What do you use for biofall media?

[ShawnInfirmity]

I read an article or watched a video that said "bio-balls" are basically worthless as far as surface area is concerned. I need to find it again...

 

[Gemma]

I read an article or watched a video that said "bio-balls" are basically worthless as far as surface area is concerned. I need to find it again...

What kept me from trying the bio balls was the uncertainty of how it would be hosing them off at cleaning time, I thought they might spin out of control and not get cleaned at all.

 

[Jetta]

My sand filter is filled with dollar store scrubbers, cut up pool noodles, and dollar store plastic bath loofah. Maybe forty pounds of sand in the bottom. It holds two hundred pounds lol. After the initial spring green cycle I always get, the pond stays clear and pretty, clearer than I actually want....

 

[Tara]

I have a filter mat that came with the waterfalls. I put dollar store scrubbers and a bag of no brand logos from the thrift store in the bio bag that came with the waterfalls. Time will tell how it works.

 

[SEKCOBRA]

Wow Thanks for all the replies. Sorry for all the rookie questions. I have a bio fall. It has two pads at the bottom and builder put one bag of lava rock on the top. I added a bag of bioballs a few months ago because I thought most of the water would just go around the bag. A long time Koi guy told me the lava rocks clog up with debris and basically turn to round stones and loose most of the surface area over time. So I replaced the lava rock with another bag of bioballs. I have never cleaned the lavavrock and was under the impression not to. I thought you should clean the pads occasionally but leave the media for the bacteria to colonize alone? Pond has been running since October so its still pretty new.

 

[Mmathis]

As far as cleaning the biomedia, when I do, it’s just to rinse off crud, and I use pond water.

This is one of those situations you hear us talk about where you should stand back and look at the science involved. What is the purpose of biomedia in a pond/filter? The main thing you are looking for with effective biomedia is something with a lot of surface area, yet something that will rinse easily and not clog easily (because if it collects crud, your surface area for the beneficial bacteria is compromised).

Many people use many different things — and if it works* and is easy to maintain** (*works, meaning that your ammonia and nitrites are under control)(**maintaining means that it’s easy enough that you can and will do on a regular basis), then go for it. You have to decide what works best for you and what you are happy dealing with. Sometimes it’s nothing more than trial and error to find that balance. And, monitor your water quality to see if you are getting the desired results.

 

[Tara]

Wow beautiful pond. Meant to say Lego not logo . I'm new to having a pond also so trail and error maybe the way.

 

[Lisak1]

I agree with @Mmathis - you'll hear lots of "this or that won't work" in the pond world but then you'll run into someone (most likely right here!) who's been doing exactly that for years with lots of success. We were told repeatedly that our bog filter would never work on a pond with koi. And yet here we are.

But nothing works if it's not something you are willing or able to maintain. So figure out what works for you (which sometimes involves a bit of trial and error along with a big learning curve) and go with it!

 

[SEKCOBRA]

Thanks for replies. Im learning more everyday but its sometimes a bit stressful not knowing if im doing something right or wrong. For instance my ph has always been high since day one. The ph out of my tap is neutral. Latley the ph has gotten higher. This am at 6 it was 8.5. By 1:00 its at 9.1. Water is very warm at surface.83 degrees. Does temperature effect the ph? Its been very warm here for a week. Fish seem to be ok. Plants seem to be doing well. I have been getting some flowers of the plants so im guessing that's a good sign. Water in pond is clearing up as the string algae is now coming back in the stream and rocks of the waterfall. Still getting lots of suds in am. Some of it dissipates during the day not all of it. Im going to wait it out and see how it goes with the pond as is. You guys are giving me hope that it will work out as it matures. I have had a few issues and a couple of fish have died. Koi people keep telling me its all because of the gravel at the bottom of my pond. They say I have a revolving toilet. There argument is all the fish waste sits in the gravel and is a breeding ground for parasites and bad bacteria that keep attacking the fish. They say im going to keep having these bacteria problems unless I remove the gravel and install a pressurized filtration system. It does make sense to me. But then builder of the pond and you guys say it will work out naturally and the waste will be cleaned up by good bacteria. This makes sense also.Builder wants me to add microlift sa and pond perfect and sodium bicarbonate in every week. I have been doing the SB and PP every week but not the Micro lift SA. I added that a few times but it expensive and not convinced its necessary. Honestly don't know if any of this stuff is necessary. Like you said its a learning curve. Got the salt level down to 0.3. It takes a lot of water changes to remove the last of this salt. 1200 gallons over two weeks only dropped it from 0.5 to 0.3. Ill never add salt again.lol

 

[Lisak1]

You’ve seen pictures of my revolving toilet. 7th season. BIG koi. Every one of them healthy and happy (at least I assume they’re happy. No one has left! Haha!)

 

[Gemma]

@SEKCOBRA I was very frustrated when wanting to be a better pond keeper I started searching for knowledge on the internet. I found nothing but controversy...I was told I needed to have a bottom drain to keep koi, add salt, pressurized filtration etc. The truth is that not all pond are the same, and what works for one may not work for another.

I stopped listening to all the advises pulling me in all different directions, and decided to try different ways myself....
I used to use chemicals to correct algae, cloudy water, ph, you name it, and yes my pond looked good, but it was a lot of work and very expensive.
Now that I keep as many plants that I can fit, my only maintenance is to rinse the pads in the mechanical filter as needed, and once a year the bio filter.
That's it, no more trying to correct this and that, I keep it simple and it works for my pond

 

[Abe]

Did not see it mentioned so I will: among the rest I use ladies hair curlers , buy them in 2 sizes
that fit into each other and line them up so water will flow through the large openings.
Cashier at the local dollar store think I'm some kind of weirdo as I buy lots of hair curlers
and I'm bald as an egg.
Also use lots of these round plastic scouring pads , they come in many colours , I'm sure
the bacteria get cheered up. Ask any professional cook and he'll tell you these round scouring
pads are no good as it harbour bacteria, and that is exactly what we need.
I have no idea which is better - both look slimy and slime is bacteria.

 

[Tara]

Did not see it mentioned so I will: among the rest I use ladies hair curlers , buy them in 2 sizes
that fit into each other and line them up so water will flow through the large openings.
Cashier at the local dollar store think I'm some kind of weirdo as I buy lots of hair curlers
and I'm bald as an egg.
Also use lots of these round plastic scouring pads , they come in many colours , I'm sure
the bacteria get cheered up. Ask any professional cook and he'll tell you these round scouring
pads are no good as it harbour bacteria, and that is exactly what we need.
I have no idea which is better - both look slimy and slime is bacteria.

Hair curlers. That's brilliant but I have to say I laughed. I'm off to the dollar store tomorrow.

 

[Lisak1]

I use ladies hair curlers

Very creative!

 

[sissy]

lava rock has been used for a long time .My dad and I built a pond when I was 9 and he used them and his water was clear so when I built my pond I used his notes .I was 50 when I built here and now 64 and still use them .Tried and true never fails