[daizeUK]

I think to stay within budget the choice for me is going to be one of

• Fluval Biomax
• Aquael BioCeraMax
• Superfish CrystalMax

Any preference amongst these?

 

[goldfinger]

I'm using K1 media combined with noodles and seems to be working 3 litres of K1 media its like £3.33 per litre I've used about 1.5 liters, but I have a Eheim 2217 so there is a big void to fill. 
Here is my thread:
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/417891-just-bought-a-filter-eheim-2017/#entry3527230
Sorry never used any of the forementioned bio media.

 

[daizeUK]

Ah that looks like the stuff that the Tyne Aquatics guy recommended for moving bed filters.  He said they have to move around to encourage only the best bacteria to establish because they don't have a lot of surface space.

 

[goldfinger]

Yes but that why I've cheated and combined the two together and it works okay by themselves without movement of a large canister and don't forget I have 2217 1000 liters per hour is more than enough bacteria growth for my set up. I'm just saying its cheap and does have enough surface area for bacteria growth and catching waste, a professional fish breeder I know suggested it to me as he has used them for quite awhile and had good results in combining them with noodles. I would have not suggested it without doing it myself Daize!

 

[daizeUK]

I know but your filter is bigger than mine   I get what you're saying though.  I'll be overfiltered for the size of the tank too so I don't necessarily need the best stuff.
 
I'm trying to work out comparative surface area of different brands.  Oddly enough I'm struggling to find any information about Fluval Biomax surface area, it all seems very vague and cagey.

 

[KirkyArcher]

Even some batches of Fluval Biomax are quite smooth, in the end I chucked out all the stuff that came supplied with my 206 filter and replaced it with some Eheim Substrat Pro that was on offer at a local Garden centre aquatics dept. The price was so low I felt a little dishonest as I paid for it!

 

[daizeUK]

The thing that puts me off Eheim or Seachem Matrix (and possibly Alfagrog?) is that they work best with pre-filter rings to distribute the flow evenly.
 
I can't find any surface area information about Superfish CrystalMax either.  Aquaessentials claim it is 'the most effective biological filter media' and 'With Superfish Crystal Max you achieve the best performance per litre of filter volume!"  I'd prefer to see some figures to back that up.  I might contact them and ask!
 
I found a rumour on the internet that put Fluval Biomax at 136 sq.m/L of surface area.  If true then that's vastly less than a lot of other brands e.g. JBL SintoMec at 1200 sq.m/L and Alfagrog at 6500 sq.m/L!!!