Good day, Im enquiring about a new product that I heard of called,
Bio-Bags, its apparently a very good filter media that promotes the growth of usefull bacterie, has any one heard of this product and where I can get it, and is it any good?

Hi,
Some useful tips on media ....

As the bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrite to nitrate adhere to all surfaces and form biofilms ANY filter material will do in your biofilter.

You need a media that is inert - i.e. will not affect the water quality. And you need a filter media that does not have anything on it i.e. oil etc.

The way the media is used in the filter is most important.

All media has to be cleaned form time to time so make provision for this.

Be careful of amazing claims for filter material - in reality its all the same. Some may have slightly more surface area but the way the bacteria work and adhere to it is the same.

One last thing - biofilters have more than nitrifying bacteria in them. There are a host of other bacteria, fungi and microorganism that grow on the surfaces of the pond and biofilter. Therefore give them space. i.e do not be afraid to make you biofilter bigger.

Chris

Hi Chris

Chris wrote:

Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:49 am

Are you rewriting the early worm theory?

I have done some research into the product, its supplied by a company called Ixia consulting, they are an engineering design company that does projects in water purification, especially with bio reactors that break down hydrocarbons in water ie petrol, diesel etc. As I understand it, the bio filter part is a spin off from the original purpose of the filter bags they use. Im going to test the bags and see what happens. As Ixia is an engineering company they have extensive data on the effectiveness of the products, and that I like.

Hi Bobby -

I don't want to brag but it would take one hang of a bird to catch this early worm .........

And yes I was awake very early. Can't sleep sometimes - I lie awake worrying what koi keepers are feeding their fish and what koi keepers are doing in their filters and ponds.

Its most stressful <grin> hang on, let me try on of these funny things next to this message ...

wonder if that worked

I found the bio bag product. As I work in the engineering field it was very intresting for me to try and figure out how the koi industry could be a spin of from the petrochemical industry.

I ran some simple test last night with some heavy metal ions (silvernitrate, leadnitrate and coppersulphate), and I must say these bio bags absorbs these metals like its going out of fashion. I have set up the test for the biological side, but I must say so far Im impressed