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Bulk bio noodles?


the-obstacle

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Have you considered using bio balls (or similar) instead of noodles? The surface area isn't anywhere near as much, but you have a huge volume so it isn't a big deal, with bio-balls you have very low clogging so you don't have to worry about mechanical filtering so there is far less maintainance

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Have you considered using bio balls (or similar) instead of noodles? The surface area isn't anywhere near as much, but you have a huge volume so it isn't a big deal, with bio-balls you have very low clogging so you don't have to worry about mechanical filtering so there is far less maintainance

Are you recommending using bio balls without any mechanical filtration at all? I've got filter socks ready to go so it doesn't really matter but I'm interested in this idea... I've got 2 cf1200s doing mechanical too but I want the socks to polish the water.

There are tons on trademe, or consider pumice or scouring pads etc..

I ended up using pumice as it is cheaper and easier to fill the sump, works just as good too.

Ahh, I hadn't considered pumice. Is it easy to get in AKL? I'll do some research.

Thanks all.

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Are you recommending using bio balls without any mechanical filtration at all? I've got filter socks ready to go so it doesn't really matter but I'm interested in this idea... I've got 2 cf1200s doing mechanical too but I want the socks to polish the water.

Ahh, I hadn't considered pumice. Is it easy to get in AKL? I'll do some research.

Thanks all.

Should be able to buy it by the sack at a garden centre it is used as a media for pot plants and stuff like that..

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I liek the combo of bioballs and ceramic noodles - but really the cheap ceramic noodles are not that high in surface area.

you are paying less but filtration capacity is also less. so weight for weight, i still reckon efi substraet, JBL balls, even aqua one cerami sub is way better in terms of capacity vs cost ratio.

just seems mroe expensive.

but if you need bulk to fill a large space, i reckon go with sintered glass by that down under place.

they sell sacks of it, and they are very reasonable for the price, i us them too.

theya re not that porous though compared to the branded stuff.

i would also check out the warehouse and buy 1 or 2 dollar body scrubs (loufers) i dont know how to spell. get a bulk of that, they are extremely good.

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I liek the combo of bioballs and ceramic noodles - but really the cheap ceramic noodles are not that high in surface area.

you are paying less but filtration capacity is also less. so weight for weight, i still reckon efi substraet, JBL balls, even aqua one cerami sub is way better in terms of capacity vs cost ratio.

just seems mroe expensive.

but if you need bulk to fill a large space, i reckon go with sintered glass by that down under place.

they sell sacks of it, and they are very reasonable for the price, i us them too.

theya re not that porous though compared to the branded stuff.

i would also check out the warehouse and buy 1 or 2 dollar body scrubs (loufers) i dont know how to spell. get a bulk of that, they are extremely good.

Thanks, I was thinking the sintered glass noodles were going to be the best in the bulk noodle range. I'd be interested in finding a source/bulk price for efi substrat in NZ but I can only find it in small amounts at retail stores.

I'm really keen on getting as much bio filtration as possible as I have a tendency to overstock from time to time and want to make sure I'm doing the best possible. I know the bacteria levels will change depending on what they're fed but it can't hurt to go overboard :)

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Are you recommending using bio balls without any mechanical filtration at all? I've got filter socks ready to go so it doesn't really matter but I'm interested in this idea... I've got 2 cf1200s doing mechanical too but I want the socks to polish the water.

We use very minimal mechanical filtration in our work tanks, and don't really need it, the water flow through the sums is slow enough that any bigger particles settle on the bottom of the sump where they break down and can be vacc'ed out every 6 months or so. The beauty of bio-balls is they don't clog therefore don't need to be mechanically pre-filtered, the reason for mechanically pre-filtering before noodles is the fine pores which get blocked by particles.

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We use very minimal mechanical filtration in our work tanks, and don't really need it, the water flow through the sums is slow enough that any bigger particles settle on the bottom of the sump where they break down and can be vacc'ed out every 6 months or so. The beauty of bio-balls is they don't clog therefore don't need to be mechanically pre-filtered, the reason for mechanically pre-filtering before noodles is the fine pores which get blocked by particles.

Thanks for the explanation - from what I've seen a lot of people do mechanical straight into bio but after reading this and talking to a few others I've been wondering about a settling section of the sump where the water can rise and the sediment be left behind before the bio space - something a bit wider than most baffles/bubble traps to keep the water speed down. I could fill that space with bio balls to break up the sediment then roll into a noodles/ceramic space.

I'm only using a 3 foot tank to sump the 700L main tank so I'm feeling a bit pushed for space so the more efficient the better. I'm a bit worried that with my pump I'm going to be turning over a bit more than 5 times the tank size but I won't know until I build it an test it I guess. I'm liking the idea of putting the sump in without any baffles and just running the pump and heaters out of it for a few weeks to see what I could do.

i have heaps of bio balls if ya want them i think they are anyway blue things

Can you flick me a pic or 2 and a rough idea of how many you have?

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