TOP 5 AQUARIUM FILTER MEDIA - BY DIY AQUAPROS

Hello there, I'm Richard from Tyne Valley Aquatics, and this is not one of my videos. This is a video by Mike from DIY Aqua Pros, and it is examining the different sorts of filter media and their strengths and weaknesses. Now I've given Mike a bit of media to test, that was the bio-worm stuff, but I've also sent him something else. This stuff is a new sort of moving bed media. It's manufactured by Kaldnes. And it's a very, very small version of the standard K1. K1's good, but it doesn't have much of a surface area for the volume that it takes up. In fact, it's got 500 square metres per cubic metre of media. This stuff has 950 square metres per cubic metre. So it's got almost twice the surface area per volume. What that means is that not only has this got much more surface area per volume, but it also moves much more fluidly in a moving bed because of its smaller size. You can get more in there and it moves through the water a lot better. And I've given some of this stuff to Mike, he's going to make a video about DIY internal moving bed filters, so watch out for that one. As you know, I was the first on YouTube to have an internal moving bed filter. Now I could just make a video of this new media in a moving bed filter myself, but I'm going to give that honour to Mike because he'll make a much better job than me. Hey everybody Mike here from DIY Aquapros. Today we're going to be taking a look at five different medias used for biological filtration and talk about their pros and cons as well as their relative efficiencies. Now make sure you stick around to the end of the video where I'll be highlighting a newer type of media that might just be a secret weapon when it comes to aquarium filtration. Let's start our discussion. Now you've probably asked yourself at one point or the other, what method of filtration should I use? Or what type of bio-media will work best in my tank? Now after watching this video, hopefully you'll have the answers to those questions. Let's begin with the classic filter sponge. This method of filtration is extremely common and can be adapted in several different ways. Among the most common are submerged air driven sponge filters, which work by pulling water upward through the sponge as it follows the oxygen escaping through the top. The sponge itself is a dense network of foam-like plastic fibers, providing good surface area for our beneficial bacteria, as well as the ability to filter out particulates and plant debris from your tank. On the outer surface and even the inside of the sponge, we'll be relatively aerobic, meaning oxygen will be available and we'll see a good conversion of ammonia to nitrate, as well as the breakdown of organic material by heterotrophs who are mixed in with the microbial community. Relying solely on a submerged sponge filter for biofiltration can present some issues. Due to their 360 degree water suction, the exterior of these filters can become clogged quite easily. Now, while they are easy to remove and wash out, every time you do this, your community of beneficial bacteria can be reduced significantly, which could present a spike in ammonia in tanks with a high fish load. This is just one of the reasons why we recommend using this type of biofilter only as a complement to a larger, more long-term filtration system in tanks with few to no plants. In a heavily planted tank, you can get away with this method of filtration due to plants' ability to consume free ammonium that may present itself after a filter cleaning. Now let's take a look at BioBalls. This is another very popular plastic-based biomedia that comes in a wide variety of designs, each with their own relative surface area. BioBalls can be used in both submerged and emerged trickle filters. We like to use them in the latter to provide the maximum amount of oxygen our beneficial bacteria require. While the BioBall may appear to be smooth, it actually has a rough groove structure to aid in cellular attachment and provides a great surface area. This type of media does not clog easily, and depending on its application will generally promote the aerobic conversion of ammonia to nitrate. We like BioBalls because they're lightweight, making them great for a lot of our projects, and recommend them for use in almost any style of aquarium filtration. Next up is Ceramic Rings. This biomedia is extremely porous, providing an almost unmatched surface area. The rough outer and inner texture, combined with millions of small pores, allows bacteria to adhere and colonize faster than the previous medias. While the porous nature of this media has its advantages, don't forget that high surface area doesn't always equal more bacteria. Their relative population size is always dependent on the amount of available nutrients they require. Due to the small pores deep inside the ceramic ring structure, over time this media will become clogged with organic material and create anaerobic microzones. Many believe this to be a fault of the ceramic based medias, but it creates an opportunity for denitrifying bacteria to colonize these anaerobic areas and reduce nitrate to nitrogen gas, efficiently reducing the overall nitrogen load in your aquarium. This is a huge advantage that the previous medias can't compete with. We use ceramic rings in almost all of our non and lightly planted tanks that have a high fish load because of this ability. Next let's talk about moving bed media, such as the commonly used Kaldnes series of biomedia. This media is plastic based like the first two, but it's unique in that it possesses a near neutral buoyancy, making it easy to circulate in moving bed filters. This ability is heightened once bacteria colonize the majority of the media, turning it a slight It's a slight tan color. The most common adaptation of this media is submerged in an air-driven filter, making it extremely efficient at growing aerobic microbes, including our coveted beneficial bacteria. It has a good surface area, which gives it the ability to support a large community of microorganisms if the nutrient load permits. Now the number one benefit to this type of filter media is its constant bumping and circulation that it receives when it's used properly. The moving media will slough off dead bacteria and organics, and it will only retain the active microbes we want in our filter. This is a great choice of media if you have a non-planted aquarium with a high fish load, where you want the most efficient conversion of ammonia to nitrate. In a heavily planted tank, where we want some ammonium to be available to our plants, this method of filtration may not be the best choice, but again it all depends on your setup and what you're trying to accomplish. Now let's talk about our favorite bio-media for both traditional and planted aquariums. BioHome Ultimate is just one of several medias created by Richard Thew, but you may know him better as Pond Guru here on YouTube. All of the BioHome media is made from a sintered glass, giving it superior surface area when compared to the previous medias. Its pores are larger and more absorptive than the other ceramic-based medias, reducing the potential for clogging and in theory should create a relatively even distribution of both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. This means we'll receive efficient ammonia detoxification as well as nitrate reduction to nitrogen gas. In the planted aquarium, you don't need much of this media to get the job done. The Ultimate version of BioHome is our favorite for several reasons. It has all the advantages previously discussed, with the added benefit of infused trace minerals and micronutrients such as iron. These additives will promote a faster colonization of nitrifying bacteria, in turn potentially reducing the time it takes to properly cycle an aquarium. Richard also sends you live nitrifying bacteria with every purchase free of charge. Thus, this media is a great choice for someone setting up a new tank or as a mature balanced aquarium. We've been using this media in all of our tanks for a while now and have been very pleased with the results. If you're curious about the BioHome Media Collection and want more information, check out the Pond Guru's channel and eBay store. If you're in the US, head to GreatWaveEngineering.com where you can save on shipping if you wish to purchase. Links are all in the description. To find any of the other medias presented in this video, just throw them into a Google search, they're all really easy to find. We hope you now have a better understanding of the common biological medias used in the aquarium and have a good idea of what type to implement. Don't forget to check out DIYAQUAPROS.COM and subscribe for more aquarium science and project videos. Thanks for watching! Now this is the BioHome that was in that video. This is the K1 Micro that I was on about before. Both of these are available from my eBay shop. The link is in the video description. Please check out Mike's channel. You'll find a link in the video description. Thanks for watching. Please check out Mike's channel. Are you finished, Luke?