| Right, these are physical characteristics we are discussing. The size of the ballasts are really about square footage of surface space for bacteria to grow on within a fixed holding container. So the number of square feet/inches of surface with a fixed cubic yard or meter has the advantage for biofilm size potential. But this is a one dimension analysis.
This is because measuring a single media piece does not extrapolate to a growing surface when they are packed together. In fact if they pack tightly, valuable surface space is lost. In addition, these can be zones of organic trapping and actually counter productive to the nitrification surface and process. Over time some media start with greater surface than others but with time become actually significantly small in growable surface area than the former looser media.
But we are now talking secondary stage nitrification in most of these applications ( exceptional pre filtration) and the focus is specifically on foam fractionation for turbulence. The clarity unit is an elegant design in this regard. - JR |