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Home: KOI Talk: Pond Construction & Water Filtering System:
How BIOBALL work ? produce O2 or reduce Co2 ?

 





 


Anonymous
Anonymous

Aug 5, 2000, 7:21 PM

Post #1 of 10 (1079 views)
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How BIOBALL work ? produce O2 or reduce Co2 ? Can't Post
I read many filter system but i don't
really know about BIOBALL.
it is a place for bacteria live and then ?
How O2 increase in the system ?

Does bacteria use O2 to live ? and
why the O2 in tank increase ?

thank you ..sorry for my poor english.
tong@mail.com


dttk
Senior Member

Aug 6, 2000, 12:33 AM

Post #2 of 10 (1079 views)
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How BIOBALL work ? produce O2 or reduce Co2 ? [In reply to] Can't Post
Dear Tong, bioballs provide a large surface area for good bacteria to grow. Good bacteria requires alot of oxygen to grow well. Oxygen is found in the air and water. Good bacteria convert ammonia to nitrites to nitrates. However, in a trickle tower filter, other good bacteria or micro-organisms maybe responsible for converting nitrates to nitrogen and oxygen. Any comments from you guys out there?


Werner
Koi Lover

Aug 6, 2000, 5:58 PM

Post #3 of 10 (1079 views)
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How BIOBALL work ? produce O2 or reduce Co2 ? [In reply to] Can't Post
Dear Tong-

In addition to what dtk wrote-as water flows over the bioballs, carbon dioxide is released and oxygen absorbed by the water-that provides more oxygen for your pond water.

Pond-On
Werner


Anonymous
Anonymous

Aug 6, 2000, 8:52 PM

Post #4 of 10 (1079 views)
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How BIOBALL work ? produce O2 or reduce Co2 ? [In reply to] Can't Post
Hey Tong, no need to apologize for the English. Anyway, these guys pretty much described how these BioBalls work, they are extremely efficient. However, dttk, I don't believe that any denitrifying bacteria exist in an aerobic situation. Though I'm still trying to discover how these tickle filters are reducing nitrate for u guys. Call me too skeptical, but I've always had high NO3 with their use and strongly feel that denitrification is occurring somewhere else. Please don't get the idea that I'm calling all of u liars, as I may very well be wrong, I'm just genuinely interested in how this is working for you guys. Anyway, Tong, go for the BioBalls man!!


dttk
Senior Member

Aug 7, 2000, 3:00 AM

Post #5 of 10 (1079 views)
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How BIOBALL work ? produce O2 or reduce Co2 ? [In reply to] Can't Post
Dear Fishbait, thanks for the input. I understand your scepticism that trickle filter system is able to remove nitrates from water since nobody has yet isolated the bug responsible for it. But the fact is most of us are convinced that it works as results have shown. Someone in the forum once mentioned that algae in the trickle system may be responsible for removal of nitrates. Does algae really thrive inside the system since there's virtually no light penetration from outside? Any useful views or links from you guys?


Anonymous
Anonymous

Aug 8, 2000, 12:02 AM

Post #6 of 10 (1079 views)
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How BIOBALL work ? produce O2 or reduce Co2 ? [In reply to] Can't Post
Hello dttk, I believe that algae that's existing in a trickle system would be efficient in denitrification, only because wet/dry biofiltration produces plenty to sustain it. Anyway, this is just too much fun seeing how u guys make it work. Here's an overview of the downfall of trickle filters in the aquarium hobby, particularly marine. First, the problem is that wet/dry methods are too efficient. The rate of NO3 production is far too great for our water changes to keep in check. So, they've gone the way of the dinosaurs, hehehe. In marine tanks, the rock used in the tank, called live rock, has all of the surface area necessary for bacterial colonization. One of the more recent methods, one which I just set up Wed., is a deep sandbed (5-6in.) for anaerobic bacteria to reduce nitrate. Levels rarely exceed 4ppm once it becomes mature. Also, algae turf scrubbers and planted sumps aid in nitrate reduction for us. We are not as fortunate to have closer to natural conditions like u guys, with natural sun and larger vegetation populations. Anyway, I rambled long enough. I hope I'm not making a nuiesance out of myself here, I just think your results are very intriguing and would love to figure it all out. In the meantime, enjoy the pleasures of aquatic keeping!


Ben
Koi Lover

Aug 8, 2000, 12:15 AM

Post #7 of 10 (1079 views)
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How BIOBALL work ? produce O2 or reduce Co2 ? [In reply to] Can't Post
There is no algae in the trickle filter system as the media is not exposed to any sunlight at all. Anyway, the fact is as long as we run trickle filter, we always register low Nitrate value, all the time less than 12.5mg/l. The NO3 will shoot up as soon as we turn off the Trickle. Something for all to try and think about as the fact is Trickle removes Nitrate.


PK CHENG
Koi Lover

Aug 20, 2000, 2:11 AM

Post #8 of 10 (1079 views)
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How BIOBALL work ? produce O2 or reduce Co2 ? [In reply to] Can't Post
HI THERE

I AM INTERESTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WET/DRY FILTER. WHAT IS THE BEST MATERIAL/MEDIA FOR THIS ? BIOBALL ? BUT, WHICH DESIGN ? THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT DESIGN AND SHAPE .

SIZE OF THIS WET/DRY FILTER FOR POND OF 35 TONS ?

CAN WE JUST RELY ON THIS WET/DRY FILTER TO DO ALL BIOLOGICAL FILTRATION AND THE MECHANICAL FILTRATION BY VORTEX FILTER AND SENTIMENT TANKS ALONE ?


WHAT ABOUT FLOW RATE ? FAST OR SLOW ? I REMEMBER THE TUNZE MARINE SYSTEM SUGGESTED VERY SLOW FLOW RATE TO BE EFFICIENT.

PLEASE COMMENT.


THANKS.


Mark
Koi Kichi

Aug 21, 2000, 2:34 AM

Post #9 of 10 (1079 views)
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How BIOBALL work ? produce O2 or reduce Co2 ? [In reply to] Can't Post
This area of trickling have many unexplained areas and so far no one gone into any detail research on the denitrifying bact. and how the ammonia and nitrites are stripped. I tried many time to separates them but failed. The observations I concluded are there are less than 10% of good bact. count in the trickle bioballs as compared to those that live in the wet system.

I use bioballs, synthetics japanese matting in large pcs nicely cut to fit and loose pcs as well, ceramics rings coupled with different types of pumps at different flow rates. My conclusion of these are:
1. Media - bioballs works best after about 3 months with absolutely zero maintenance. The rest of the media gives up a foul smell and synthetic matting(nicely cut ones) seems to be the worst. Anaerobic built up seems to be easy in these matting after sometimes. Heavy washing helps but that's not what I wanted.
2. Flow rate - Initially, I reported that different flow rates make no different to the end results. However after 3 months of running, the results reported seems to favour slower flow rate. So a slow pump is preferred.

I have since converted mine to trickle with the exception that the 1st chambers is still used as a settlement chamber. Will forward another drawing to webmaster for posting sometimes next week.

The only consideration to keep in mind is to further improve the system by incorporating a skimmer to remove the protein. Otherwise lots of foams are found on the surface of the pond.

How big must I build? - I find it very efficient to used the following maths:
1. Measure the dia. of the bioballs.
2. Cal. the area of the bioballs as if they are solid ball and divide by 2.
3. Cal. the no. of bioballs for 30% of pond surface area.
4. Double the no. of bioballs.
5. Now that you know the nos. of bioballs, next is to find a tower of correct size to contain these balls.

The water parameters in my pond as of today are:
pH 8, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates not measurable.

Hope this help.


Ben
Koi Lover

Aug 21, 2000, 3:10 AM

Post #10 of 10 (1079 views)
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How BIOBALL work ? produce O2 or reduce Co2 ? [In reply to] Can't Post
 
Quote
Flow rate - Initially, I reported that different flow rates make no different to the end results. However after 3 months of running, the results reported seems to favour slower flow rate. So a slow pump is preferred.
This is what I have been experiencing for the last two years. By doubling flow rate, my nitrate level always hit 100mg/l from the all time low of 0 ~ 12.5mg/l

 
 
 



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