| excellent response Ray
Part of the problem with Bead filters is how they are marketed and people's perception as to the part they actually play in a system. I use mine as part of the rapid removal of wastes. I do not consider it to contribute to the bio-filtration as it is constantly backwashed, knocking back and upsetting the bacteria. But for a biofilter to be able to be the best it can be, it needs not to have to deal with things a good mechanical filter can provide. I really like bio filters that are designed for maximum air exposure, like TT's, Bakki and heavily oxygenated J-mat.
In life I have watched lots of situations where an item is marketed as the "be all end all" for that given situatioin. My life experience has been what you gain in convenience you give up in performance. I'd rather have a excellent mechanical system, and a great bio system as two separate items as opposed to something that does a decent job at both.
Now in my inside pond I have not used a bead filter because the leaves, dirt and needles are not the concern, and my settling vortexes do a masterful job of eliminating wastes.
My learning experience is, if I was charting water quality on a graph, I'd want the line to be consistantly flat for the health of the koi as opposed to the rise and fall of water that because of cleaning and water replacement tended to spike up and down. |