22 replies to this topic

[teck]

hey guys looking at setting up my new canister filter and just wondering whicch is better noodle or bio ball? coz im putting in volcanic rocks as well cheers

[Noddy65]

Where R U getting the volcanic rocks from...Ive looked evrywhere but can only find really dirty ones at BBQ places.

Mike

[Graeme]

Hi mate

I read somewhere that bioballs arent iny good in a canister filter.
Dont know where i read it.In saying that i have them in one of my canisters and its seems ok....

Sorry not much help.
I think noodles may work out cheaper.

Graeme

[benckie]

use both

[Iamsam]

Hi mate

I read somewhere that bioballs arent iny good in a canister filter.
Dont know where i read it.
Graeme

bioballs work better when they are in contact with oxygen (ie the top of a sump etc)

[benckie]

bioballs are only used to creat more surface area for bac same as noodles

[Andrew]

use aquaclay or matrix, its especially designed to be used submersed, where as bio balls operate at optimum levels immersed, with lots of contact with air in a wet +dry situation.

[teck]

thanks for the tips guys but yah i read that bioball werent as good as noodles and i haf some spare bio ball sitting at home so was wondering should i go n buy noodles coz thats wat every1 telling me to use or should i just use the bio balls i got now

[benckie]

i use bio balls in canisters and recon they are alright if you already have them why not

[teck]

with the bio balls so u haf to replace them after 6months like the ehiem substrates?

[benckie]

nope just give them a wash and reuse them

[madasa]

Its the noodles which expire as they get clogged up microscopically

[benckie]

Petes right and i personaly think bio balls have a biger surface area and last longer like a life time if you clean them so i like bio balls

[catfish-heaven]

is there a way to recycle the noodle's cos i heard some people boil it in hot water and add salt every6 month to unclog the pours. True or false?

[Terry]

Noodles are ceramic they will last forever, leave them in your will to your grandkids. Noodles, bioballs or volcanic rock are used because they are very porous this gives the bacteria a very large area to colonize.
Give all 3 a hose off each time you clean the filter and they will last forever. I bought an ehiem filter 13 years ago at Morley Aquarium it is still running with the original noodles. If anybody tells you they wear out they are trying to sell you new ones.

Cheers Terry
PS
Zeolite is also an excellent highly porous material which can be used in canister filters. I am using it as substrate over U/G filters.
Cheers Terry

[Neakit]

use both, im currently using noodles to hold the bioballs down so the don't
go floating and having a trip inside of my filter. i once found a couple floating on the suction side of the pump of my cf1200 when i cleaned it so i weighed them down with the noodles.

Simon

[johnnie7au]

Is Hydrotron (baked expanded clay) an option?

http://users.bigpond...ediums.htm#clay

[NicholasC]

It would have to be something not used often but in Aquaponics is works so well, the bio mass in a normal grow bed is huge!

[teck]

Is Hydrotron (baked expanded clay) an option?

http://users.bigpond...ediums.htm#clay

wow never heard of that before i'll have to research but i heard a fren of mine toking about aquaponic before......... duno much about it yet

[fisho]

i thought it sound familiar

if im correct i have seen something similar to this at my local bunning store
im not 100% sure but ill have a look again tomorrow

andrew