Differences of Aqua One Premium Sub VS Bio Balls

Comparison: Similarities and differences between Aqua One Premium Sub vs Bio Balls: Which one is better & why?

Either you have recently prepared your fish tank or have a running aquarium, the filter is very important for keeping your fish healthy. Lack of biological filtration is the cause of death of most of the aquarium fish. It is very easy to setup a biological filter but many aquarists want to know which filter media is the best. So, in this article we have compared two very effective bio media that will help you in choosing the right media for your filter.

Bio media are available in many varieties but their main goal is to remove chemicals from aquarium water. Bio media should be added to the aquarium filter & it should be followed by mechanical filter media so that fish waste or other debris do not clog the bio media. Clogged media will have reduced efficiency. Water from the aquarium must hit mechanical filter media & water free of physical particles should enter the biological chamber which will wipe out impurities, & clean water will flow back to the aquarium.

Aqua One Premium Sub:

Aqua One Premium Sub is a very porous sintered glass bio media that can be kept in a variety of filters. They are one of the top bio media available in the market that can be used in any bio filter such as canister filter, hang on filter, & other.

Aqua One Premium Sub offers the perfect environment for the growth of denitrifying bacteria which remove nitrates from aquarium water. Holes in Aqua One Premium Sub are extremely tiny & air can’t enter them so they provide the place where oxygen can’t live. Denitrifying bacteria grow in places where oxygen can’t live so they live inside the pores of aqua one premium sub.

Aqua One Premium Sub also provides lots of surface area for the colonization of nitrifying bacteria which wipes out ammonia & nitrites from the aquarium water.

 

Pros & cons of Aqua One Premium Sub:

 

Pros of Aqua One Premium Sub:

• Aqua One Premium Sub allows both nitrifying & denitrifying bacteria to cling to it.
• It has lots of area for the growth of good bacteria.

 

Cons of Aqua One Premium Sub:

• The very small pores of Aqua One Premium One can get clogged very easily.
• When holes of aqua one premium sub are filled with debris then the cleaning effectiveness of the media is reduced.

 

Bio Balls:

After the aquarium is cycled, just nitrates are left. Bio balls are used for removal of both ammonia & nitrites from water because it contains nitrifying bacteria. Unlike Aqua One Premium Sub, Bio Balls do not hold denitrifying bacteria for the removal of nitrates. Presence of abundance of nitrates are toxic to aquarium inhabitants. Other ways of removal of nitrates include live plants that absorb nitrates as fertilizers that help the plant in growth or frequent water changes will bring nitrates level down. Your bio media holds denitrifying bacteria but still you can’t skip regular water changes because fresh water also contains minerals that fish & live plants need.

Bio balls offer small plastic homes for the growth of nitrifying bacteria. They offer lots of surface for the growth of beneficial bacteria. When bio balls are opened then you will see a foam that allows more good bacteria to grow on it.

Sponge filters are very effective in biological filtration because they provide lots of surface area for the growth of nitrifying bacteria.

Add bio balls to the aquarium filter so that water flows through the media & after filtration, it moves back to the aquarium.

Bio balls have a durable design, their use is simple, & they never need replacement. Maintenance of bio balls is mandatory. Fill a bucket with aquarium water & rinse your bio balls in the water to wipe out debris accumulated by the media, then put bio balls back in the filter. Gentle cleaning of bio balls will just kick off dirt but will not wash away good bacteria.

Pros & cons of Bio Balls:

 

Pros of Bio Balls:

• Bio balls offer lots of surface area for the growth of useful bacteria.
• If lots of useful bacteria is growing on the bio balls, then it will clean water faster.

 

Cons of Bio Balls:

• Bio balls do not carry denitrifying bacteria.
• Regular maintenance will be needed to prevent fish waste & other debris from gathering on the media

Similarities & differences between Aqua One Premium Sub vs Bio Balls:

Both aqua one premium sub & bio balls have a different role in cleaning filter media, & they are both very important for biological filtration.

Both aqua one premium sub & bio balls share the following similarities:

• Aqua One Premium Sub & Bio Balls are both used for biological filtration.
• Both Aqua One Premium Sub & Bio Balls offer lots of surface for the cultivation of useful bacteria.
• Both aqua one premium sub & bio balls carry denitrifying bacteria.

 

Differences between Aqua One Premium Sub vs Bio Balls: Which one is better & why?

Bio balls only accumulate nitrifying bacteria but aqua one premium sub carry both nitrifying & denitrifying bacteria.

The pores of aqua one premium sub offer extra room for the cultivation of beneficial bacteria. But when debris builds up inside the holes, the pores can get fully blocked. The effectiveness of aqua one premium sub reduces with time & they may need replacement. But bio balls do not require replacement & they can be used forever.