Bio filter material to replace lava rock??

[Lutra]

Looking for a replacement bio filter material for lava rock in an Aquascape biofalls unit. So far mainly considering plastic media such as bioballs & PVC ribbon shavings. Would appreciate any comments, especially from people who have actual experience with this unit and alternative media. Thanks

[Werner]

I've been replacing lava rock with pot scrubbies for 7years now in these units. Maintenance is easier, surface area of scrubbies is much larger and---you have your choice of colors. For more info look here :http://www.wernersponds.com/biofiltermedia.htm

[MikeM]

Wouldn't bioballs be a problem in that type of filter because they float?

[Brutuscz]

I have a question....how many of these pot scrubbers make up a cubic foot?

[koiczar]

IMHO, I would think that I would try to find out which media has the most amount of square ft of surface area. These filters aren't the largest containers on the planet for bio filtration, but they do acclimate themselves well to multiple horizontal layers of Matala Mat. At 1.5" in thickness, you should be able to use 2 layers of green, 2 layers of blue and 3 layers of grey. Cut them to fit the angular shape of the tank so they're snug otherwise they may try to float on you.

[Werner]

Brutusz--52 count make up 1 cubic foot

MikeM--They will float, easily remedied with a net bag and some weight, i.e. a rock.

[Brutuscz]

Thanks werner....now my next question...where can you buy them in bulk like that for a resonable price? I wouldn't mind replacing the lava rock in my system.

[Lutra]

Yes, would also like to know where to buy vast quantities of pot scrubbers. BTW have you ever tried floor scrubber mats cut into pieces?? Have seen others tout those as good high-surface-area bio media.

Thanks

[luke frisbee]

Now I know this isn't about Bakki media it is about Pot scrubbers...but here are some of my mind wanderings that I felt might support Pot scrubbers as a bio media...
" I've repeatedly voiced opposition to the Bakki Media marketing ploy.
I have only used lava rock in a Porous media shower for 18 months. The "pond (3500 gallons)" has stayed clear since about two months after installation.
And I've mulled over (and over) why Porous media showers work.
SMG did a controlled experiment and has ALREADY determined that it isn't the VOODOO of FIR and that Lava rock does the same job.
What is at the heart of these porous media showers is the flow rates...
and god forbid that the people that got it worked out would say how PMS's work, because if they did, and it wasn't the media then they wouldn't make a bunch of money.
The FLOW RATE....tossing ALL the water in the pond over a bunch of sharp rocks twice an hour does stuff....slowly flowing the same water through the same media at a SLOW rate doesn't get the job done... ANY kind of media..expensive or stuff I can afford.
Simple reasoning is that THE FLOW is what makes this 'system work.
Now what parameter of the FLOW is described as needed?
I found it interesting that it wasn't a relation of gallons to cubic unit of media that is required but that the pond volume needs to go through the media 2x per hour.
and I sat and pondered...why.
My thoughts. Suspended particulate becomes larger particulate the longer they stay in calm water...even very tiny particulate "grows" if not put through a "smasher" like a PMS. So putting water through the PMS over two times an hour smashes the particulate into smaller peices quicker than the particulate can coalesce(sp) or grow. Smaller and smaller particulate that is ingested by the bacterias.
But what the bugs eat and how it all gets turned in to gases is... well something that I will pretend really happens like some other Hobbyisits and "Dealers" have explained...well sort of explained.
Bakki Showers work ONLY if the flow is correct. NOT because of magic of the media.
However I'd buy bakki media if it was the price of Lava rock."

[Brutuscz]

Ok..looked into getting this media, and was successful. Found the scrubbies in a dollar store..4 for a dollar. I bought 48 of them for $12 (all they had).

I looked into it further and realized...scrubbies are just 100% nylon netting. I went to a craft store(michaels..a chain) and bought 1 bolt of nylon netting for $18. It is in the wedding supplies aisle. It is 20 yards by 56inches wide. They had a finer one with 30 yards for the same price. I seemed the 20 yrs roll was much heavier and not as fine. I unraveled it and placed it in nylon laundry bags. This netting filled about 2 cu/ft. I have removed 2 cu/ft of lava rock from my filter and placed 3 cu ft of this nylon stuff (it packs in and conforms to the space better.)
I plan to buy more to replace the rest of my lava rock..seems like it will be much easier to clean and maintain. I dont have to tell anyone how hard it is to keep lava rock clean.
Question...since activated carbon has so much space for bacterial growth...is anyone using it in pond filters?