A type of media you can use to provide a place for some good bacteria is a biological filter media. Very porous media is desired because this will allow for more beneficial bacteria per square inch. One key is the surface area if you’re going to choose the right biological filter. So what would be the ideal types of filter for your garden pond?

Absorptive ceramic cylinders

Buy some ceramic cylinders for it is a great biological media hat you can readily add to your aquarium filter. One cylinder averages around 3/8″ x 3/8″. Usually put in media bags and piled in the undermost layer in the aquarium filter nearest to the top. Ceramic cylinders offers the best surface area for beneficial bacteria to thrive and grow while at the same time allowing a much greater water flow.

Silicate Bio-Glass

Bio-glass is very similar to the ceramic cylinders. It comes in the shape of a deep-set cylinder and it is made of natural silicate. Most often kept in media bags and kept as the last layer in your aquarium filter closest to the top. Beneficial bacteria thrives and grows in the surface are of a bio-glass in the same way that a better water flow is produced.

Bio-Balls

Ergonomically designed, bio-ball goes extremely well into a filter and it shelters those healthy bacteria that you always wanted to have. One gallon of bio balls has the equivalent surface area of 21 ½ square feet. Integrates nicely in canister filters or even if it’s wet or dry.

Quartz Biological Balls

These biological media balls is made from natural lava rock. Allows for great water flow while housing the much needed beneficial bacteria. Should be kept in aquarium filter media bags. You can use it in most aquarium filter.

  Biological Stars

This biological media is made from polymer and is shaped as a star. Provides excellent surface area to build up your beneficial bacteria. Four stars will treat 20 gallons.

Glass Ehfisubstrat

This filter media is made from sintered glass and gives a generous 19,000 square feet in a gallon. It’s specifically designed to shelter helpful bacteria. Ehfisubstrat can be housed in many different aquarium filters. You can keep it in common aquarium media filter bags.

Replacing Biological Media

You might be wondering how frequent you would have to change biological filter media. Well, you probably will not have to! As long as the filter media is in good shape, and you are able to clean it, you should be OK. Most bio-filter media is reusable and only needs cleaning.

Washing Biological Media

When do you actually clean biological filter media? You should wash your filter media if you notice that the water flow slowed and you start to see floating detritus ( fish dirt).

You can wash out mechanical filter media under the faucet, but you should not wash your bio-filter media in this manner. Biological media needs to be washed out in a bucket of aquarium water. If you bathe your biological media under running water, the chlorine would waste all the healthy bacteria that you keep. Eliminating wholesome bacteria would lead to bigger troubles and quite possibly a small cycle. Just regularly soak the bio-filter media in a pail of water from your aquarium.

Gardens Calgary is a local organization that promotes ecologically friendly ponds

Written by: Custom Stone and Waterscapes ‎3829 Parkhill Place SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2W6 (403) 870-1142