7 years later, wanted to give update. First of all thanks again to Richard, he knows his stuff! This Biohome Ultimate is the bomb! Turn my tank into a lake! After years of struggling with all sizes of tanks, I came across Richard.. The Pond Guru, and I’m telling you, His set up rocks!! I was down to cleaning tank three times a year, my fish were always healthy, never had a problem. Loved it and then went through divorce and sold it all. Starting over and setting up same way!!
(my other channel) It's embarrassing how long it has taken me to see this comment but in my defence my main channel has been critically shadow banned since early 2020. Thanks for the awesome feedback and best of luck with the tank.
It's saying this video is ten years old but it's still fresh and as important especially for guys like me just starting off in this amazing world of aquariums etc. Excellent I watch you all the time very informative.
(my other channel) I'm glad you see the value in those older videos since the message relayed here has not changed - a full cycle can easily be achieved with enough of the correct media in any tank. As long as you avoid using 'treatments' which claim to control / bind / lock up ammonia, nitrite and nitrate the beneficial bacteria will be free to do what it it does and deliver a perfect cycle.
This is absolutely my preferred media to use. I have been using the Biohome Mini Ultra for three years at this point. The only complaints I have about it is 1) after a couple of years it breaks down. 2) the black bacteria balls will stay in your filter unaltered for a super long time ( up to a year or more) 3) Sellers in the United States charge way to much for this media. $25+ for a pound of media which isn’t very much media. For these reasons I have pumice in many of my filters and only use the Biohome Mini Ultra in my larger cichlid and saltwater aquariums where I can’t use a deep sand bed or grow plants.. If this stuff was longer lasting or was about $5 less per pound of media I would a lot more of it. I still think it’s the best manufactured filtration media I have used and I will continue to use it. I have suggested it for use to the people in the various fish groups I’m in and to those at the pet shops looking lost and confused about what to get. You really can’t go wrong with this media and I will use it until something better comes along.
@@lostmangos I believe there never will be a honest response to any such questions about this product. There will also most likely never be a comparison with the other higher end/higher priced bio-media. But it is what it is and more simply can’t be expected and it’s up to the end user to except it. 🤷🏽♂️
I've had Fluval biomax the large powdered glass type with very small hole in the middle for almost 5 years without need to replace. It doesn't do the full cycle but at £15 for 1.1kg it's good value for money. I use 750g in a tall 3L food container with sponge on the bottom and a 550 lph power head on top. This deals with one block of bloodworm or krill a day for a messy pufferfish I believe you need a very slow flow rate in a lager volume of water than 3L to get a full cycle as the water flow in my DIY filter is just too fast even for biohome ultimate. I'm sure biohome ultimate is good it just probably won't last as long as Fluval biomax and is definitely more expensive. I am considering getting an external filter and would definitely try biohome ultimate in one of the trays though and if it did break down I'd replace with Fluval biomax I'm just struggling to find a big external filter with slow flow rate as restricting flow rate causes motor and impeller damage.
He does talk about it in another video I can't remember the major thing you can do is have filter pad under or top of it to filter the big stuff and so they don't rub alot plus just extra mechanical
I have bio home media in my canister filter , I have NOT done a water change in over 6 months , my water tests fine and my fish are very happy , I have over 50 fish in a 200 litre aquarium , excellent product , thank you very much , I hated water changes :)
Solid media. Was doubting claims. But first , after putting it on day 15 of cycling, in 2 days, day 17, fish tank fully cycled. Also, was doubting 0 Nitrates . Did not test Nitrates for past 2 months. But, in my freshwater tank, now that its 5 th month, i tested. Guessed what 0 Nitrates with API test kits. Used to be 10 ppm!!! Great Biohome Ultimate
Hi, I brought biohome plus media and have to say, it's works!!! I have a goldfish and my water always was little bit cloudy, I put in biohome plus filter media 3 weeks ago and I couldn't believe, water condition it's much better and clear :) Thank you very much. . .
just received my biohome ultimate. pumped its in my external canister filter cant wait to see the differance. thanks for all the tips and appreciate your time. thank you
I watched this video close to a year ago and bought some biohome ultimate for my first tank after about a 40 year layoff from the hobby. Since then I have used it in 2 other tanks and am about to use it on a third. This product is the best thing I have ever used. My nitrates rarely go above 20ppm and my ammonia and nitrites remain at zero. I have told many friends in the hobby about it and those that tried it give the same review. Thank you for sharing this information.
Thant is a great result as 20ppm won't be noticed much by the fish. How much do you use for the volume of water and what is the stock? It should be possible to reduce it further.
All tanks are Nano tanks the largest being 16 gallons, which is a bit overstocked. And because of the small water volume I was told that I would have problems with my water chemistry. But that was resolved after using biohome. I only use about a handful in each tank. (The 2 smaller tanks run between 5 - 10ppm). I will be going a bit larger with my next tank, a 40 breeder after the holidays and will let you know how that works out.
That is an incredible result for 16 gallon tanks if you only use a handful of biohome for the filtration (unless you have huge hands, lol). A breeder tank / tank for growing fry may require more media as the bioload will be heavier.
I've been running ultra for about 7 months now and I have very close to 0 nitrates in my (a bit overstocked because a new platy was pregnant) 110Ltr tank. But it is quite heavily planted so that might also be the reason :) I'm running an Oase canister with just one tray of it. The others being ceramic rings.
Thanks for the very good service. I just got the Biuhome Ultra for my crayfish tank. It arrived with free gel balls and I just finished the setup. Crayfish are very messy and have a high requirement for water. Will post more after a month as it shows the performance. But one thing for sure, Richard does not leave your comments hanging and provides very detail answers for all the questions. Thanks Richard!!!
That's no problem and I'm glad it arrived in good time. Bear in mind that in a month the ammonia and nitrite should hit zero if you have a suitable amount of media in the filter but the reduction in nitrate (full cycle filtration) may take 4-6 months.
+joel Kletke Good stuff indeed. Thanks for the positive feedback. Everyone who comments will aid others making the choice between medias when setting up their filter so all reports back are much appreciated. Tried to comment directly back to you but I am 'not allowed to comment on this post'. Jesus wept, this is my video....
just bought some bio home mini for my biorb life 60 litre tank running a marina cf20 external filter set up, this is my first ever fish tank and found this media by chance, watched his videos about the correct filter sponge set up too, am soooo glad i found this guy.. now its just a waiting game to get my water tested in a weeks time to see if im ready to add fish.. looking forward to happy fish time.. thanks
+glenn shrieves No worries and I'm glad you found the video useful - If you stock the tank gradually the filter will develop in line with the fish stock.
The Ultra mini (and Richards' longer filter setup video) changed my filter setup for ever. Ive still got loads left for my little Fluval Edge but I'm already looking forward to trying the Ultimate when I next need to restock. You have to try this stuff. It's awesome.
Thanks for the positive feedback, man. It truly is great stuff and the filter set-up really simplifies the process in external filters (and reduces the cost associated with additives, sachets etc. which aren't needed in 99.9% of filters)
Ovo je klasicna prodaja i marketing.ne budi u zabludi,fluval koristi istu keramiku poreklom iz China.nemoj da ti uzimaju pare,sve je kinesko,kvalitet je odlican
DAVID RIVERA I don't sell any marine equipment so it's not a product I have ever used or sold unfortunately. The newest form of Biohome (Biohome ultimate) is the best media for both freshwater and marine from the reports I'm getting back as it actively reduces nitrates as well as ammonia and nitrite.
Richard thanks, got my biohome ultra and bio motion i use for internal filter and the excess i put on my trickle filter and i got zero amonia and crystal clear water on my 230 gallons arowana tank. Aquarium filtration set up for trickle filter
I am using Biohome Mini Ultra in my Eheim 2011. I bought 1 kg from Tyne Valley Aquatics. After using coarse and fine filter foam there was room for about 1/2 kg. I also put in half the bacteria gel balls supplied with the media. I ran the Eheim alongside 2 internals for a couple of weeks then removed one of the internals. Though testing daily with an API master kit there was no spike in ammonia or nitrite. I have used sintered glass for over 20 years but this is the best I have tried. Brilliant product, love it.
That's a good point I forgot to mention in the video that the media does help to iron out ammonia and nitrite spikes associated with setting up a new system. Thanks for the great feedback.
Hit 'READ MORE' for full video desciption and important links - watch in HD. Biohome filter media and upgrade kits here: www.filterpro.co.uk Decent external filters: geni.us/2LnO 2.3 litre booster filter for externals: geni.us/2bj1 1.2 litre booster filter for externals: geni.us/1pBh Frozen food: geni.us/LNA8 (select type - loads to choose from) This is a detailed video which explains exactly what Biohome filter media is and how it benefits your filter. Biohome filter media has a massive surface area for aerobic bacteria colonisation and also has a great capacity to provide an environment for anaerobic bacteria on the interior of the media. Hugely porous and extremely efficient, the Biomotion media converts ammonia and nitrite (as normal media would) but also reduces nitrate due to the anaerobic bacteria which live in it's core. This reduces the need for large water changes so creates a more stable environment in your aquarium (freshwater and marine) and pond. It is inert and will not release any chemicals / minerals into the water but it is advisable to rinse before use as dust may be generated during transit. Although I supply worldwide from the UK, details of distributors in other countries to follow here.... Types of Biohome media are as follows: 1 - Biohome Standard A compact media suitable for overhead filters, trickle filters, sumps, external and internal filters. 2 - Biohome Plus As above but with additives to ensure much faster colonisation by bacteria. 3 - Biomotion A rounded media with neutral buoyancy. Suitable for moving bed filters, overhead filters, trickle filters, sumps, external filters and internal filters. Has montmonrolite clay coating to condition water. 4 - Biohome Ultra (large) A larger version of Biohome standard with rougher feel. Extremely porous. Suitable for trickle towers, sumps, larger external filters, overhead filters and multi chamber koi filters. 5 - Biohome mini Ultra A smaller version of Ultra, perfect for external filters, sumps, overhead filters, trickle filters and internal filters. Has the ultra porous structure in a more convenient size. 6 - Biohome Ultimate* This is Biohome mini Ultra with added trace elements (as in biohome Plus) which are essential for bacteria to rapidly colonise a filter. Cuts down the already quick maturing time of Biohome media and has the ultra porous structure and convenient size of Mini Ultra. Trace elements in 'plus' and 'ultimate': Silica, Titania, Alumina, Ferric Oxide, Lime, Magnesia, Potash, Soda, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Chromium Sesquioxide, Manganic Oxide, Zirconia, Hafnia, Zinc Oxide, Barium Oxide, Strontia, Stannic Oxide, Sulphur Trioxide. (from XRF analysis) Is this the best filter media ever? Very likely. *In the UK the Biohome Ultimate is my exclusive product and has been made to my specifications making it the 'Ultimate' filter media and ending my search for the best filter media. All of the above filter media will be available from my ebay selling page, plus any new media which I discover works well enough to confidently sell. Link here: www.filterpro.co.uk (also has other suppliers links on website) I deliver worldwide. How to set up an external canister filter (long version): goo.gl/T1OSHl **PLEASE NOTE I HAVE CLOSED TYNE VALLEY AQUATICS AND NOW SELL MEDIA FROM HOME ONLINE. COLLECTING MEDIA IS NO PROBLEM JUST RING OR EMAIL ANY TIME.** My phone number 07772848730 My email address pondguru@btinternet.com Additional tags: Biohome filter media, bio home media, sintered glass filter media, sinterd glass, filter media for sale, best filter media, filter media surface area, filter bacteria, gel balls, filter balls, pondguru, biohome ultra biohome mini ultra, biohome ultimate, bio motion, biohome plus, biomotion, external filter, how to set up an external filter, how to set up canister filter, how to make a filter, biohome media for sale, tyne valley aquatics, DIY filter, sintered glass vs ceramic, aquarium filter media, aquarium filter, sump filter media, tropical fish, marine fish
I use BioHome Mini Ultra, and Biohome Ultimate. It's easy to use and very effective. As I am new to fish keeping, I also followed Pondgur's canister filter setup. As a result my tank is very stable and extremely easy to look after. I wouldn't use anything other filter media. I have also fond Pongru great to deal with. He is very helpful and responsive to questions. I have made a number of purchases from his eBay shop and have no issues recommending him as a great supplier.
That is a great result for a turtle tank as they produce so much waste. To get a 50% reduction means the media is allowing the filter to do a great job.
Michael Hingston I didn't invent the biohome but suggested the size and porosity of the mini ultra which turned out to be perfect for external filters. To have a media capable of supporting aerobic and anaerobic bacteria is great as the nitrogen cycle can be completed in the system.
This stuff works. Fact. I added 500g to a 55 litre tank. Testing with a Master Test Kit. On day one my nitrates were teetering from 5-10ppm ( new set up ). By week four I'm down to 0ppm! The tank is planted so nutrients were added at the same time and also liquid carbon. Thanks again!
No worries, man - the liquid carbon really seems to make a difference to how quickly bacteria sets up on and in good media and we are routinely getting reports back of people achieving full cycle while using liquid carbon - it is something I think I'll have to start selling alongside the media on the website as it really does make a difference.
Just got my first fishtank (350 liters) for oranda goldfish (dirty little fishies) and ordered a fluval fx6, after watching your video's ordered Biohome media and filter(s). Gonna start up the aquarium this week. Thank you so much for shearing this info! Greeting from the Netherlands.
Thanks for the second lot of filter media. I used the mini ultra for my fluval canister filter. Then I was inspired to upgrade my pond filter. I re-routed the oase filtoclear into a home made filter made from a plastic lidded box, through course-medium then fine foams, onto a bed of Biohome ultra, flowing back into the pond. Excellent, thanks for the inspiration and great service.
Groovy, thanks very much. Just got the orders through and refunded postage on the food. I will be doing an aquatic related give away soon so look out for that video.
Pondguru Usual fantastic service Richard, thanks. I've got your media in my pond and 3 tanks. My water parameters are always constant whether the media is in a external canister, trickle tray or moving bed. It also shows no sign of decay, so I'll guess it'll run for years? I look forward to the give away video. Thanks again.
Although lifespan will depend on application and water flow, disturbance, protection from dirt etc. a god 6-10 years should be easily achievable at high efficiency. After that the successive generations of bacteria will clog up the internal structure and efficiency will decrease but it will still be better than 99% of new ceramic or plastic media, lol
I've order biohome standard and it's doing a fantastic job. I'm quite new in the fish hobby but I can tell that my nitrites and nitrates were low at the end of one month. Tempted to try biohome ultimate.
Iv bought some BioHome media. It should arrive next week. I'm setting up a new canister filter with it, but on a newly "established" tank. The filter that its replacing is a plastic ball, and sponges on top system. I will put the new canister in the order you taught on other vids, and I have the black food bacteria balls coming as well. I will simply put the plastic balls at the bottom of the canister, then course, medium and then fine pad sandwich and then the BioHome Media. I understand it takes 6 months approx for the nitrates to fall then.......but I will give a update at the 3 month mark anyway.
Sounds good to me and a full cycle could take anywhere from 1-6 months but it is normally between 4-6 months. Using liquid carbon plant food like Flourish Excel seems to speed up development of anaerobic bacteria.
Hi Richard, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us. I've watched many of your videos and setup my canister filter to how you recommended and I am very happy with how it's been working so far. Since at the time there were no suppliers of biohome in the US, I had to settle for less. I'm super excited to see that Biohome is now available here in the states and I plan on making the switch very soon!
can't wait been watching the videos for a week and just got my cascade 1500 canister filter in the mail today so I ordered a kg of bio home ultimate for my 55gallon cichlid tank I can't wait to get this set up going also I loved your canister setup up video it taught me a lot thank you
+Bryant Smith Glad you enjoy the videos. Adding 1kg in 55g(US?) will help but it probably won't impact on the nitrates if it is overpowered by nitrate producing media making up the rest of the biological media. Ideally you would use around 1kg per 100 litres to achieve full cycle filtration (reduction of ammonia, nitrite AND nitrate) but that may rise to 1.5kg or even 2kg per 100 litres if the tank is heavily stocked, large cichlid tanks, marine tanks etc. where bioload is much greater than a normal community tank. See how it goes and if the nitrate has not moved after 4-6 months it may be time to swap out some of the other media for more biohome.
+Pondguru Outdoors Ok might have to order more I have about a 5 inch dovii with a common plec and a sand floor my tank is pretty minimal for the most art my canister has five smaller trays compared to eihimes 3 large trays so would it be a good Idea to set that up like your video with the 3 layers of foam on the bottom tray and fill the other four with bio home? as good as the stuff is I didn't see a need for any bio balls or rings
+Bryant Smith Yes if you have 5 trays then the bottom one would be for foams and the rest for biological media. Always better to have a big filter and not need it than need it and not have it.
I received my media today I'm so excited. I have a Aqueon 55/75 Quiet Flow. Has extra space in for extra media if needed. I wanted your expertise in the total amount needed. I know not to completely change out media but to slowly replace. I know you said 1kg for 100 litters. Hopefully you might get a kick out of figuring out this situation and hopefully my answer is same as yours. Thank you.
Without knowing the size of the tank I am clutching at straws unfortunately. 1kg per 100 litres to see a good reduction in nitrate is a good guide and if you can get the suitable amount into the HOB filter its all good. I have a new media which is perfect for HOB so that will hopefully be shown in a video this weekend if I can edit all the footage down in time.
Great videos. I was sold on the media and can't wait for it to help with our high waste issue. I'm going to try with our overhead filter. Plus the bio balls are a plus. Thank you for the advice.
Excellent media, but you need the correct amount for the tank. With my 40 litre and 500g of biohome mini ultra. It stabilised my ammonia and nitrite to 0 in 2 weeks. Don't think of it as a miracle product, just a very good media. It's an excellent place to grow BB In my new 125, the 500g wasn't enough. I had ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 100 at the end of the week. With the addition of another kilo of biohome, the nitrate has reduced to 50. Highly recommended!!
Yes I always tell people it's not a magic bullet but when a suitable amount is used it will work wonders. The anaerobic bacteria responsible for reducing the nitrate can sometimes take 4-6 months to develop to the point where nitrates fall but if not enough media is used that fall will not occur. There is a guide to how much media is required to achieve full cycle filtration (reduction in nitrate) for various stocking scenarios in the Q&A section of my website www.filterpro.co.uk
Hi thanks for sending the Bio home ultra pellets so quickly, ordered some off ebay and came this morning. Have put them in my Aquastyle 620 filter now comes the fun part seeing how my marine tank gets on with it. But from all the other accounts i've read it should be okay.
Marine fish keepers love the biohome as it actually becomes 'live' like live rock and can be taken from tank to tank to seed more rock or media. A specific form of marine media is in the works but the only difference is that it will have added trace elements specific to marine bacteria to create the ultimate home for saltwater bacteria strains.
this clip is very informative and the presenter is very sympatic on top. Got it, now I try to get these filter medias for my new eheim external filter. Thanks and pls continue this way!
Glad you like the media. It is indeed the most effective media on the market so I'm proud to have had a hand in the development of some of the forms it takes.
Hi Richard. I purchased the Ultra (larger media) my mistake. However, I was able to use it all in two baskets in my Hydor 450 canister. Is that ok still? I set my filter up as you did in your "pimp my filter" video for my 75g. Thanks again for all your efforts and sharing of knowledge.
Love this stuff. I have got some in my diy filters and the water is crystal clear and that is saying a lot because it is a hold water goldfish and juvenile koi tank. Great stuff guys keep it up!
Sorry Richard my other coment should be the fluval 106, and would you recommend a medium sponge on top of the black sponge in the bottom tray in the fluval 107
Richard, we LOVE your fish videos AND your metal detecting ones as well! You are a natural at making videos and making them interesting to boot. Our question is once Biohome Ultimate has done its work in cycling a new tank, are the trace minerals no longer needed? In other words, won't Biohome Mini Ultra do essentially the same thing as the Ultimate but just initially takes longer?
The trace elements aren't lost into the water and are there to make the tasks performed by bacteria easier and quicker. It's like them being in a fully furnished office with the fastest computers and all the gear they need to get the job done. That stuff is not used up but it is there to work with. A sterile media takes time to build that up but can still support a nation of bacteria once all the necessary elements have settled within the media so yes it will end up doing the same job eventually but ma not do it as efficiently as the ultimate for quite some time.
I started using biohome ultra about 9 months ago in my sump and I've never had any issues with ammonia nitrite nitrate spikes since, would defitnely recommend.
just hd my water tested after only a week and and all the tests were zero so they said my water was perfect, really pleased. have decided to add a heater so going to go tropical too, this way i get alot more choice as to what to stock the tank with
+glenn shrieves How are you making out. Was it a new tank? because if it was your Nitrates have to show something or else your tank isn't cycle. It's great stuff I use it in all my tanks but you can't cycle a tank in a week.
I added my fish and after a water check my nitrates had gone really high.but after a few weeks and regular water changes I tested the water yesterday and all was normal
Glad things worked out. I'm putting my fish in next week it will be a little over three weeks. It's been 0 0 0 for the last 7/10 days but I wanted to wait and give the Bio balls more time. After testing I fully expect the Ammonia and Nitrite to be 0 and if the Nirates are in the 60/80 range I will do a large WC which should knock them down right away. Nice talking to you and glad your buddies are doing well.
Forgot to add it's some great stuff have it in two canisters and will be in the 3rd shortly. Just foam and Bio Home Ultimate Media and that's all you need although was thinking about Seachem's Matrix in the top basket because it also takes nitrates down.
Nice video, only just discovered the biohome media, but better late than never right 😀. Question is, where would be the best place to house biohome ultimate in a redsea reefer 250 sump, would it be OK to bag it place it under a filter sock? I want to use it for mostly for Nitrate, not Ammonia or Nitrite reduction.
The company who will be distributing in US has taken delivery, they have constructed their website but until all the import taxes are calculated they won't have a final price. As soon as the prices are finalized I'll make a video announcing the name of the distributor and show their website as well as having a direct link in the video description to their website.
How does one clean Biohome in the canister? And by clean I mean rinse in tank water, not tap water obviously. Or do we only clean the foam pads and never touch the Biohome?
Hi Richard. I just wanted to say if you use Biomotion tumbling over time it wears away and falls to the bottom rendering it useless. This is even with using the best foams and pre-filters. I would say the lifespan of this media is 2 years, unless you use it in a static/vibrating method. Big fan of your channel
Yes the biomotion does best gently vibrating or static. If you can achieve a cyclical motion (where the balls look like they are chasing each other around a track) it lasts a very long time but in chaotic motion in a small container it quickly gets smashed up within a few months or even weeks. A 'donut' shape would be perfect for biomotion but those shape containers are very difficult to find. I have one in the shop and it was pump driven. Worked perfectly so maybe I need to resurrect that idea for the biomotion. The other types of biohome should have a sensible life of between 6-10 years in an external filter (best place for them) and after that the internals will likely be quite clogged although there is a market for second hand biohome in the far east where people sell it after 10-12 years, lol
very good information, thanks . Would a UV sterilizer that's put on the output of your canister filter for a 90 gal fresh water tank do more harm then good for both bacteria your trying to colonize, aerobic and anaerobic bacteria
Once the media is mature it shouldn't make a difference if you have the UV on but for the first 2-3 weeks leave it off to give the filter the best chance of maturing.
I just ordered some of the Biohome Ultimate . I have a Fluval 306 canister filter . How long can I expect this biological media to last ? I do monthly cleanings of the mechanical filter media of my fluval .
+Artie Woo It should last a good 6-10 years at high efficiency in a properly set up filter. Your filter will take approx. 1kg of mini ultra or ultimate types of biohome (best types for an external) and as you have 3 trays in the filter, assuming you use the bottom tray for coarse, medium and fine foams that would leave you needing 2kg for the 2 media trays.
Hi pondguru i have an fx6 if I put lots of mechanical filtration on the top then bio home the next 2 trays down which tray would I put the balls in...and also would I need a sponge of some sort right after the purigen so the balls dont eventually get blown out in to the tank...thanks mate love you vids
Hi from Bulgaria. Recentley there are few people from our forum that are using BIOHOME media. The results about ammonia and nitrite are great as per the test that are done. Unfortunatley there are no results for lowering nitrates, especially in discus and cichlid tanks. Do you think it is because it is used without the starting bacteria balls? Thank you and keep up with the great work.
Maybe, but the anaerobic bacteria takes many months before it gets to a big enough population to affect the nitrates. The aerobic bacteria only takes a matter of weeks but anaerobic can take many months. Flow rate will affect the ratio of aerobic to anaerobic populations too. Lesser flow rates will result in more anaerobic bacteria. Higher flow rates will result in more aerobic bacteria. Thanks for the feedback and questions.
well here go saw ur video taking a small leap replaced media in my two hob filters with biohome media marine . not sure 2 pounds going to make huge test but we will see . if i see benefit in couple weeks . i'll remove last of my seachem media in my canister filter . i was perplexed wear to start so chose put hob filters first use bio marine ball in my canister filter glad watched video before bought wrong set of balls . funny part was forced buy to many guess they sit on the shelf for 2 yrs lol
Thanks for reply, would that produce both bacteria types as well I only ask as the filter has large plastic spiky balls in it at the moment the water is crystal clear but the fish population is increasing through natural spawning and I was looking for an edge to keep on top things
Alfagrog is capable of supporting anaerobic as well as aerobic but not in such large numbers as the biohome. You could consider having a shower filter after the pressure filter?: ua-cam.com/video/7eyoDB91Ps4/v-deo.html
i love watching your videos which is why i run 3 all pond solution filters with biohome mini in 1 and biohome ultimate in the other 2 my aquariums are spotless with 0 ammonia and nitrite and very low nitrate i do water changes weekly but my nitrates are still really low just before i do it. i am setting up some more tanks soon so i will get a couple more aps filters and will order some more ultimate from you then. keep up the good work and keep the biohome coming. also what is your personel view of all pond solutions filters
Hi Richard you said in the fluval 307 for me to take out the fine sponge and just keep the black sponge on the bottom tray and floss on top, and just media on the other two trays, but I was looking at your video on the fluval 107, wher on the bottom tray keep the black sponge, then a medium sponge on top, and then floss, and the top tray just media, is this how you would recommend for the fluval 307.
There isn't room for the Fluval foam, a normal thickness medium foam and a fine pad in the bottom tray so if you already have the Fluval foam go for that in bottom tray with fine pad over it and media in trays above. If the filter has not got the black Fluval foam in the bottom tray (if it is missing or if it is a 06 series) then go with standard bumpy pond foam in the bottom tray - coarse, medium and fine then media in trays above. The Fluval medium black foam is much thicker than a normal bumpy pond foam hence the need for slightly different set ups for these filters depending on whether the Fluval foam is present or not.
Hey Pondguru, first off I want to say great videos regarding the Biohome media. I had a quick question, I just bought a eheim pro 2236 and I was wondering how I can set up this canister filter with the Biohome media and the foam pads?
+donald garcia That one has a prefilter foam in top of filter so leave that where it is and set up bottom tray with coarse, medium and fine pads as in my externals filter videos. Then trays above that will be for media. The trays work like an ordinary external filter - bottom to top so all mechanical filtration (foams) can be done in bottom of filter with biological trays above (biohome).
have you ever looked at or tried using extruded clay balls as a media ?. These are used in hydroponic grow systems ,very porous meterial . I have half a bag in the shed and thought this maybe great in my sisters koi pond filters in place of the plastic crap she uses .
Question for you, I want to test this stuff out in a low flow reactor. The reactors dimensions are 2.4 inch diameter / 15 inch height. It's volume is 1.17 gallons or 4.45 liters. I'm trying to get the best results for anaerobic bacteria. Which type of biohome would you use. I'll be putting this test up against Seachem matrix or Seachem de-nitrate, which will be in the same exact reactor. I'll do daily samples directly from outlet hoses, to see which media matures first and which one really performs by removing nitrate. Nitrate reduction is the holy grail in aquatics , this should be a fun long term experiment.
If you have 4.45 cubic litres to fill the best form of biohome would probably be the biogravel as you could get around 5kg in there. I'm assuming that you are in the US since you're using inches? Therefore if you contact Don from Greatwave Engineering he may give you some media for testing purposes.
Pondguru I was looking at that gravel and thinking the same thing. Thanks for your advise, I’ll contact him. Yes I’m from the US, California to be exact.
Is this media really able to process nitrates to a degree that levels fall even with larger fish or heavy stocked aquaria like Malawi chichlids? If so which one is recommended for a Malawi aquarium? Thanks really enjoy your videos.
+Paul Perriss There isn't anything super special about what the media is made of but the magic happens inside it due to the excellent environment and varied pore space for anaerobic bacteria (which reduce nitrate). Because there are thousands of small pockets of anaerobic zones in the media it supports a good balance of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria making it very effective. You'll need 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres if you have a predator tank or heavily stocked cichlid tank and the best type would be biohome ultimate (for external canister filters) or biohome maxi ultimate which is a larger media more suited to sumps.
Hi, my name is George and I'm from Romania. I start watching your videos a month ago. I like how you explain about filters, I learn a lot from you. I want to know how to buy biohome media from Romania. Thank you very much.
Richard thanks for sharing your experience with the community - I'm running a heavily planted 4ft freshwater tropical set up outdoors & wanting to cut down on the "labour of samson" ie cleaning the sponges in the external canister filter; I came up with an alternative method of mechanicaly & biologically filtering the water 1st stage by attaching the uptake tube via an undergravel system (silica gravel and crushed coral sand over a thin layer of washed riversand - there is a geotextile fabric over the filter plate which sits atop 20m of perforated piping ) the water is then circulated thru the cannister (2 trays pourous ceramic noodles and 1 activated charcoal - no sponge) and back into the tank - have you seen this type of experimental filtering and can the biohome media perform as a carbon replacement? - I succesfully trialed this setup for eighteen months in a previous tank the only maintenance was gravel siphon during water change and carbon replacement - General Rid Stump!!!
I should do a video on what carbon does in a tank, lol Carbon is not a biological filter media and it is there to draw in excess treatments, chemicals and colour from wood etc. Biohome is a biological media, just like the ceramic rings but it does its job many times better as nothing supports more bacteria or eventually reduces the nitrate like biohome. Your set-up is a good idea and has the components in the correct order. I have just uploaded a new video about the nitrogen cycle and I mention carbon toward the end of that. In the video I explain how the biohome completes the nitrogen cycle but other media only does 2/3 of the job (which results in high nitrates and water changes)
Yes, I add the replaceable carbon in pouches as a last stage to remove some of the excess tanins leaching from the woody root system I have placed in the tank - Do you know of any alternate tanin treatment? - I was hoping the Biohome media may also serve this purpose; I am using the surface area of the undergravels 3 selected substrates to primary mech/bio filter prior to the cannister. Very few hobbyists seem to use an undergravel system now, especially since the market explosion in marine setups; It is my understanding the substrate lower layers have anaerobic colonies and the upper most layers aerobic - which once well established convert the nitrite - there is also a symbiotic relationship between the fungal hyphae which colonise the living plant roots growing within the substrate - the trick is to gravel siphon the very topmost substrate during water change (replacing cannister sponge rinsing) - this regular water maintenance provides outdoor plants with a nutritious liquid fish fertiliser. I am congratulating, you've put a lot of thought into improving the filter media adding the trace elements and dual pourous structure - it reminds me of volcanic scoria or fulgarite glass from lightning strikes - I will definately use your media for a pond trial when it becomes available in Australia.
Michael Wellner No doubt there will be a distributor in Australia soon. Obviously I send out to AU from UK but the shipping is a real killer for the small amounts. For a distributor over there who was willing to take a sensible amount the shipping would only work out about £1 per kilo. I think one of the Seachem products will draw in tannins but like most of their stuff I expect that it costs way more than something already available that does the same (or better) job. There aren't many people using gravel in general although for cold water tanks it still is the most popular choice. As all the loaches, corydoras and catfish available for tropical set-ups prefer sand that is becoming more popular and ordinary sand allows the easier reduction of pH to a level which suits 95% of the tropical fish. I do still recommend ordinary aquarium gravel in some tanks when people want a higher pH (for livebearers) as they appreciate the harder water with higher pH. I guess the way you have yours set up will not keep the pH high since there are many elements to it and it may be mature enough to maintain a lower pH.
After running it the first time I choose to use fine coral sand as the primary substrate which is a breeze to siphon and the plant roots & sterbai corydoras love it - the plate is protected by a Geotextile fabric which I have used in landscape projects which remains permeable & stops the fines from clogging the system - can you post a link re the distributor here at some stage in the future & if I get the ponds set up in the next couple of months prior I shall contact your site - thank you again - General Rid Stump!!!
Great video , I'm learning alot . I have one question, I'm setting up a Fluval FX6 and I plan to use Bio home media in my canister. What trey should these gel balls go in and should I spread bio home under it ??
+martin hoyt They can but a pond pressure filter is a very dirty environment compared to an aquarium canister filter so the media tends to clog very quickly. Biohome is used successfully in pond filters but it tends to be shower filters or in the last chambers of multi bay filters where water is much cleaner, allowing the media to work properly. In a pond pressure filter you would be better off with Alfagrog as it can work in very dirty environments.
I have a question. I have a turtle tank stocked with 5 turtles and a about a couple dozen tetra+s and cory´s. I use an eheim 2217 canisterfilter to filter my tank, but I seem to lose the fight with nitrate. Even with weekly waterchanges I measure between 300 and 500 ppm in nitrate. My question is if the biohome will actually create anearobic zones inside the canister filter and therefore lower nitrate? I have tried a lot but doing big daily waterchanges is an uphill battle. So I wonder if biohome media could actually bring the nitrates to a reasonable level?
Turtles are very polluting and you would definitely need around 2kg per 100 litres to affect nitrate on a turtle tank. I don't know what you are currently using as media or how much / how big turtles are / how big tank is etc. so I'm a bit stuck for recommending anything. Feel free to send me an email to sales@filterpro.co.uk as I often miss comments on youtube - if you're in UK just phone me on 07772848730 Regards, Richard
Pondguru Thank you for uour quick response. All turtled are of adult size (20-25cm in shell length) and they live in a 250litre aquarium (i know it is a bit small, but they will get an upgrade in the next couple of years). I am currently using 1 litre of HS aqua bacto stones, wich is doing a wonderful job of keeping the ammonia en nitrtite down, and 1 litre of acived carbon. I also have gravel and driftwood in the tank, wich would probably also help keeping ammonia down. And of course the mechanical filtration in the order as you recommend ;) Kind regards, Sven
Hi Pond Guru! Thank you for your helpful videos! I was wondering if the bacteria balls can get damaged during shipment if they are exposed to freezing temperatures?
I just got some Biohome Plus. I have a Hang on the Back filter and am currently using a biobag with some activated charcoal inside. Also have a small sponge filter running. This is a new tank (38L). I have used some Seachem Stability to start the beneficial bacteria. I have a few live plants already and a couple of zebra danios. Would it be good to add some Biohome Plus in a small mesh bag or loose in front of of the activated charcoal bag? There is plenty of room to put your media in front where the water returns to the aquarium. THANK YOU!!
i have change my 29 gal. tank to poly fill the black sponge and the peigen. i dont have the little hard media. do i need charco too how do i put first the poly fil the black sponge and the peigen last thank you
I’m from Rowlands Gill but live in Mallorca. I can buy Biohome cheaper from you than the Spanish supplier in Barcelona because his shipping charge is way higher than yours! So I will. Great videos BTW, cheers
Will the ultraviolet light inside the filter KILLS all the good bacteria too ? So should we choose those filter which or which out the UV lamp ? Please advice ...
To be sent to the use US would it be possible for you to get the marine booster bacteria balls? I would like to load my sump down with this product and just allow the water to flow over it after it passes thru a algae scrubber and foam pad would this be suitable? Also, which type of thisedi
This is half a question? I have enquired about the marine pure balls but they are only available in 50 ball amounts so its not worth me buying them in for resale but there are plenty of online sellers of the marine balls. Not sure what you are loading the sump with (media or balls)?
Hi Pondguru, i was thinking since the dense inner structure of Biohome can encourage anaerobic bacteria growth, would arranging and packing more Biohome media tightly into a small compartment create more anaerobic conditions for a bigger population of anaerobic bacteria? Theoretically, if we pack more pellets tighter together, the aerobic bacteria colonies would be larger per cm3 and thus the oxygen consumption would increase in that small area and the larger number of pellets, the water flow would also slow down, thus in turn creating a bigger anaerobic area. So if we pack bio media tighter together (i.e like a can of sardines) we would have created more anaerobic conditions to grow more bacteria that removes nitrates. Just by arrangement and the way you pack the media into your filter, you can create conditions for the kind of bacteria you want. What do you think?
It will help yes but with some types of media it wouldn't matter how tight you packed them in as the internal structure of media is most important factor. Many people do pack the biohome in tight and so far I haven't seen that it makes it any more or less effective at nitrate removal but no proper experiment has been done with regard to media packing. I do know that if a suitable amount of biohome is used it will almost totally remove the nitrate no matter how it is arranged in the filter.
Richard, I have biohome in a few of my externals and planned to put some purigen in them as well. However, I read a comment on another video saying that purigen shouldn't be used with biohome, could you shed any light? Is this true? Thanks
First and foremost, you are VERY knowledgeable...I've been watching your videos for years, but never said anything because someone always mentioned what I was going to ask you. So...I have 8 Peacock and Hap tanks, what media can I use to reduce Nitrates and Nitrites? Someone told me Seachem Matrix, but I wanted to ask The PondGuru. 😊 Any and All information will be greatly appreciated 👍🏾. (I run FX6's on all eight 90 gallon tanks)
(my other channel) If there is 1 x FX6 on each 90 (US?) gallon tank that will not be enough to get the required media into the system to reduce nitrates. We recommend around 2kg of Biohome media per 100 litres (26 US gallons) for a heavily stocked tank / cichlid tank and if you've got 90 (US?) gallon tanks that equates to 342 litres. Therefore the recommendation would be to get 7kg into the system. The FX6 will hold around 5kg of media so operating the system under the known parameters for a full cycle would be futile and deliver results which would be unwelcome if you're trying to achieve a full cycle (reduction in nitrate). A reduction in nitrate (full cycle) is perfectly achievable on any tank with any stock but the level of filtration has to be realistic. Unfortunately the manufacturers of canister filters vastly over-estimate the size of tanks their filters will handle. They also fail to recognize anything beyond the nitrite being converted into nitrate, telling the user to do large (unnecessary) water changes to maintain good water quality. I see channels on UA-cam telling people that their filtration is perfect while doing 80%-100% water changes every week which only serves to illustrate that their filter is either grossly inadequate or biologically dead due to the chemicals they use (usually Seachem Prime which starves bacteria). If bacteria is allowed to prosper then any tank can easily achieve a full cycle with minimal water changes every week (to clear up and freshen the water). I did a video a few years ago which has been censored from most of the 'sponsored' (controlled) forums and internet group pages and it is titled 'Looking inside filter media'. It can be found here: ua-cam.com/video/QTtAUYR67Eg/v-deo.html It features a good quality pumice which is way better then the dense low quality pumice which is being sold as 'matrix' - when you see the good quality pumice compared to the Biohome the pictures tell their own story but considering that the shills promoting 'matrix' are paid 'brand ambassadors' for seachem it is no wonder that so many people are using poor quality rock, buying unnecessary treatments and doing huge water changes to maintain the health of their fish. Hopefully you can see sense from the above and thanks for watching. Regards, Richard
@@ThousandYardStare....Thank you so much for responding, I know you are a busy guy and I appreciate you taking the time to get back to me. Looks like I have some rearranging to do with my filter media...Lol...I will watch your video link that you sent me. I was thinking about adding FX4's to the 90's to boost up the cycle....just a thought. Thanks again and take care 👍🏾.
HI well i have bought some. i have an fx6 so i bought these to up it to keep my heavy stock of cichlids healthy and alive plus i just received my sun sun so i will have 4kilograms of this stuff so i think i should be ok. another great video
hi my email is not working but it was me that wrote you on ebay. i am having trouble with a seller and i did not realize that you shipped to canada. so if the seller does not get my stuff out on time i will definatelly buy from you that was what i was trying to get at. i am having a very bad expeirience with him. the other seller on ebay that sells this stuff. so if i dont get it on time i will try and get a refund and buy from you if you can just respong to my ebay acounti wrote you earliercuz my pc is messed up i cant log in here or my email when i have to so i can communicaqte with you on ebay. regards Nick
Hi Richard, I just received my shipment of Biohome Ultimate and the foam pads. Set up my filter just like your video. I only have two trays in my canister filter, it is a Cascade 700. Will this filter be good enough for my 29 gallon tank? The substrate that I'm put down is ADA Power sand and Aqua Soil and part of the tank will be Sand. I want it moderately planted and have shrimp, and about a dozen small fish. I'm running this filter for about two weeks to get the bacteria started. Then I'm going to drain tank and plant.
Pondguru Yes, when I drain tank I will keep 20 gallons of the water and add the remaining space with fresh water. I've been adding Seachem Prime to the tap water when I add it.
As hydroton is so cheap compared to biohome it makes the best growing media no question. It would cost a fortune to use biohome as a growing media given that most people will vigorously clean htdroton after every crop. It is smaller, harder and will withstand this treatment better than biohome. Maybe the bio-motion would compare to hydroton? as it is smaller and harder than the other biohome products but as it is buoyant it wouldn't behave properly compared to hydroton?
Really enjoying the videos, one thing I have heard is that the biohome media disintegrates and needs replacing a lot. How long would you say it lasts for because it's pretty expensive and if it needs replacing a lot then it's not gunna be affordable
Like good quality porous ceramic media, the biohome will not last as long if it is lifted out shaken and washed vigorously every time you clean out the filter but in a well set up filter (where you are maintaining the mechanical filtration on a regular basis and the media is protected from muck) you'll hardly ever need to clean it. I've just processed an order from a guy who has been using biohome in Taiwan for the last 12 years and he just ordered 20kg of the biohome ultimate media as his old stuff was getting worn out. To be honest after 12 years the media was probably well past its best anyway. In your typical external filter you should have all the mechanical filtration done prior to the water hitting the media and only be removing the media trays to get to the foams / pads for maintenance. If the media looks a bit dirty all you would do is (leaving it in the trays) shake it gently in water you've drained off during tank maintenance. That's as much as it will need. Same goes for good quality ceramic media too. This video will show how to set up an external filter to get the most efficient filtration of your water and how to avoid the media clogging: HOW TO SET UP AN EXTERNAL CANISTER FILTER FOR AN AQUARIUM (MEDIA AND FOAM LOCATIONS) Hope that helps. I think I did cover the 'how long does biohome last' question in this Q&A video but as it's so damn long it was quicker for me to write this out again here, lol
Hi mate, you really need to do a video to tell people not to use prime which is really popular water conditioner. I had really low nitrates for two years using biohome, a friend gave me a big bottle of prime which i have been using for chlorine and my nitrates have shot up so I can only think that prime as killed the bacteria, do you think the bacteria will grow again if i stop using prime or do I have to replace the biohome ? cheers
Dear Kevin, Unfortunately that is a very common problem using that treatment. Every week I get people telling me exactly the same has happened to their system when they use this product and it definitely has a starvation / poisoning effect (not sure which) on bacteria, especially the anaerobic bacteria which are have more niche requirements. Yes, it should bounce back but in most cases it takes at least a couple of months to notice the cycle completing again. Unfortunately since 99% of people regard a tank as 'cycled' when ammonia and nitrite are low / 0 and don't factor the second part of biological filtration and reduction in nitrate into their belief of what a 'cycled' filter is you will see very little online about problems similar chemical additives cause. Also I know of a good few people who have posed that same question about the destruction of the cycle being caused by additives online and had posts deleted and accounts terminated from forums sponsored by one large company. It's not as easy as me coming out and presenting all the reports from people who have had cycles ruined by treatments and then naturally restored when they stopped using them as it is all circumstantial evidence - the people who wield the real power online to allow information to be shared will simply not consider something so popular to be a real problem but the more people are educated about what constitutes a full cycle the more they realise that treatments can have a negative effect. However in upcoming videos I will warn people of products which have this damaging effect on the bacteria as the last thing I want is the first thing these companies want - to have fish keepers spending fortunes on unnecessary treatments to chase stability for an unbalanced tank which could easily be kept right without them. To have a company knowingly selling something which causes users to then buy more products to repair preventable problems is a really dishonest business practice but that's coming from a company who sells a low grade of pumice stone mixed with junk rock for fortunes and claims it is the holy grail of filtration. Just for that deception I wouldn't trust them as far as I could spit. Regards, Richard
Thanks for the reply mate I understand what your saying. I have gone back to API stress coat, I'm happy I don't have to replace it.It took about six weeks if I remember when first using biohome to see nitrates reducing,frustrating but we live and learn in this hobby lol
Six weeks is very good to see the reduction and although a quick long term reduction is quite common it can take up to 4-6 months. I suppose it depends how much is used and what is holding it back.
Hi I've been using multi bay and very happy with it ,but I'm using alpha grog in last bay , and for a while been thinking of changing it for biohome would this work And which biohome would you recommend
Typically how long are your shipments to the US? It's been about two weeks since my Ultimate was shipped and since I can't track packages from Ebay I have no clue where it is until it gets here.
It generally takes 2-3 weeks from UK to US (or US to UK) but since you ordered it on Christmas day there are numerous public holidays around that time and postal backlog on both sides of the Atlantic. As it is in the average delivery time I'd imagine that it would show before the end of next week (allowing for the seasonal delays).
Wow Wish I had came across this channel sooner its brilliant. Richard can you help please. I Have an Aqua one tank 28 litres with one goldfish I have had her for over five years. The pump I use is an Aqua one 101F capable of up to 55 litres filtration if I am correct and an Air pump with Air stone.. My question is can I use any of the Bio home products with my filter as its an internal filter inside my tank. Sorry if I missed anything in your video as I am new to this Hobby.
If you cut the foam in half you will have space for some biohome but to be honest the filter you have will easily cope with 1-2 goldfish in a 28 litre tank. I will be having a video coming up in the next couple of weeks showing a new media specifically for small filters and hidden air driven filters (in ornaments) so look out for that as that would be a good option.
Pondguru Excellent I look forward to your future videos thanks for the reply its much appreciated. I Was also shocked after watching one of your videos regarding cleaning the filter. Anytime I did this I completely cleaned away all of the foam and scrubbed the whole unit in hot tap water its a wonder my fish is still alive. I Thought I was getting rid of gunk but wasn't aware I was also getting rid of the good bacteria at the same time. Can you give me any tips on the correct procedure please as I am worried about any harm I may have caused to my goldfish. Its actually my daughters goldfish but I look after it as she is Autistic. I Look forward to more of your excellent videos thank you once again Richard.
jodonbaker43 There's not much more to say really, just clean the foams and any media in the water you've drained off during tank maintenance whenever they need cleaning. If you have an external filter it can be set up to be super efficient and will go much longer between water changes and cleaning sessions: ua-cam.com/video/lsAmSD3wVbg/v-deo.html
Pondguru Thanks Richard. Another question is can you use still water sparkling water or mineral water if you run out of a conditioning agent like tap safe. Someone said you can but is it safe.
jodonbaker43 Not sure about using sparkling water since it is infused with CO2 but other bottled water is fine - it may raise the pH and mineralise the water which is no good if you are trying to keep a low pH soft water set up.
Great video Richard mate just wanted to ask you would bio ultimate be best for nitrate removal really need to find a media which drastically lowers my nitrate levels water changes don't make a flying difference considering the water coming out of my tap is reading 40-50 ppm so it's really stressful for my fish even if I keep up with changes what would you suggest thanks a lot
If you use around 1kg biohome mini ultra / ultimate (best ones for canister filters) you can expect the nitrate to reduce down to maybe 5-10ppm on average. Some people can't measure it who previously had very high nitrates. It will be held back by nitrate producing media (e.g. moving bed filters using plastic media, ceramic rings, plastic balls etc.) so bear that in mind when adding biohome to a filter. If it is the only biological media you will have no problems with nitrates once the anaerobic bacteria get built up sufficiently (4-6 months). All the biohome will reduce nitrate but different types are more suited to different types of filters due to their size.
So basically if I use around a kilo of bio home ultimate and only that for my biological media together with my course medium and fine sponge in my canister that would be all I need to deal with for my high nitrates but I mustn't be using plastic media, ceramic rings, plastic balls aswell otherwise it will effect what I'm actually trying to get done?
In the video u said it will not last forever, it will become plugged with muck. can it be cleaned? ( rinsed in clean water or even soaked in a strong bleached solution.) I have a wet dry filter with an assortment of media in it . I filter it well before it hits the media and after two years it becomes covered with a brownish slimy muck that rinses off easily. when this happens water seems to run around it and not through the media. I have plans to modify my sump after the first of the year using your media. can the bactera balls be used with a system that has been set up for years?
The media should last a good 6-10 years at high efficiency when well protected from dirt and the fine muck which rinses off is normal after a year or two even when it is well protected. The media will still be fine when that is rinsed off and as far as the water flowing around it when you're rinsing it that is most likely due to the media being waterlogged and not able to draw in any more water. If you totally dried the media out in an oven and then poured water on it most of the water would be drawn into the media. Yes you can use the bacteria balls any time and many people use them after any major filter work to keep the bacteria topped up or replace bacteria which is lost during cleaning.
On my website www.filterpro.co.uk I have most of it up to 20kg bags on there but if there is a specific amount you are after just let me know and I will work a price out sales@filterpro.co.uk - I am assuming that you are in the UK but if not I will need your full address to get a price from the courier.
Is this good for marine? How good is seachem matrix because thats what I used for my marine and after i removed my nitrates went up, but I also started feeding corals with messy reefs roid and maybe overfeeding because my new corals wouldnt eat and I have no skimmer either. How does this compare to marine pure?
Question if I was too use biohome ultimate in a diy canister ( urajoey had great video making PVC 4" like two or three feet long for my 75 gallon) you say slow movement not fast for the rate of gallons per hour. What rating of power head or pond pump would you suggest. I do have an emperor 400 running too. Thought maybe about just using the canister. Your input.
I haven't seen that video of Joey's but I know he prefers very fast turn over rates and highly oxygenated filters. Even if the tank volume was being pushed through the filter once an hour with biohome in it then all the ammonia, nitrite and most of the nitrate (after 4-6 months of use) would be processed so you don't need mad turn over rates. In a normal filter you would go for high flow rates and crappy media to support more aerobic bacteria but that would only process ammonia and nitrite (generally resulting in large amounts of nitrate being produced - even more so in a moving bed filter). As long as the tank water volume is passing through a biohome filter once an hour that is easily enough.
Of this media would you suggest fort 150gal marine aquarium. Multiple tanks on multiple levels with many inhabitants. I will also be adding another 30 gal tank to this setup soon. Any advice would be helpful as I a beginner and find you very knowledgable about filter action in general. I can provide photos of current setup of need thank you very much. Shannon
How much of this media? I assume you are using sump filtration so how much you use will depend on the size of sump chamber you have for the biological media. As for how much you need for a specific volume of marine water I have no idea as I have had no experience of marine systems but for freshwater (especially in a linked system) I'd go for as much as possible with good foam filtration before the media chamber. If you give me the measurements of the chamber I can work out how much media you would need. The most popular types for marine seem to be Biohome Plus and the new Biohome Ultimate.
I was wondering have you seen or used Brightwater Aquatic bio media? It's a ceramic sphere and absorbs water much like Bio Home. It claims to help with nitrates as well. I have a little over a pound of it and I have 3 pounds of Bio Home so I was wondering if I could use them together for a complete cycle in my 55 gallon using your calculations.
I use biohome mini for my 407 since it's so. Small do u think I'm ok for my 55 gallon African cichlid peacocks tank will I get a full cycle I have sponges on the side an floss on the bottom an the rest of the trays is biohome mini
hi Richard, I setup a new fluval g6 with 3 baskets of your biohome about a week ago, I am also running a fluval u4 internal filter, how long would you suggest I leave the u4 in before taking it out and just leave the g6 to run on its own, regards, ron.
I would leave it for around a month to make sure that the media in the G6 was matured to the point where enough bacterial activity was going on. With the biohome that should really only be a couple of weeks but I would always take the cautious approach for an established tank.
7 years later, wanted to give update. First of all thanks again to Richard, he knows his stuff! This Biohome Ultimate is the bomb! Turn my tank into a lake! After years of struggling with all sizes of tanks, I came across Richard.. The Pond Guru, and I’m telling you, His set up rocks!! I was down to cleaning tank three times a year, my fish were always healthy, never had a problem. Loved it and then went through divorce and sold it all. Starting over and setting up same way!!
(my other channel) It's embarrassing how long it has taken me to see this comment but in my defence my main channel has been critically shadow banned since early 2020.
Thanks for the awesome feedback and best of luck with the tank.
It's saying this video is ten years old but it's still fresh and as important especially for guys like me just starting off in this amazing world of aquariums etc. Excellent I watch you all the time very informative.
(my other channel) I'm glad you see the value in those older videos since the message relayed here has not changed - a full cycle can easily be achieved with enough of the correct media in any tank.
As long as you avoid using 'treatments' which claim to control / bind / lock up ammonia, nitrite and nitrate the beneficial bacteria will be free to do what it it does and deliver a perfect cycle.
This is absolutely my preferred media to use. I have been using the Biohome Mini Ultra for three years at this point.
The only complaints I have about it is
1) after a couple of years it breaks down.
2) the black bacteria balls will stay in your filter unaltered for a super long time ( up to a year or more)
3) Sellers in the United States charge way to much for this media. $25+ for a pound of media which isn’t very much media.
For these reasons I have pumice in many of my filters and only use the Biohome Mini Ultra in my larger cichlid and saltwater aquariums where I can’t use a deep sand bed or grow plants..
If this stuff was longer lasting or was about $5 less per pound of media I would a lot more of it. I still think it’s the best manufactured filtration media I have used and I will continue to use it. I have suggested it for use to the people in the various fish groups I’m in and to those at the pet shops looking lost and confused about what to get.
You really can’t go wrong with this media and I will use it until something better comes along.
He hasnt replied to any comments about them breaking down after a few years. I would like to know about this also
@@lostmangos I believe there never will be a honest response to any such questions about this product.
There will also most likely never be a comparison with the other higher end/higher priced bio-media. But it is what it is and more simply can’t be expected and it’s up to the end user to except it. 🤷🏽♂️
@@edwardsdeacon I am very undecided about what to buy tbh
I've had Fluval biomax the large powdered glass type with very small hole in the middle for almost 5 years without need to replace. It doesn't do the full cycle but at £15 for 1.1kg it's good value for money. I use 750g in a tall 3L food container with sponge on the bottom and a 550 lph power head on top. This deals with one block of bloodworm or krill a day for a messy pufferfish I believe you need a very slow flow rate in a lager volume of water than 3L to get a full cycle as the water flow in my DIY filter is just too fast even for biohome ultimate. I'm sure biohome ultimate is good it just probably won't last as long as Fluval biomax and is definitely more expensive. I am considering getting an external filter and would definitely try biohome ultimate in one of the trays though and if it did break down I'd replace with Fluval biomax I'm just struggling to find a big external filter with slow flow rate as restricting flow rate causes motor and impeller damage.
He does talk about it in another video I can't remember the major thing you can do is have filter pad under or top of it to filter the big stuff and so they don't rub alot plus just extra mechanical
I have bio home media in my canister filter , I have NOT done a water change in over 6 months , my water tests fine and my fish are very happy , I have over 50 fish in a 200 litre aquarium , excellent product , thank you very much , I hated water changes :)
Solid media. Was doubting claims. But first , after putting it on day 15 of cycling, in 2 days, day 17, fish tank fully cycled. Also, was doubting 0 Nitrates . Did not test Nitrates for past 2 months. But, in my freshwater tank, now that its 5 th month, i tested. Guessed what 0 Nitrates with API test kits. Used to be 10 ppm!!! Great Biohome Ultimate
Yong Heng, Christopher Gan you do water changes
Hi, I brought biohome plus media and have to say, it's works!!! I have a goldfish and my water always was little bit cloudy, I put in biohome plus filter media 3 weeks ago and I couldn't believe, water condition it's much better and clear :) Thank you very much. . .
+Katarzyna Ambicka Sounds like the bacteria were possibly causing a bloom and needed a place to live. Good to hear, thanks for the feedback.
just received my biohome ultimate. pumped its in my external canister filter cant wait to see the differance. thanks for all the tips and appreciate your time. thank you
No worries, any time and I'm glad you enjoy the videos.
How is going with biohome, are you happy?
I watched this video close to a year ago and bought some biohome ultimate for my first tank after about a 40 year layoff from the hobby. Since then I have used it in 2 other tanks and am about to use it on a third. This product is the best thing I have ever used. My nitrates rarely go above 20ppm and my ammonia and nitrites remain at zero. I have told many friends in the hobby about it and those that tried it give the same review. Thank you for sharing this information.
Thant is a great result as 20ppm won't be noticed much by the fish. How much do you use for the volume of water and what is the stock? It should be possible to reduce it further.
All tanks are Nano tanks the largest being 16 gallons, which is a bit overstocked. And because of the small water volume I was told that I would have problems with my water chemistry. But that was resolved after using biohome. I only use about a handful in each tank. (The 2 smaller tanks run between 5 - 10ppm). I will be going a bit larger with my next tank, a 40 breeder after the holidays and will let you know how that works out.
That is an incredible result for 16 gallon tanks if you only use a handful of biohome for the filtration (unless you have huge hands, lol). A breeder tank / tank for growing fry may require more media as the bioload will be heavier.
I've been running ultra for about 7 months now and I have very close to 0 nitrates in my (a bit overstocked because a new platy was pregnant) 110Ltr tank. But it is quite heavily planted so that might also be the reason :)
I'm running an Oase canister with just one tray of it. The others being ceramic rings.
Thanks for the very good service. I just got the Biuhome Ultra for my crayfish tank. It arrived with free gel balls and I just finished the setup. Crayfish are very messy and have a high requirement for water. Will post more after a month as it shows the performance. But one thing for sure, Richard does not leave your comments hanging and provides very detail answers for all the questions. Thanks Richard!!!
That's no problem and I'm glad it arrived in good time. Bear in mind that in a month the ammonia and nitrite should hit zero if you have a suitable amount of media in the filter but the reduction in nitrate (full cycle filtration) may take 4-6 months.
+joel Kletke
Good stuff indeed. Thanks for the positive feedback. Everyone who comments will aid others making the choice between medias when setting up their filter so all reports back are much appreciated. Tried to comment directly back to you but I am 'not allowed to comment on this post'.
Jesus wept, this is my video....
just bought some bio home mini for my biorb life 60 litre tank running a marina cf20 external filter set up, this is my first ever fish tank and found this media by chance, watched his videos about the correct filter sponge set up too, am soooo glad i found this guy.. now its just a waiting game to get my water tested in a weeks time to see if im ready to add fish.. looking forward to happy fish time.. thanks
+glenn shrieves No worries and I'm glad you found the video useful - If you stock the tank gradually the filter will develop in line with the fish stock.
The Ultra mini (and Richards' longer filter setup video) changed my filter setup for ever. Ive still got loads left for my little Fluval Edge but I'm already looking forward to trying the Ultimate when I next need to restock. You have to try this stuff. It's awesome.
Thanks for the positive feedback, man. It truly is great stuff and the filter set-up really simplifies the process in external filters (and reduces the cost associated with additives, sachets etc. which aren't needed in 99.9% of filters)
Ovo je klasicna prodaja i marketing.ne budi u zabludi,fluval koristi istu keramiku poreklom iz China.nemoj da ti uzimaju pare,sve je kinesko,kvalitet je odlican
DAVID RIVERA I don't sell any marine equipment so it's not a product I have ever used or sold unfortunately. The newest form of Biohome (Biohome ultimate) is the best media for both freshwater and marine from the reports I'm getting back as it actively reduces nitrates as well as ammonia and nitrite.
THANK YOU I WILL TRY BIOHOME I LIKE WHAT I HERE AND SEE
Richard thanks, got my biohome ultra and bio motion i use for internal filter and the excess i put on my trickle filter and i got zero amonia and crystal clear water on my 230 gallons arowana tank.
Aquarium filtration set up for trickle filter
Looks like a decent filter system there and there is a nation of different media in there, lol
Pondguru
lol thanks man, im just wait to matured the biohome ultra mini and biomotion and i will change the ceramic rings to biohome ultra plus.
hokkku
Sounds groovy to me.
I am using Biohome Mini Ultra in my Eheim 2011. I bought 1 kg from Tyne Valley Aquatics. After using coarse and fine filter foam there was room for about 1/2 kg. I also put in half the bacteria gel balls supplied with the media. I ran the Eheim alongside 2 internals for a couple of weeks then removed one of the internals. Though testing daily with an API master kit there was no spike in ammonia or nitrite. I have used sintered glass for over 20 years but this is the best I have tried. Brilliant product, love it.
That's a good point I forgot to mention in the video that the media does help to iron out ammonia and nitrite spikes associated with setting up a new system.
Thanks for the great feedback.
Hit 'READ MORE' for full video desciption and important links - watch in HD.
Biohome filter media and upgrade kits here: www.filterpro.co.uk
Decent external filters: geni.us/2LnO
2.3 litre booster filter for externals: geni.us/2bj1
1.2 litre booster filter for externals: geni.us/1pBh
Frozen food: geni.us/LNA8 (select type - loads to choose from)
This is a detailed video which explains exactly what Biohome filter media is and how it benefits your filter.
Biohome filter media has a massive surface area for aerobic bacteria colonisation and also has a great capacity to provide an environment for anaerobic bacteria on the interior of the media.
Hugely porous and extremely efficient, the Biomotion media converts ammonia and nitrite (as normal media would) but also reduces nitrate due to the anaerobic bacteria which live in it's core.
This reduces the need for large water changes so creates a more stable environment in your aquarium (freshwater and marine) and pond.
It is inert and will not release any chemicals / minerals into the water but it is advisable to rinse before use as dust may be generated during transit.
Although I supply worldwide from the UK, details of distributors in other countries to follow here....
Types of Biohome media are as follows:
1 - Biohome Standard
A compact media suitable for overhead filters, trickle filters, sumps, external and internal filters.
2 - Biohome Plus
As above but with additives to ensure much faster colonisation by bacteria.
3 - Biomotion
A rounded media with neutral buoyancy. Suitable for moving bed filters, overhead filters, trickle filters, sumps, external filters and internal filters. Has montmonrolite clay coating to condition water.
4 - Biohome Ultra (large)
A larger version of Biohome standard with rougher feel. Extremely porous. Suitable for trickle towers, sumps, larger external filters, overhead filters and multi chamber koi filters.
5 - Biohome mini Ultra
A smaller version of Ultra, perfect for external filters, sumps, overhead filters, trickle filters and internal filters. Has the ultra porous structure in a more convenient size.
6 - Biohome Ultimate*
This is Biohome mini Ultra with added trace elements (as in biohome Plus) which are essential for bacteria to rapidly colonise a filter. Cuts down the already quick maturing time of Biohome media and has the ultra porous structure and convenient size of Mini Ultra.
Trace elements in 'plus' and 'ultimate': Silica, Titania, Alumina, Ferric Oxide, Lime, Magnesia, Potash, Soda, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Chromium Sesquioxide, Manganic Oxide, Zirconia, Hafnia, Zinc Oxide, Barium Oxide, Strontia, Stannic Oxide, Sulphur Trioxide. (from XRF analysis)
Is this the best filter media ever? Very likely.
*In the UK the Biohome Ultimate is my exclusive product and has been made to my specifications making it the 'Ultimate' filter media and ending my search for the best filter media.
All of the above filter media will be available from my ebay selling page, plus any new media which I discover works well enough to confidently sell. Link here:
www.filterpro.co.uk (also has other suppliers links on website)
I deliver worldwide.
How to set up an external canister filter (long version): goo.gl/T1OSHl
**PLEASE NOTE I HAVE CLOSED TYNE VALLEY AQUATICS AND NOW SELL MEDIA FROM HOME ONLINE. COLLECTING MEDIA IS NO PROBLEM JUST RING OR EMAIL ANY TIME.**
My phone number 07772848730
My email address pondguru@btinternet.com
Additional tags:
Biohome filter media, bio home media, sintered glass filter media, sinterd glass, filter media for sale, best filter media, filter media surface area, filter bacteria, gel balls, filter balls, pondguru, biohome ultra biohome mini ultra, biohome ultimate, bio motion, biohome plus, biomotion, external filter, how to set up an external filter, how to set up canister filter, how to make a filter, biohome media for sale, tyne valley aquatics, DIY filter, sintered glass vs ceramic, aquarium filter media, aquarium filter, sump filter media, tropical fish, marine fish
Pondguru Outdoors How can one become a USA distributor of the Biohome media?
You would have to go through the company which brings the media in: Greatwave Engineering www.greatwaveeng.com
Pondguru Outdoors where to find ebay shop
Can I by biohome mini from Amazon if you have a Amazon store??
Türkiyedeyim ürünlerinizi nereden temin edebilirim lütfen cevap verirseniz sevinirim
I use BioHome Mini Ultra, and Biohome Ultimate. It's easy to use and very effective. As I am new to fish keeping, I also followed Pondgur's canister filter setup. As a result my tank is very stable and extremely easy to look after. I wouldn't use anything other filter media. I have also fond Pongru great to deal with. He is very helpful and responsive to questions. I have made a number of purchases from his eBay shop and have no issues recommending him as a great supplier.
Ease of maintenance and effective filtration is what most people want so I'm glad you appreciate that.
Thanks for the glowing feedback.
"ULTRA" has reduced my indoor turtle tank nitrates by 1/2 !
That is a great result for a turtle tank as they produce so much waste. To get a 50% reduction means the media is allowing the filter to do a great job.
Such a simple idea, but a great idea.they say the best ideas are the the simplist. well done Richard.
Michael Hingston I didn't invent the biohome but suggested the size and porosity of the mini ultra which turned out to be perfect for external filters. To have a media capable of supporting aerobic and anaerobic bacteria is great as the nitrogen cycle can be completed in the system.
This stuff works. Fact. I added 500g to a 55 litre tank. Testing with a Master Test Kit. On day one my nitrates were teetering from 5-10ppm ( new set up ). By week four I'm down to 0ppm! The tank is planted so nutrients were added at the same time and also liquid carbon. Thanks again!
No worries, man - the liquid carbon really seems to make a difference to how quickly bacteria sets up on and in good media and we are routinely getting reports back of people achieving full cycle while using liquid carbon - it is something I think I'll have to start selling alongside the media on the website as it really does make a difference.
kupi mleveni zeolit u prahu za jelo,pospi u akvarijum,malo ce se zabeleti,nitrata nece biti
Just got my first fishtank (350 liters) for oranda goldfish (dirty little fishies) and ordered a fluval fx6, after watching your video's ordered Biohome media and filter(s). Gonna start up the aquarium this week. Thank you so much for shearing this info! Greeting from the Netherlands.
Thanks for the second lot of filter media. I used the mini ultra for my fluval canister filter. Then I was inspired to upgrade my pond filter. I re-routed the oase filtoclear into a home made filter made from a plastic lidded box, through course-medium then fine foams, onto a bed of Biohome ultra, flowing back into the pond.
Excellent, thanks for the inspiration and great service.
No worries, man.
Glad you are pleased and thinking about filtration the biohome is great media but it does need protecting so well done on that.
Pondguru
A year on and I'm so happy with its performance I've just bought another kg from you (as well as some fish science tabs).
Thanks
Groovy, thanks very much. Just got the orders through and refunded postage on the food. I will be doing an aquatic related give away soon so look out for that video.
Pondguru
Usual fantastic service Richard, thanks. I've got your media in my pond and 3 tanks. My water parameters are always constant whether the media is in a external canister, trickle tray or moving bed. It also shows no sign of decay, so I'll guess it'll run for years? I look forward to the give away video. Thanks again.
Although lifespan will depend on application and water flow, disturbance, protection from dirt etc. a god 6-10 years should be easily achievable at high efficiency. After that the successive generations of bacteria will clog up the internal structure and efficiency will decrease but it will still be better than 99% of new ceramic or plastic media, lol
I've order biohome standard and it's doing a fantastic job. I'm quite new in the fish hobby but I can tell that my nitrites and nitrates were low at the end of one month. Tempted to try biohome ultimate.
Groovy - sounds good to me and I'm glad you're pleased with it.
Iv bought some BioHome media. It should arrive next week. I'm setting up a new canister filter with it, but on a newly "established" tank. The filter that its replacing is a plastic ball, and sponges on top system. I will put the new canister in the order you taught on other vids, and I have the black food bacteria balls coming as well.
I will simply put the plastic balls at the bottom of the canister, then course, medium and then fine pad sandwich and then the BioHome Media.
I understand it takes 6 months approx for the nitrates to fall then.......but I will give a update at the 3 month mark anyway.
Sounds good to me and a full cycle could take anywhere from 1-6 months but it is normally between 4-6 months. Using liquid carbon plant food like Flourish Excel seems to speed up development of anaerobic bacteria.
Hi Richard, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us. I've watched many of your videos and setup my canister filter to how you recommended and I am very happy with how it's been working so far. Since at the time there were no suppliers of biohome in the US, I had to settle for less. I'm super excited to see that Biohome is now available here in the states and I plan on making the switch very soon!
It really is an awesome media so thanks for appreciating that.
can't wait been watching the videos for a week and just got my cascade 1500 canister filter in the mail today so I ordered a kg of bio home ultimate for my 55gallon cichlid tank I can't wait to get this set up going also I loved your canister setup up video it taught me a lot thank you
+Bryant Smith Glad you enjoy the videos. Adding 1kg in 55g(US?) will help but it probably won't impact on the nitrates if it is overpowered by nitrate producing media making up the rest of the biological media. Ideally you would use around 1kg per 100 litres to achieve full cycle filtration (reduction of ammonia, nitrite AND nitrate) but that may rise to 1.5kg or even 2kg per 100 litres if the tank is heavily stocked, large cichlid tanks, marine tanks etc. where bioload is much greater than a normal community tank. See how it goes and if the nitrate has not moved after 4-6 months it may be time to swap out some of the other media for more biohome.
+Pondguru Outdoors
Ok might have to order more I have about a 5 inch dovii with a common plec and a sand floor my tank is pretty minimal for the most art my canister has five smaller trays compared to eihimes 3 large trays so would it be a good Idea to set that up like your video with the 3 layers of foam on the bottom tray and fill the other four with bio home? as good as the stuff is I didn't see a need for any bio balls or rings
+Bryant Smith Yes if you have 5 trays then the bottom one would be for foams and the rest for biological media. Always better to have a big filter and not need it than need it and not have it.
I received my media today I'm so excited. I have a Aqueon 55/75 Quiet Flow. Has extra space in for extra media if needed. I wanted your expertise in the total amount needed. I know not to completely change out media but to slowly replace. I know you said 1kg for 100 litters. Hopefully you might get a kick out of figuring out this situation and hopefully my answer is same as yours. Thank you.
Without knowing the size of the tank I am clutching at straws unfortunately. 1kg per 100 litres to see a good reduction in nitrate is a good guide and if you can get the suitable amount into the HOB filter its all good. I have a new media which is perfect for HOB so that will hopefully be shown in a video this weekend if I can edit all the footage down in time.
Great videos. I was sold on the media and can't wait for it to help with our high waste issue. I'm going to try with our overhead filter. Plus the bio balls are a plus. Thank you for the advice.
No worries. For best results use around 1kg per 100 litres.
Excellent media, but you need the correct amount for the tank. With my 40 litre and 500g of biohome mini ultra. It stabilised my ammonia and nitrite to 0 in 2 weeks.
Don't think of it as a miracle product, just a very good media. It's an excellent place to grow BB
In my new 125, the 500g wasn't enough. I had ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 100 at the end of the week.
With the addition of another kilo of biohome, the nitrate has reduced to 50.
Highly recommended!!
Yes I always tell people it's not a magic bullet but when a suitable amount is used it will work wonders. The anaerobic bacteria responsible for reducing the nitrate can sometimes take 4-6 months to develop to the point where nitrates fall but if not enough media is used that fall will not occur. There is a guide to how much media is required to achieve full cycle filtration (reduction in nitrate) for various stocking scenarios in the Q&A section of my website www.filterpro.co.uk
Hi thanks for sending the Bio home ultra pellets so quickly, ordered some off ebay and came this morning. Have put them in my Aquastyle 620 filter now comes the fun part
seeing how my marine tank gets on with it. But from all the other accounts i've read
it should be okay.
Marine fish keepers love the biohome as it actually becomes 'live' like live rock and can be taken from tank to tank to seed more rock or media.
A specific form of marine media is in the works but the only difference is that it will have added trace elements specific to marine bacteria to create the ultimate home for saltwater bacteria strains.
this clip is very informative and the presenter is very sympatic on top. Got it, now I try to get these filter medias for my new eheim external filter. Thanks and pls continue this way!
The biohome ultra is very good. We use it and have had zero problems with filtration. This product is a great one and an absolute gem. #IAA #Mo
Glad you like the media. It is indeed the most effective media on the market so I'm proud to have had a hand in the development of some of the forms it takes.
Hi Richard. I purchased the Ultra (larger media) my mistake. However, I was able to use it all in two baskets in my Hydor 450 canister. Is that ok still? I set my filter up as you did in your "pimp my filter" video for my 75g. Thanks again for all your efforts and sharing of knowledge.
That is absolutely alright
Love this stuff. I have got some in my diy filters and the water is crystal clear and that is saying a lot because it is a hold water goldfish and juvenile koi tank. Great stuff guys keep it up!
How is going with biohome, are you happy?
Sorry Richard my other coment should be the fluval 106, and would you recommend a medium sponge on top of the black sponge in the bottom tray in the fluval 107
Just a fine pad on top of the foam in the bottom tray then upper tray filled with media (500g Biohome Plus fits well).
Richard, we LOVE your fish videos AND your metal detecting ones as well! You are a natural at making videos and making them interesting to boot. Our question is once Biohome Ultimate has done its work in cycling a new tank, are the trace minerals no longer needed? In other words, won't Biohome Mini Ultra do essentially the same thing as the Ultimate but just initially takes longer?
The trace elements aren't lost into the water and are there to make the tasks performed by bacteria easier and quicker. It's like them being in a fully furnished office with the fastest computers and all the gear they need to get the job done. That stuff is not used up but it is there to work with. A sterile media takes time to build that up but can still support a nation of bacteria once all the necessary elements have settled within the media so yes it will end up doing the same job eventually but ma not do it as efficiently as the ultimate for quite some time.
I started using biohome ultra about 9 months ago in my sump and I've never had any issues with ammonia nitrite nitrate spikes since, would defitnely recommend.
Awesome - that's what it was made for.
Glad you're impressed with it, man.
just hd my water tested after only a week and and all the tests were zero so they said my water was perfect, really pleased. have decided to add a heater so going to go tropical too, this way i get alot more choice as to what to stock the tank with
+glenn shrieves Sounds good to me - just remember to stock gradually.
+glenn shrieves How are you making out. Was it a new tank? because if it was your Nitrates have to show something or else your tank isn't cycle. It's great stuff I use it in all my tanks but you can't cycle a tank in a week.
I added my fish and after a water check my nitrates had gone really high.but after a few weeks and regular water changes I tested the water yesterday and all was normal
Glad things worked out. I'm putting my fish in next week it will be a little over three weeks. It's been 0 0 0 for the last 7/10 days but I wanted to wait and give the Bio balls more time. After testing I fully expect the Ammonia and Nitrite to be 0 and if the Nirates are in the 60/80 range I will do a large WC which should knock them down right away. Nice talking to you and glad your buddies are doing well.
Forgot to add it's some great stuff have it in two canisters and will be in the 3rd shortly. Just foam and Bio Home Ultimate Media and that's all you need although was thinking about Seachem's Matrix in the top basket because it also takes nitrates down.
Nice video, only just discovered the biohome media, but better late than never right 😀. Question is, where would be the best place to house biohome ultimate in a redsea reefer 250 sump, would it be OK to bag it place it under a filter sock? I want to use it for mostly for Nitrate, not Ammonia or Nitrite reduction.
I Cant wait until this hits the US, this looks very impressive.
The company who will be distributing in US has taken delivery, they have constructed their website but until all the import taxes are calculated they won't have a final price. As soon as the prices are finalized I'll make a video announcing the name of the distributor and show their website as well as having a direct link in the video description to their website.
Ty for being so descriptive of each item, old but I'm still learning ,, TY
How does one clean Biohome in the canister? And by clean I mean rinse in tank water, not tap water obviously. Or do we only clean the foam pads and never touch the Biohome?
+Laru's Aquarium
I can't reply to your comment for some reason but the US supplier can be found in video description.
Pondguru Outdoors also the Canadian Supplier angelfins.ca/
that was recommended to me by the Us Supplier.
Eric B Yes that's good. When we all get our websites sorted out there will be links to each others territories on them.
;
I just ordered 5kg for my Fx5 finally! Excited too se what happens!
Update?
How is going with biohome, are you happy?
Hi Richard. I just wanted to say if you use Biomotion tumbling over time it wears away and falls to the bottom rendering it useless. This is even with using the best foams and pre-filters. I would say the lifespan of this media is 2 years, unless you use it in a static/vibrating method. Big fan of your channel
Yes the biomotion does best gently vibrating or static. If you can achieve a cyclical motion (where the balls look like they are chasing each other around a track) it lasts a very long time but in chaotic motion in a small container it quickly gets smashed up within a few months or even weeks. A 'donut' shape would be perfect for biomotion but those shape containers are very difficult to find. I have one in the shop and it was pump driven. Worked perfectly so maybe I need to resurrect that idea for the biomotion. The other types of biohome should have a sensible life of between 6-10 years in an external filter (best place for them) and after that the internals will likely be quite clogged although there is a market for second hand biohome in the far east where people sell it after 10-12 years, lol
Pondguru
very good information, thanks . Would a UV sterilizer that's put on the output of your canister filter for a 90 gal fresh water tank do more harm then good for both bacteria your trying to colonize, aerobic and anaerobic bacteria
Once the media is mature it shouldn't make a difference if you have the UV on but for the first 2-3 weeks leave it off to give the filter the best chance of maturing.
I just ordered some of the Biohome Ultimate . I have a Fluval 306 canister filter . How long can I expect this biological media to last ? I do monthly cleanings of the mechanical filter media of my fluval .
+Artie Woo It should last a good 6-10 years at high efficiency in a properly set up filter. Your filter will take approx. 1kg of mini ultra or ultimate types of biohome (best types for an external) and as you have 3 trays in the filter, assuming you use the bottom tray for coarse, medium and fine foams that would leave you needing 2kg for the 2 media trays.
Hi pondguru i have an fx6 if I put lots of mechanical filtration on the top then bio home the next 2 trays down which tray would I put the balls in...and also would I need a sponge of some sort right after the purigen so the balls dont eventually get blown out in to the tank...thanks mate love you vids
Hi from Bulgaria.
Recentley there are few people from our forum that are using BIOHOME media. The results about ammonia and nitrite are great as per the test that are done. Unfortunatley there are no results for lowering nitrates, especially in discus and cichlid tanks. Do you think it is because it is used without the starting bacteria balls?
Thank you and keep up with the great work.
Maybe, but the anaerobic bacteria takes many months before it gets to a big enough population to affect the nitrates. The aerobic bacteria only takes a matter of weeks but anaerobic can take many months. Flow rate will affect the ratio of aerobic to anaerobic populations too. Lesser flow rates will result in more anaerobic bacteria. Higher flow rates will result in more aerobic bacteria.
Thanks for the feedback and questions.
Pondguru
Thank you for the fast respond.
Aeksandar Aleksandrov
No worries.
well here go saw ur video taking a small leap replaced media in my two hob filters with biohome media marine . not sure 2 pounds going to make huge test but we will see . if i see benefit in couple weeks . i'll remove last of my seachem media in my canister filter . i was perplexed wear to start so chose put hob filters first use bio marine ball in my canister filter glad watched video before bought wrong set of balls . funny part was forced buy to many guess they sit on the shelf for 2 yrs lol
Thanks for reply, would that produce both bacteria types as well I only ask as the filter has large plastic spiky balls in it at the moment the water is crystal clear but the fish population is increasing through natural spawning and I was looking for an edge to keep on top things
Alfagrog is capable of supporting anaerobic as well as aerobic but not in such large numbers as the biohome. You could consider having a shower filter after the pressure filter?: ua-cam.com/video/7eyoDB91Ps4/v-deo.html
i love watching your videos which is why i run 3 all pond solution filters with biohome mini in 1 and biohome ultimate in the other 2 my aquariums are spotless with 0 ammonia and nitrite and very low nitrate i do water changes weekly but my nitrates are still really low just before i do it. i am setting up some more tanks soon so i will get a couple more aps filters and will order some more ultimate from you then. keep up the good work and keep the biohome coming. also what is your personel view of all pond solutions filters
Do you know any video on UA-cam about how ceramic rings are made?
Do the little black live bacteria balls need to refrigerated if not used right away?
Hi Richard you said in the fluval 307 for me to take out the fine sponge and just keep the black sponge on the bottom tray and floss on top, and just media on the other two trays, but I was looking at your video on the fluval 107, wher on the bottom tray keep the black sponge, then a medium sponge on top, and then floss, and the top tray just media, is this how you would recommend for the fluval 307.
There isn't room for the Fluval foam, a normal thickness medium foam and a fine pad in the bottom tray so if you already have the Fluval foam go for that in bottom tray with fine pad over it and media in trays above.
If the filter has not got the black Fluval foam in the bottom tray (if it is missing or if it is a 06 series) then go with standard bumpy pond foam in the bottom tray - coarse, medium and fine then media in trays above.
The Fluval medium black foam is much thicker than a normal bumpy pond foam hence the need for slightly different set ups for these filters depending on whether the Fluval foam is present or not.
Would you go for a fine sponge over the black bottom tray sponge, or white filter floss.
Hey Pondguru, first off I want to say great videos regarding the Biohome media. I had a quick question, I just bought a eheim pro 2236 and I was wondering how I can set up this canister filter with the Biohome media and the foam pads?
+donald garcia That one has a prefilter foam in top of filter so leave that where it is and set up bottom tray with coarse, medium and fine pads as in my externals filter videos. Then trays above that will be for media. The trays work like an ordinary external filter - bottom to top so all mechanical filtration (foams) can be done in bottom of filter with biological trays above (biohome).
have you ever looked at or tried using extruded clay balls as a media ?.
These are used in hydroponic grow systems ,very porous meterial .
I have half a bag in the shed and thought this maybe great in my sisters koi pond filters in place of the plastic crap she uses .
Ps I have bio ultra in my canister filter , most likely bought from you on eBay 😂
Question for you, I want to test this stuff out in a low flow reactor. The reactors dimensions are 2.4 inch diameter / 15 inch height. It's volume is 1.17 gallons or 4.45 liters. I'm trying to get the best results for anaerobic bacteria. Which type of biohome would you use. I'll be putting this test up against Seachem matrix or Seachem de-nitrate, which will be in the same exact reactor. I'll do daily samples directly from outlet hoses, to see which media matures first and which one really performs by removing nitrate. Nitrate reduction is the holy grail in aquatics , this should be a fun long term experiment.
If you have 4.45 cubic litres to fill the best form of biohome would probably be the biogravel as you could get around 5kg in there. I'm assuming that you are in the US since you're using inches? Therefore if you contact Don from Greatwave Engineering he may give you some media for testing purposes.
Pondguru I was looking at that gravel and thinking the same thing. Thanks for your advise, I’ll contact him. Yes I’m from the US, California to be exact.
No worries, best of luck with that.
Is this media really able to process nitrates to a degree that levels fall even with larger fish or heavy stocked aquaria like Malawi chichlids? If so which one is recommended for a Malawi aquarium? Thanks really enjoy your videos.
+Paul Perriss There isn't anything super special about what the media is made of but the magic happens inside it due to the excellent environment and varied pore space for anaerobic bacteria (which reduce nitrate). Because there are thousands of small pockets of anaerobic zones in the media it supports a good balance of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria making it very effective. You'll need 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres if you have a predator tank or heavily stocked cichlid tank and the best type would be biohome ultimate (for external canister filters) or biohome maxi ultimate which is a larger media more suited to sumps.
Hi, my name is George and I'm from Romania. I start watching your videos a month ago. I like how you explain about filters, I learn a lot from you.
I want to know how to buy biohome media from Romania.
Thank you very much.
Richard thanks for sharing your experience with the community - I'm running a heavily planted 4ft freshwater tropical set up outdoors & wanting to cut down on the "labour of samson" ie cleaning the sponges in the external canister filter; I came up with an alternative method of mechanicaly & biologically filtering the water 1st stage by attaching the uptake tube via an undergravel system (silica gravel and crushed coral sand over a thin layer of washed riversand - there is a geotextile fabric over the filter plate which sits atop 20m of perforated piping ) the water is then circulated thru the cannister (2 trays pourous ceramic noodles and 1 activated charcoal - no sponge) and back into the tank - have you seen this type of experimental filtering and can the biohome media perform as a carbon replacement? - I succesfully trialed this setup for eighteen months in a previous tank the only maintenance was gravel siphon during water change and carbon replacement - General Rid Stump!!!
I should do a video on what carbon does in a tank, lol
Carbon is not a biological filter media and it is there to draw in excess treatments, chemicals and colour from wood etc.
Biohome is a biological media, just like the ceramic rings but it does its job many times better as nothing supports more bacteria or eventually reduces the nitrate like biohome.
Your set-up is a good idea and has the components in the correct order. I have just uploaded a new video about the nitrogen cycle and I mention carbon toward the end of that. In the video I explain how the biohome completes the nitrogen cycle but other media only does 2/3 of the job (which results in high nitrates and water changes)
Yes, I add the replaceable carbon in pouches as a last stage to remove some of the excess tanins leaching from the woody root system I have placed in the tank - Do you know of any alternate tanin treatment? - I was hoping the Biohome media may also serve this purpose;
I am using the surface area of the undergravels 3 selected substrates to primary mech/bio filter prior to the cannister. Very few hobbyists seem to use an undergravel system now, especially since the market explosion in marine setups;
It is my understanding the substrate lower layers have anaerobic colonies and the upper most layers aerobic - which once well established convert the nitrite - there is also a symbiotic relationship between the fungal hyphae which colonise the living plant roots growing within the substrate - the trick is to gravel siphon the very topmost substrate during water change (replacing cannister sponge rinsing) - this regular water maintenance provides outdoor plants with a nutritious liquid fish fertiliser.
I am congratulating, you've put a lot of thought into improving the filter media adding the trace elements and dual pourous structure - it reminds me of volcanic scoria or fulgarite glass from lightning strikes - I will definately use your media for a pond trial when it becomes available in Australia.
Michael Wellner
No doubt there will be a distributor in Australia soon. Obviously I send out to AU from UK but the shipping is a real killer for the small amounts. For a distributor over there who was willing to take a sensible amount the shipping would only work out about £1 per kilo.
I think one of the Seachem products will draw in tannins but like most of their stuff I expect that it costs way more than something already available that does the same (or better) job.
There aren't many people using gravel in general although for cold water tanks it still is the most popular choice. As all the loaches, corydoras and catfish available for tropical set-ups prefer sand that is becoming more popular and ordinary sand allows the easier reduction of pH to a level which suits 95% of the tropical fish.
I do still recommend ordinary aquarium gravel in some tanks when people want a higher pH (for livebearers) as they appreciate the harder water with higher pH.
I guess the way you have yours set up will not keep the pH high since there are many elements to it and it may be mature enough to maintain a lower pH.
After running it the first time I choose to use fine coral sand as the primary substrate which is a breeze to siphon and the plant roots & sterbai corydoras love it - the plate is protected by a Geotextile fabric which I have used in landscape projects which remains permeable & stops the fines from clogging the system - can you post a link re the distributor here at some stage in the future & if I get the ponds set up in the next couple of months prior I shall contact your site - thank you again - General Rid Stump!!!
Michael Wellner
Will post links to other suppliers as they become available, no worries.
Great video , I'm learning alot . I have one question, I'm setting up a Fluval FX6 and I plan to use Bio home media in my canister. What trey should these gel balls go in and should I spread bio home under it ??
One of his pimp my filter video i saw him putting the bio balls on the same tray as the bio home. I did the same thing cept I used bottled bacteria.
Can any of these be used in pond pressure filters eg Laguna clear flo range , thanks
+martin hoyt They can but a pond pressure filter is a very dirty environment compared to an aquarium canister filter so the media tends to clog very quickly. Biohome is used successfully in pond filters but it tends to be shower filters or in the last chambers of multi bay filters where water is much cleaner, allowing the media to work properly. In a pond pressure filter you would be better off with Alfagrog as it can work in very dirty environments.
I have a question. I have a turtle tank stocked with 5 turtles and a about a couple dozen tetra+s and cory´s. I use an eheim 2217 canisterfilter to filter my tank, but I seem to lose the fight with nitrate. Even with weekly waterchanges I measure between 300 and 500 ppm in nitrate. My question is if the biohome will actually create anearobic zones inside the canister filter and therefore lower nitrate? I have tried a lot but doing big daily waterchanges is an uphill battle. So I wonder if biohome media could actually bring the nitrates to a reasonable level?
Turtles are very polluting and you would definitely need around 2kg per 100 litres to affect nitrate on a turtle tank.
I don't know what you are currently using as media or how much / how big turtles are / how big tank is etc. so I'm a bit stuck for recommending anything.
Feel free to send me an email to sales@filterpro.co.uk as I often miss comments on youtube - if you're in UK just phone me on 07772848730
Regards,
Richard
Pondguru Thank you for uour quick response. All turtled are of adult size (20-25cm in shell length) and they live in a 250litre aquarium (i know it is a bit small, but they will get an upgrade in the next couple of years). I am currently using 1 litre of HS aqua bacto stones, wich is doing a wonderful job of keeping the ammonia en nitrtite down, and 1 litre of acived carbon. I also have gravel and driftwood in the tank, wich would probably also help keeping ammonia down. And of course the mechanical filtration in the order as you recommend ;)
Kind regards,
Sven
Hi Pond Guru! Thank you for your helpful videos! I was wondering if the bacteria balls can get damaged during shipment if they are exposed to freezing temperatures?
I just got some Biohome Plus. I have a Hang on the Back filter and am currently using a biobag with some activated charcoal inside. Also have a small sponge filter running. This is a new tank (38L). I have used some Seachem Stability to start the beneficial bacteria. I have a few live plants already and a couple of zebra danios. Would it be good to add some Biohome Plus in a small mesh bag or loose in front of of the activated charcoal bag? There is plenty of room to put your media in front where the water returns to the aquarium. THANK YOU!!
i have change my 29 gal. tank to poly fill the black sponge and the peigen. i dont have the little hard media. do i need charco too how do i put first the poly fil the black sponge and the peigen last thank you
I’m from Rowlands Gill but live in Mallorca. I can buy Biohome cheaper from you than the Spanish supplier in Barcelona because his shipping charge is way higher than yours! So I will.
Great videos BTW, cheers
how would you set up a fluval 405 filter? what type and placement would you put your media for a fresh water 55 gal tank
Provided the water goes through the foams first in correct order the goes through media you can't go wrong.
Will the ultraviolet light inside the filter KILLS all the good bacteria too ? So should we choose those filter which or which out the UV lamp ? Please advice ...
To be sent to the use US would it be possible for you to get the marine booster bacteria balls? I would like to load my sump down with this product and just allow the water to flow over it after it passes thru a algae scrubber and foam pad would this be suitable? Also, which type of thisedi
This is half a question?
I have enquired about the marine pure balls but they are only available in 50 ball amounts so its not worth me buying them in for resale but there are plenty of online sellers of the marine balls. Not sure what you are loading the sump with (media or balls)?
Hi Pondguru, i was thinking since the dense inner structure of Biohome can encourage anaerobic bacteria growth, would arranging and packing more Biohome media tightly into a small compartment create more anaerobic conditions for a bigger population of anaerobic bacteria?
Theoretically, if we pack more pellets tighter together, the aerobic bacteria colonies would be larger per cm3 and thus the oxygen consumption would increase in that small area and the larger number of pellets, the water flow would also slow down, thus in turn creating a bigger anaerobic area.
So if we pack bio media tighter together (i.e like a can of sardines) we would have created more anaerobic conditions to grow more bacteria that removes nitrates. Just by arrangement and the way you pack the media into your filter, you can create conditions for the kind of bacteria you want. What do you think?
It will help yes but with some types of media it wouldn't matter how tight you packed them in as the internal structure of media is most important factor. Many people do pack the biohome in tight and so far I haven't seen that it makes it any more or less effective at nitrate removal but no proper experiment has been done with regard to media packing. I do know that if a suitable amount of biohome is used it will almost totally remove the nitrate no matter how it is arranged in the filter.
ic, I understand. Thanks for the reply.
Richard, I have biohome in a few of my externals and planned to put some purigen in them as well. However, I read a comment on another video saying that purigen shouldn't be used with biohome, could you shed any light? Is this true? Thanks
First and foremost, you are VERY knowledgeable...I've been watching your videos for years, but never said anything because someone always mentioned what I was going to ask you.
So...I have 8 Peacock and Hap tanks, what media can I use to reduce Nitrates and Nitrites?
Someone told me Seachem Matrix, but I wanted to ask The PondGuru. 😊
Any and All information will be greatly appreciated 👍🏾.
(I run FX6's on all eight 90 gallon tanks)
(my other channel) If there is 1 x FX6 on each 90 (US?) gallon tank that will not be enough to get the required media into the system to reduce nitrates.
We recommend around 2kg of Biohome media per 100 litres (26 US gallons) for a heavily stocked tank / cichlid tank and if you've got 90 (US?) gallon tanks that equates to 342 litres. Therefore the recommendation would be to get 7kg into the system.
The FX6 will hold around 5kg of media so operating the system under the known parameters for a full cycle would be futile and deliver results which would be unwelcome if you're trying to achieve a full cycle (reduction in nitrate).
A reduction in nitrate (full cycle) is perfectly achievable on any tank with any stock but the level of filtration has to be realistic. Unfortunately the manufacturers of canister filters vastly over-estimate the size of tanks their filters will handle. They also fail to recognize anything beyond the nitrite being converted into nitrate, telling the user to do large (unnecessary) water changes to maintain good water quality.
I see channels on UA-cam telling people that their filtration is perfect while doing 80%-100% water changes every week which only serves to illustrate that their filter is either grossly inadequate or biologically dead due to the chemicals they use (usually Seachem Prime which starves bacteria).
If bacteria is allowed to prosper then any tank can easily achieve a full cycle with minimal water changes every week (to clear up and freshen the water).
I did a video a few years ago which has been censored from most of the 'sponsored' (controlled) forums and internet group pages and it is titled 'Looking inside filter media'. It can be found here: ua-cam.com/video/QTtAUYR67Eg/v-deo.html
It features a good quality pumice which is way better then the dense low quality pumice which is being sold as 'matrix' - when you see the good quality pumice compared to the Biohome the pictures tell their own story but considering that the shills promoting 'matrix' are paid 'brand ambassadors' for seachem it is no wonder that so many people are using poor quality rock, buying unnecessary treatments and doing huge water changes to maintain the health of their fish.
Hopefully you can see sense from the above and thanks for watching.
Regards,
Richard
@@ThousandYardStare....Thank you so much for responding, I know you are a busy guy and I appreciate you taking the time to get back to me.
Looks like I have some rearranging to do with my filter media...Lol...I will watch your video link that you sent me.
I was thinking about adding FX4's to the 90's to boost up the cycle....just a thought.
Thanks again and take care 👍🏾.
Will the media be more effective if we slow down the flow in a canister filter?
HI
well i have bought some. i have an fx6 so i bought these to up it to keep my heavy stock of cichlids healthy and alive plus i just received my sun sun so i will have 4kilograms of this stuff so i think i should be ok. another great video
Glad you enjoyed the video - happy fish keeping.
hi
my email is not working but it was me that wrote you on ebay.
i am having trouble with a seller and i did not realize that you shipped to canada. so if the seller does not get my stuff out on time i will definatelly buy from you
that was what i was trying to get at.
i am having a very bad expeirience with him.
the other seller on ebay that sells this stuff. so if i dont get it on time i will try and get a refund and buy from you
if you can just respong to my ebay acounti wrote you earliercuz my pc is messed up i cant log in here or my email when i have to so i can communicaqte with you on ebay.
regards
Nick
Hi
Great video I’ve been using this media for ages but can you tell me please how often would one clean the filters?
Thanks
Just ordered mine hope it’s as good as you say it is, I do struggle with my ammonia 🤨 even with 2 water changes per week 😊
Hi Richard, I just received my shipment of Biohome Ultimate and the foam pads. Set up my filter just like your video. I only have two trays in my canister filter, it is a Cascade 700. Will this filter be good enough for my 29 gallon tank? The substrate that I'm put down is ADA Power sand and Aqua Soil and part of the tank will be Sand. I want it moderately planted and have shrimp, and about a dozen small fish. I'm running this filter for about two weeks to get the bacteria started. Then I'm going to drain tank and plant.
Sounds good - yes I'm presuming you will drain tank to container then re-fill with the same water.
The filter should be big enough, no worries.
Pondguru Yes, when I drain tank I will keep 20 gallons of the water and add the remaining space with fresh water. I've been adding Seachem Prime to the tap water when I add it.
Keith Lang Sounds like a good plan to me, man,
Very nice absorption rate. Do you think this material would be suitable for a growing media as well say for a aquaculture/ponics media bed?
As hydroton is so cheap compared to biohome it makes the best growing media no question. It would cost a fortune to use biohome as a growing media given that most people will vigorously clean htdroton after every crop. It is smaller, harder and will withstand this treatment better than biohome. Maybe the bio-motion would compare to hydroton? as it is smaller and harder than the other biohome products but as it is buoyant it wouldn't behave properly compared to hydroton?
Really enjoying the videos, one thing I have heard is that the biohome media disintegrates and needs replacing a lot. How long would you say it lasts for because it's pretty expensive and if it needs replacing a lot then it's not gunna be affordable
Like good quality porous ceramic media, the biohome will not last as long if it is lifted out shaken and washed vigorously every time you clean out the filter but in a well set up filter (where you are maintaining the mechanical filtration on a regular basis and the media is protected from muck) you'll hardly ever need to clean it. I've just processed an order from a guy who has been using biohome in Taiwan for the last 12 years and he just ordered 20kg of the biohome ultimate media as his old stuff was getting worn out. To be honest after 12 years the media was probably well past its best anyway.
In your typical external filter you should have all the mechanical filtration done prior to the water hitting the media and only be removing the media trays to get to the foams / pads for maintenance. If the media looks a bit dirty all you would do is (leaving it in the trays) shake it gently in water you've drained off during tank maintenance. That's as much as it will need. Same goes for good quality ceramic media too.
This video will show how to set up an external filter to get the most efficient filtration of your water and how to avoid the media clogging:
HOW TO SET UP AN EXTERNAL CANISTER FILTER FOR AN AQUARIUM (MEDIA AND FOAM LOCATIONS)
Hope that helps. I think I did cover the 'how long does biohome last' question in this Q&A video but as it's so damn long it was quicker for me to write this out again here, lol
Ok awesome thanks for the reply!
Hi mate, you really need to do a video to tell people not to use prime which is really popular water conditioner. I had really low nitrates for two years using biohome, a friend gave me a big bottle of prime which i have been using for chlorine and my nitrates have shot up so I can only think that prime as killed the bacteria, do you think the bacteria will grow again if i stop using prime or do I have to replace the biohome ? cheers
Dear Kevin,
Unfortunately that is a very common problem using that treatment. Every week I get people telling me exactly the same has happened to their system when they use this product and it definitely has a starvation / poisoning effect (not sure which) on bacteria, especially the anaerobic bacteria which are have more niche requirements.
Yes, it should bounce back but in most cases it takes at least a couple of months to notice the cycle completing again.
Unfortunately since 99% of people regard a tank as 'cycled' when ammonia and nitrite are low / 0 and don't factor the second part of biological filtration and reduction in nitrate into their belief of what a 'cycled' filter is you will see very little online about problems similar chemical additives cause. Also I know of a good few people who have posed that same question about the destruction of the cycle being caused by additives online and had posts deleted and accounts terminated from forums sponsored by one large company.
It's not as easy as me coming out and presenting all the reports from people who have had cycles ruined by treatments and then naturally restored when they stopped using them as it is all circumstantial evidence - the people who wield the real power online to allow information to be shared will simply not consider something so popular to be a real problem but the more people are educated about what constitutes a full cycle the more they realise that treatments can have a negative effect.
However in upcoming videos I will warn people of products which have this damaging effect on the bacteria as the last thing I want is the first thing these companies want - to have fish keepers spending fortunes on unnecessary treatments to chase stability for an unbalanced tank which could easily be kept right without them.
To have a company knowingly selling something which causes users to then buy more products to repair preventable problems is a really dishonest business practice but that's coming from a company who sells a low grade of pumice stone mixed with junk rock for fortunes and claims it is the holy grail of filtration. Just for that deception I wouldn't trust them as far as I could spit.
Regards,
Richard
Thanks for the reply mate I understand what your saying. I have gone back to API stress coat, I'm happy I don't have to replace it.It took about six weeks if I remember when first using biohome to see nitrates reducing,frustrating but we live and learn in this hobby lol
Six weeks is very good to see the reduction and although a quick long term reduction is quite common it can take up to 4-6 months. I suppose it depends how much is used and what is holding it back.
Hi I've been using multi bay and very happy with it ,but I'm using alpha grog in last bay , and for a while been thinking of changing it for biohome would this work And which biohome would you recommend
Typically how long are your shipments to the US? It's been about two weeks since my Ultimate was shipped and since I can't track packages from Ebay I have no clue where it is until it gets here.
It generally takes 2-3 weeks from UK to US (or US to UK) but since you ordered it on Christmas day there are numerous public holidays around that time and postal backlog on both sides of the Atlantic. As it is in the average delivery time I'd imagine that it would show before the end of next week (allowing for the seasonal delays).
Wow Wish I had came across this channel sooner its brilliant.
Richard can you help please. I Have an Aqua one tank 28 litres with one goldfish I have had her for over five years.
The pump I use is an Aqua one 101F capable of up to 55 litres filtration if I am correct and an Air pump with Air stone..
My question is can I use any of the Bio home products with my filter as its an internal filter inside my tank.
Sorry if I missed anything in your video as I am new to this Hobby.
If you cut the foam in half you will have space for some biohome but to be honest the filter you have will easily cope with 1-2 goldfish in a 28 litre tank. I will be having a video coming up in the next couple of weeks showing a new media specifically for small filters and hidden air driven filters (in ornaments) so look out for that as that would be a good option.
Pondguru Excellent I look forward to your future videos thanks for the reply its much appreciated. I Was also shocked after watching one of your videos regarding cleaning the filter. Anytime I did this I completely cleaned away all of the foam and scrubbed the whole unit in hot tap water its a wonder my fish is still alive.
I Thought I was getting rid of gunk but wasn't aware I was also getting rid of the good bacteria at the same time. Can you give me any tips on the correct procedure please as I am worried about any harm I may have caused to my goldfish. Its actually my daughters goldfish but I look after it as she is Autistic.
I Look forward to more of your excellent videos thank you once again Richard.
jodonbaker43 There's not much more to say really, just clean the foams and any media in the water you've drained off during tank maintenance whenever they need cleaning. If you have an external filter it can be set up to be super efficient and will go much longer between water changes and cleaning sessions: ua-cam.com/video/lsAmSD3wVbg/v-deo.html
Pondguru Thanks Richard. Another question is can you use still water sparkling water or mineral water if you run out of a conditioning agent like tap safe.
Someone said you can but is it safe.
jodonbaker43 Not sure about using sparkling water since it is infused with CO2 but other bottled water is fine - it may raise the pH and mineralise the water which is no good if you are trying to keep a low pH soft water set up.
Great video Richard mate just wanted to ask you would bio ultimate be best for nitrate removal really need to find a media which drastically lowers my nitrate levels water changes don't make a flying difference considering the water coming out of my tap is reading 40-50 ppm so it's really stressful for my fish even if I keep up with changes what would you suggest thanks a lot
If you use around 1kg biohome mini ultra / ultimate (best ones for canister filters) you can expect the nitrate to reduce down to maybe 5-10ppm on average. Some people can't measure it who previously had very high nitrates.
It will be held back by nitrate producing media (e.g. moving bed filters using plastic media, ceramic rings, plastic balls etc.) so bear that in mind when adding biohome to a filter. If it is the only biological media you will have no problems with nitrates once the anaerobic bacteria get built up sufficiently (4-6 months).
All the biohome will reduce nitrate but different types are more suited to different types of filters due to their size.
So basically if I use around a kilo of bio home ultimate and only that for my biological media together with my course medium and fine sponge in my canister that would be all I need to deal with for my high nitrates but I mustn't be using plastic media, ceramic rings, plastic balls aswell otherwise it will effect what I'm actually trying to get done?
In the video u said it will not last forever, it will become plugged with muck.
can it be cleaned? ( rinsed in clean water or even soaked in a strong bleached solution.) I have a wet dry filter with an assortment of media in it . I filter it well before it hits the media and after two years it becomes covered with a brownish slimy muck that rinses off easily. when this happens water seems to run around it and not through the media.
I have plans to modify my sump after the first of the year using your media.
can the bactera balls be used with a system that has been set up for years?
The media should last a good 6-10 years at high efficiency when well protected from dirt and the fine muck which rinses off is normal after a year or two even when it is well protected. The media will still be fine when that is rinsed off and as far as the water flowing around it when you're rinsing it that is most likely due to the media being waterlogged and not able to draw in any more water. If you totally dried the media out in an oven and then poured water on it most of the water would be drawn into the media.
Yes you can use the bacteria balls any time and many people use them after any major filter work to keep the bacteria topped up or replace bacteria which is lost during cleaning.
Are there any offers if the media is ordered in bulk? Cause it does get quite expensive buying per kg.
On my website www.filterpro.co.uk I have most of it up to 20kg bags on there but if there is a specific amount you are after just let me know and I will work a price out sales@filterpro.co.uk - I am assuming that you are in the UK but if not I will need your full address to get a price from the courier.
Is this good for marine? How good is seachem matrix because thats what I used for my marine and after i removed my nitrates went up, but I also started feeding corals with messy reefs roid and maybe overfeeding because my new corals wouldnt eat and I have no skimmer either. How does this compare to marine pure?
Question if I was too use biohome ultimate in a diy canister ( urajoey had great video making PVC 4" like two or three feet long for my 75 gallon) you say slow movement not fast for the rate of gallons per hour. What rating of power head or pond pump would you suggest. I do have an emperor 400 running too. Thought maybe about just using the canister. Your input.
I haven't seen that video of Joey's but I know he prefers very fast turn over rates and highly oxygenated filters. Even if the tank volume was being pushed through the filter once an hour with biohome in it then all the ammonia, nitrite and most of the nitrate (after 4-6 months of use) would be processed so you don't need mad turn over rates.
In a normal filter you would go for high flow rates and crappy media to support more aerobic bacteria but that would only process ammonia and nitrite (generally resulting in large amounts of nitrate being produced - even more so in a moving bed filter).
As long as the tank water volume is passing through a biohome filter once an hour that is easily enough.
Of this media would you suggest fort 150gal marine aquarium. Multiple tanks on multiple levels with many inhabitants. I will also be adding another 30 gal tank to this setup soon. Any advice would be helpful as I a beginner and find you very knowledgable about filter action in general. I can provide photos of current setup of need thank you very much. Shannon
How much of this media? I assume you are using sump filtration so how much you use will depend on the size of sump chamber you have for the biological media. As for how much you need for a specific volume of marine water I have no idea as I have had no experience of marine systems but for freshwater (especially in a linked system) I'd go for as much as possible with good foam filtration before the media chamber. If you give me the measurements of the chamber I can work out how much media you would need. The most popular types for marine seem to be Biohome Plus and the new Biohome Ultimate.
I was wondering have you seen or used Brightwater Aquatic bio media? It's a ceramic sphere and absorbs water much like Bio Home. It claims to help with nitrates as well. I have a little over a pound of it and I have 3 pounds of Bio Home so I was wondering if I could use them together for a complete cycle in my 55 gallon using your calculations.
is biohome standard and ultimate's difference is just nutrient? the performance is the same?
Sorry for the confusion caused. Let me put it this way is 3KG if bio home plus able to treat about 400L of water? With only 1 red asian arowana?
Yes, no problem.
I use biohome mini for my 407 since it's so. Small do u think I'm ok for my 55 gallon African cichlid peacocks tank will I get a full cycle I have sponges on the side an floss on the bottom an the rest of the trays is biohome mini
Will a filter pad that removes phosphates from my aquarium effect anaerobic bacteria growth in my canister filter
I couldn't wait for it to get to the US so I just ordered biohome ultimate from you
lol. Groovy, man.
I will post out monday morning.
hi Richard, I setup a new fluval g6 with 3 baskets of your biohome about a week ago, I am also running a fluval u4 internal filter, how long would you suggest I leave the u4 in before taking it out and just leave the g6 to run on its own, regards, ron.
I would leave it for around a month to make sure that the media in the G6 was matured to the point where enough bacterial activity was going on. With the biohome that should really only be a couple of weeks but I would always take the cautious approach for an established tank.
Pondguru thanks for your reply Richard, keep up the great vids, always find them very helpfull