These things still look weird to me!

[FishHobby99]

Swapped out some water in the 90 gal sump tank system. All the spiky balls still look very strange to me! So googled them. Easy to find. Nice to see they are commonly

used.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Lots like them now...all maximising the surface area per small volume. Lots of space upon which beneficial bacteria can grow.
HOWEVER...the plastic, for all its convoluted shapes, is still smoooooooooooooth.
I still don't think you can beat the more traditional ceramic 'noodles'. Look at these under a microscope and you'll see why.

 

[FishNturt808]

Plus they float. Getting them to stay in the tray of your canister is such a treat

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Seems like all over the world, people are trying to re-invent the wheel in order to make money.

 

[FishHobby99]

Lots like them now...all maximising the surface area per small volume. Lots of space upon which beneficial bacteria can grow.
HOWEVER...the plastic, for all its convoluted shapes, is still smoooooooooooooth.
I still don't think you can beat the more traditional ceramic 'noodles'. Look at these under a microscope and you'll see why.

Hah! thought of you upon reading they maximize the surface!
You do know things.

 

[Avel1896]

There is enough plastic on Earth, isn't it ?
No plastic in my tank !

 

[FishHobby99]

my wheels are spiky & purple anyways!

I inherited thsi system. Better the spiky balls be used than disposed of.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

This pretty much looks like my sump tank. shocked by the price!View attachment 142614

That is the complete sump, not just the bio-balls. (I’ve always heard of the, as bio-balls)

Of course, that’s an outrageous price for a sump, considering it’s small size and horrible design.

 

[itiwhetu]

Have seen mention of different filter mediums on here recently. I have been meaning to say if you have old activated Carbon you can always leave it in the filter. It has a huge surface area and is fantastic for your BB. Don't be to hasty when thinking about throwing stuff out.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

By the way...at the risk of being picky, is this going to be a Journal?

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

See response in other post, please.

Likewise.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

don’t know difference between journal & whatever .
meant to post as usual

It's the 'where' you post that may, (or may not), be an issue.

 

[FishHobby99]

ok. gotcha. Thanks

 

[jimwg]

Lots like them now...all maximising the surface area per small volume. Lots of space upon which beneficial bacteria can grow.
HOWEVER...the plastic, for all its convoluted shapes, is still smoooooooooooooth.
I still don't think you can beat the more traditional ceramic 'noodles'. Look at these under a microscope and you'll see why.

I agree, ceramics are better but I prefer API's Bio-Stars which are made of a very porous material

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Have seen mention of different filter mediums on here recently. I have been meaning to say if you have old activated Carbon you can always leave it in the filter. It has a huge surface area and is fantastic for your BB. Don't be to hasty when thinking about throwing stuff out.

I remember a lot of discussions around active carbon eventually starting to leech out everything it had previously removed over a long enough time period. It was a pretty hotly debated topic at the time. Is this something that has been properly debunk yet?

I sadly had to buy some of these horrible plastic bio balls as it was all my LFS had in stock and both the woman is charge (my Mrs and my Daughter) are telling me to get the tank running so didn't want to wait for delivery. Definitely not as good as the ceramic ones or even just smashed up lava stone.