Bio-balls better than six-pack rings?

[Acolin]

I loved Bio-balls when I had reef aquariums, but they may not be any better than recycled six-pack rings! "œSampling data under the initial design indicated that no detectable performance difference existed between the two treatments using a combined recycle stream." http://amarillo.tamu.edu/files/2011/01/comparisonof_21.pdf

 

[Acolin]

I have the little white Fluval BIOMAX ceramic cylinders, which several pages says have great surface area, compared to plastic bio-balls. As sintered cylinders, they have a lower fish load than other types of bio-media. The round ones perform better than the cylinder shape. Although five times less surface area than blue plastic bio-balls, the size of the cylinders allows for 178 times more surface area! The weight of the little white cylinders is fiver greater than the blue fingered balls: http://www.cermedia.com/MarinePure Project Report.pdf

 

[Acolin]

Although not much better than blue Bio-balls or an empty filter, the ability to de-toxify ammonia still doubles after 310 days