Ceramic Rings: Affordable and Effective Bio Media - FishLab

Note: While this guide focuses on ceramic rings, the information is relevant to any ceramic-based aquarium filter media.

For more bio ring reviewinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

You know those white colored beads&#;

The ones that sit inside aquarium filters?

Well, those are actually ceramic rings.

And when used properly, ceramic rings provide powerful biological filtration for your aquarium &#; keeping your tank safe from dangerous chemicals!

Today, I&#;m going to teach you all about them.

What are ceramic rings?

Sometimes referred to as bio rings, ceramic rings are unglazed pieces of fired ceramic. Most commonly, they resemble small white beads. However, they can also be found in other colors like cream, gray or brown.

Ceramic rings are designed to have an outer part that has lots of small holes, or pores, and a central hole that goes through the entire thing. This way, water not only runs over the ceramic rings but through them as well.

You might sometimes hear ceramic rings referred to as ceramic noodles because they closely resemble ditalini, a pasta with the same shape. Check it out&#;

The left one is for eating. The one on the right? Shove it in your filter!

Confusingly, the phrase ceramic rings is often used to describe any ceramic-based filter media, regardless of the shape &#; round, square, even those without holes!

What are ceramic rings used for in your aquarium?

If you think back to the nitrogen cycle, you will remember just how important nitrifying bacteria are.

This beneficial bacteria removes ammonia and nitrites (harmful chemicals) from your aquarium. These chemicals naturally build up inside your aquarium, and if the bacteria in your tank don&#;t remove them, then your fish will eventually die. As you see, these beneficial bacteria are pretty important.

Well, these bacteria need a place to live. Ceramic rings offer the perfect home for the beneficial bacteria in your aquarium.

You see, beneficial bacteria need a surface to cling to. The more surface that is available, the more bacteria that your filter media can hold.

Ceramic rings increase their surface area through tiny little pores. These pores are so small that you can hardly see them without a microscope&#;

It&#;s in these pores that the beneficial bacteria make their home.

Important: Ceramic rings do not filter your water. It&#;s the beneficial bacteria that live in these rings that do the filtering. Any new ceramic rings you add to your tank will not have any bacteria on them. Properly cycling your tank will encourage beneficial bacteria to grow on your ceramic rings.

However, ceramic rings have an additional advantage over other types of filter media&#;

Ceramic rings can hold a second beneficial bacteria:

Denitrifying bacteria.

These bacteria eat nitrates and will only survive where there is no oxygen present.

Denitrifying bacteria live deep inside rock, ceramic and other porous materials, where oxygen cannot reach them. You won&#;t find this bacteria in plastic or foam filter media.

However, just because denitrifying bacteria help to combat nitrates, it doesn&#;t mean that you can skip water changes.

How do you add ceramic rings to your aquarium?

Using ceramic rings couldn&#;t be easier! Simply add them to your aquarium filter.

Many filter kits already include ceramic rings in the box. If your filter didn&#;t come with any ceramic rings, or you want to purchase more, their are plenty that can be found online, like on Amazon or from your local fish store &#; they are very affordable.

While some ceramic rings come with their own filter media bag, others come loose. It makes no difference in performance if you choose to bag your ceramic rings or not.

I personally use a filter media bag since it makes it easier to remove the ceramic rings all at once, especially during cleaning.

The first thing you want to do is rinse the rings in de-chlorinated water. Doing so will remove any dust that built up from the ceramic rings rubbing together in the packaging. If you skip this step, the dust could cloud up your tank.

Next, you want to add the ceramic rings to your filter. And, the location is important!

You want your ceramic rings to sit after your mechanical filtration. Sponges, foam, filter floss, etc. should be the first thing that water passes through on its journey through your aquarium filter.

By placing mechanical filtration first, it catches any large particles such as fish poop, dead leaves and uneaten food, preventing your ceramic rings from gunking up.

Similarly, any chemical filtration, such as activated carbon or zeolite should be placed after your ceramic rings.

Important: Ceramic rings need to be kept submerged underwater at all times. The bacteria that live on the rings cannot survive out of water.

How many ceramic rings do I need for my aquarium?

This is a surprisingly common question that I am asked.

Unfortunately, there is no set number &#; it all depends on the size of your aquarium.

The best answer I can give is&#;

As many as you can fit in your aquarium filter.

Filters are rated according to the size of your fish tank. Assuming you chose an appropriate aquarium, it should be able to fit all the ceramic rings you needed for good biological filtration.

If you have room to add more, then do it!

How do you clean ceramic rings?

To provide effective biological filtration, it is important that water can easily flow around your ceramic rings.

Over time, you may notice that your ceramic rings begin to trap waste and restrict the flow of water through your filter.

If water cannot easily flow over your ceramic rings, then the beneficial bacteria that call them home are not going to be able to remove the nasty chemicals that are building up in your tank.

Fortunately, ceramic rings are super easy to clean.

The next time you perform a water change, add your ceramic rings to your bucket of siphoned tank water. Gently swish the water around to remove excess gunk.

It is important to note that you are trying to remove any excess waste that prevents water from flowing through them.

You are not trying to return your ceramic rings to the crisp, white color they were when you first bought them. If you do that, then you would remove the beneficial bacteria.

Your ceramic rings will still look &#;dirty&#; once you finish, especially if they have been in your tank for quite some time.

Remember: Your ceramic rings are home to beneficial bacteria. These are living things! If you kill them, then your tank will need to be cycled again. Be careful and don&#;t expose them to soap, chlorinated tap water or scrubbing.

If you cannot clean your ceramic rings, then it might be time to replace them&#;

How often should I replace ceramic rings?

Exactly how often you should swap out your ceramic rings is the cause of much debate.

Even the manufacturers don&#;t agree!

Fluval, for example, recommends that ceramic rings be swapped out every 6 months.[1]

Marineland, another ceramic filter manufacturer, states that the rings should never be replaced.[2]

My opinion?

I sit somewhere between the two.

You see, your ceramic rings will eventually wear down. This is due to both the water constantly flowing over them and the ceramic rings rubbing against one another.

As I touched upon earlier in this guide, your beneficial bacteria need rough surfaces to cling to. And if your ceramic rings become smooth, then less beneficial bacteria can to cling to them and break down the harmful chemicals.

Now, don&#;t get me wrong. This entire process takes many, many years. One of my tanks has had the same ceramic rings (these ones to be precise) for nearly 3 years now, and my aquarium test kit reveals that my biological filtration is as good as ever.

So unless your ceramic rings have worn down or are breaking into pieces, there really isn&#;t any need to replace them on a regular basis.

If you need to replace the ceramic rings in your aquarium, then make sure you do it properly. Incorrectly replacing your ceramic rings could kill everything in your aquarium, which brings me to my next point&#;

How do I replace ceramic rings?

If you don&#;t take away anything else from this article, remember this:

Your ceramic rings are home to beneficial bacteria.

Yes, I know I keep repeating it, but it&#;s important!

You see&#; Your new ceramic rings will not have any beneficial bacteria living on them.

Now, this presents a bit of an issue. If you remove all your old ceramic rings and replace them with new ones, you would also remove most of the beneficial bacteria in your aquarium.

And without these beneficial bacteria, you will experience ammonia spikes, which can kill your fish.

So, the trick to changing out your ceramic rings?

Do it slowly!

Don&#;t remove all your ceramic rings at once. Take out half of your old ceramic rings and add half of the new ones.

This is why I like to use filter media bags. They keep your old ceramic rings and new ones separate.

What this does is encourage the bacteria to grow on your new filter media. This process is referred to as seasoning.

Leave the ceramic rings for two to three weeks before removing the remaining old ceramic rings and adding the rest of the new ones.

Make sure to keep an eye on your ammonia and nitrate levels throughout the entire process to ensure everything is going smoothly. An accurate aquarium test kit is your best friend in this situation.

You can also use this method to speed up the cycling process.

You see, ceramic rings in an established tank, meaning one that has already been cycled, will already be coated in beneficial bacteria. By adding these ceramic rings to a newly set-up aquarium, you can shorten the time it takes to cycle your tank.

Can I use ceramic rings inside my display tank?

While it&#;s not common, you don&#;t need to place the ceramic rings inside your filter to receive their benefits.

You see, established beneficial bacteria will begin to colonize your ceramic rings even if they sit in the main tank area.

With that said, beneficial bacteria still need a constant flow of oxygen and nutrients to live.

So if you want to go down this road, it&#;s a good idea to place your ceramic rings where they will have good water flow &#; such as directly under the outflow on your filter.

With that said, I don&#;t recommend using ceramic rings in your display tank. Without the mechanical filtration before them, they will clog much quicker.

What are the alternatives to ceramic rings?

Ceramic rings don&#;t filter your aquarium. They simply provide a home for the bacteria that do all the hard work.

While there are other types of ceramic-based filter media, ranging from spheres to sticks, they all behave similarly to ceramic rings.

With that said, there are three other types of filter media that you can also use for biological filtration&#;

10 Questions You Should Know about Casette Seal

1. Bio balls

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit galvanized cistern.

As the name suggests, bio balls are round pieces of plastic. These plastic balls have been designed to provide beneficial bacteria with many different nooks and crannies to call home.

Bio balls are typically used in larger tanks, refugiums and ponds, providing a cheaper alternative to ceramic rings.

Want more info? Check out our bio balls guide!

2. Sera siporax

Sera siporax, which are very similar to ceramic rings but made from sintered glass, are small glass fragments that are heated and pressed together, leaving plenty of room for beneficial bacteria.

Siporax has about the same capacity for anaerobic bacteria as ceramic rings. However, my personal experience is that it wears down slower and is much less prone to breaking.

3. Lava rock

A natural porous alternative to ceramic rings.

Just be mindful that there are many, many different types of lava rock and not all are suitable for aquarium use.

You can either crush it up and put it in your filter bag or use it as a decoration in your main tank. Care should be taken if you use lava rock in your display tank because delicate fins can get snagged and scrapped.

Can I use ceramic rings in a saltwater aquarium?

Yes, you can. In fact, ceramic rings&#; ability to hold denitrifying bacteria makes it a tempting option.

Despite this, ceramic rings are not commonly used in marine and reef tanks.

This is because saltwater aquariums have the ability to use live rock &#; which has much more room for denitrifying bacteria to grow.

Ceramic rings just can&#;t compete.

Any space in a saltwater tank dedicated to ceramic rings would be better filled with live rock!

Conclusion

Ceramic rings are one of the most popular methods of providing biological filtration to freshwater tanks.

Every tank needs biological filtration and ceramic rings are cheap, readily available and long-lasting.

Definitely a winner in my book.

Do you use ceramic rings in your aquarium? Let me know in the comments below!

Ian Sterling, founder of Fishlab.com, began his aquarium journey over 30 years ago, driven by a deep fascination for fish and their diverse personalities. His website, Fishlab.com, is dedicated to making fishkeeping accessible and enjoyable, offering beginner-friendly guidance, expert insights, and a community for aquarists to connect and share experiences.

CNET&#;s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.

9.0

/ 10

SCORE

Ring Alarm Pro

Installation

DIY installation

Contract Required

No

Voice Assistant

Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant

Additional Fees

24/7 professional monitoring fee, recording fees

Service Bundles

N/A

Pros

• Security features are reliable
• Price is reasonable
• Extra features like backup Wi-Fi and local processing and storage are awesome

Cons

• Setup instructions aren't always clear

Does Ring Alarm Pro still dial up decent value in ?

When CNET first evaluated The Ring Alarm Pro in late , former editor David Priest proclaimed it "one of the most compelling DIY home security systems I've tested, period." But does that still (pardon the pun) ring true for ?

The answer is a resounding yes. Ring Alarm Pro's merging of an Eero Wi-Fi mesh router with a DIY security system gives you a lot of flexibility in arranging your setup. You can either pay for the base station itself (which also serves as a router) or spend just a little more for a basic package that includes the base station, several door and window sensors, motion detectors, a keypad and a siren. You also get a choice of professional monitoring subscriptions. Even better, you get backup Wi-Fi and local processing and storage.

Our original review follows.

Ring Alarm Pro is an affordable system with impressive smarts, lots of flexibility and a rock-solid base that will make most happy. Ring even offers admirable data security and privacy options if, like me, you're worried about the company's spotty track record when working with police and subsequently degrading community privacy.

In short, the Ring Alarm Pro isn't just a game-changing device for Amazon; it's a ground-shaking product for the entire DIY home security market.

Ring Alarm Pro overview

If you buy the Ring Alarm Pro system, you'll probably pay $300 to get a router/base device, four door/window sensors, a motion detector, a Z-Wave range extender and a keypad. You can opt for just the base station for $250 -- but then you won't get all the security sensors that make the system work. You can also buy a bigger package for $380 (it adds four more door/window sensors, an extra motion detector and another keypad), or you can buy the individual sensors a la carte, expanding the system beyond these basics to include a wide range of Ring cameras, video doorbells, backup power packs, Eero Wi-Fi range extenders and so on.

In general, the pricing for these devices is middling compared to the competition -- not quite as affordable as Wyze's super-cheap gadgets, but not as pricey as Abode's more expensive ones. Door/window sensors, for instance, cost $20 each and motion detectors cost $30. Ring's prices are close to those of SimpliSafe, one of the best DIY home security systems on the market, which clocks in at $15 and $30, respectively.

As with other systems, the Ring Alarm Pro will have better pricing if you buy one of the packages, then add whatever standalone devices you want on top rather than buying everything a la carte.

To give an example of one possible setup: I got the $300 Ring Alarm Pro package, along with a $100 Ring Stick Up Cam, a $130 Alarm Pro backup power pack, an $89 Eero 6 Wi-Fi range extender (on sale for $62 when I got it) and a $15 microSD card (though you can get one for free by redeeming a code after purchasing the system) for local storage. That brought me to a total bill of about $600.

A similarly scaled build from SimpliSafe might cost $400, but it's important to understand the broader value Ring offers compared to its competitors. Remember, Ring's $250 base station is also a router, meaning you'll get a lot of extra functionality that you won't get with SimpliSafe's $115 base station. Likewise, you probably wouldn't spend $130 on a backup power pack for other home security systems, and you wouldn't for the Ring Alarm Pro if it didn't enable backup Wi-Fi. Ditto for that Wi-Fi range extender and the microSD card, which don't make sense for other systems because those systems don't offer the same features.

Hobie Crase/CNET

Ringing the alarm, pro-style

Before I talk about Ring's unique features, the first big question to answer is, "Is it a decent home security system?" The answer is a solid yes.

Ring's devices did exactly what they were supposed to do in my testing. They were responsive and reliable, even in slightly odd conditions. For instance, my basement's back door is far from the base station, but I experienced no connection issues with the Z-Wave-powered door/window sensor. In addition, some of my house's doors have unique molding around the door jambs, which has given some door/window sensors problems in the past (e.g., registering doors as open when they're not).

Ring's entry sensors give a little more latitude than others, so the two pieces can be about an inch apart before registering a door "open." I appreciated that calibration because it meant no false alarms, but it wouldn't allow any doors to be cracked open without sending an alert.

The motion detector, power pack and keypad were similarly reliable, and the Ring Stick Up Cam, which we've reviewed separately, performed as expected.

Installation was mostly a breeze, but I had to check some online guides to activate some more advanced features, and performance was consistently great.

The Edge of tomorrow?

Besides the basics, the Ring Alarm Pro introduces a few great new features that many DIY home security systems don't offer: built-in Wi-Fi 6, backup Wi-Fi in case of power outages, Alexa Guard Plus integration and the option for local storage and processing, a feature Ring calls Edge.

A bit of context: Eero was a pioneer of mesh networking and the first company to deliver mesh routers to the masses, popularizing the approach. Amazon scooped up the company in and quickly put out newer, more affordable Eero systems -- followed by the Eero 6 and Eero Pro 6, which added support for Wi-Fi 6 in .

According to Ring, "The built-in Eero Wi-Fi 6 router functions like a standalone Eero 6 router &#; The only difference is that Ring Alarm Pro does not support Zigbee or Thread at this time."

I couldn't run the Ring Alarm Pro through our usual battery of Wi-Fi tests, but I did perform some basic speed tests and monitor for consistency around my house. As you'd expect, the Eero router performed significantly better than the basic gateway installed by my provider, helping deliver high speeds as far as the back office in my basement (which, without a mesh system, chugs along like dial-up internet from the early aughts).

Hobie Crase/CNET

In our review of the Eero 6 router, we were disappointed by faulty band-steering throughout our speed tests. Too often, the router would leave us on the slower 2.4GHz band when it should have connected us through the faster 5GHz band. I noticed a similar pattern when testing the connection speeds, though it never affected them enough to significantly affect performance with any of my usual internet-dependent activities.

Another cool feature the Ring Alarm Pro brings to the table is backup Wi-Fi. The idea is if there's an interruption to your power or internet connection, Ring provides an internet connection to your Wi-Fi-enabled devices using cellular data. The monthly data limit for backup Wi-Fi is 3GB, so you won't be able to use it constantly -- though Ring does offer extra data at a rate of $3 per gigabyte.

The backup Wi-Fi worked quickly in my testing, with almost no latency. When I unplugged the Alarm Pro's broadband and power cables to simulate an outage, backup Wi-Fi was up and running in under a minute, and speeds were solid, if a little slower. For instance, in the farthest back room in my basement, the download and upload speeds were 20.7 and 8.03 megabits per second, respectively, versus their typical 35 and 8.5Mbps in that same room. Translation: A brief outage probably won't interrupt your work even in the remotest part of the house, using cellular data.

Yet another interesting addition to Ring's new home security system is free integration with Alexa Guard Plus, a feature on Echo speakers and displays that monitors your home while you're away for unusual sounds (like glass breaking, human footsteps and smoke and carbon monoxide alarms sounding). Alexa Guard Plus, which usually costs $5 per month, can also use deterrence measures, like playing the sound of a dog barking if connected devices detect motion outside.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, given Ring's history with police partnerships, its Neighbors app and troubling privacy policies, the Alarm Pro offers local processing and video storage. This doesn't solve all of Ring's problems. After all, the company still enables the worst tendencies in both its customers and the police in their communities -- encouraging a culture of posting footage of public spaces on the Neighbors app (often leading to toxic comments sections) and suspicion among neighbors. Now, with its optional end-to-end video encryption and Edge's new local processing and storage, it also enables some of the best security and privacy practices possible with any major brand in the home security market, rivaling Apple's HomeKit Secure Video service.

Setting up Edge took a bit of searching in device settings -- and a small hiccup that required resetting my Ring Stick Up Cam. But all in all, it was simple enough to do, and within a few short minutes, I had a smart camera with local storage and processing, which was previously impossible with Ring devices.

I still have problems with Ring's company policies, but those policies don't impact the Ring Alarm Pro too much because the core system doesn't depend on a camera. Moreover, if the Ring Alarm Pro indicates the direction Ring is moving regarding security and privacy, that's worthy of encouragement.

Hobie Crase/CNET

Monitoring comes at a cost

A few hundred dollars for the Ring Alarm Pro is reasonable, but many of its smartest features require a higher-end subscription. Here's how they break down:

• Ring Protect Basic ($3 per month or $30 per year): Offers video recording for one camera.
• Ring Protect Plus ($10 per month or $100 per year): Offers video recording for all video devices in the home.
• Ring Protect Pro ($20 per month or $200 per year): Offers professional monitoring, Alexa Guard Plus (usually $5 per month), video recording for all video devices, backup internet and Eero Secure (which monitors your network for threats, and usually costs $30 annually).

If you plan to use the Ring Alarm Pro's best features, it requires a Protect Pro subscription, which isn't cheap. That said, $200 per year isn't outrageous, while pricier than the most affordable DIY systems' services (Wyze is only $100 per year). SimpliSafe's professional monitoring costs $10 per month, and using its smart home integrations puts that fee up to $28 per month. Abode's professional monitoring starts at $20 per month.

In short, Ring offers much more than the competition for a price in the same range.

Bottom line: Is this a new era?

In , I wrote a column calling for smart home hubs -- then popular devices in the smart home market -- to be killed so that they could be reincarnated as something more: a device that folds together multiple vital components of a modern household. And what's more vital than the internet?

By marrying the internet, home security and the smart home (particularly through Alexa and its Guard Plus feature), the Ring Alarm Pro offers one of the most compelling visions for the future of smart home integration I've seen yet.

It's not a perfect system. Some of the best features aren't clearly explained, meaning I had to dig through settings to get them working correctly. Likewise, a full setup required three different apps: Ring, Eero and Alexa apps. Since Amazon owns all three, you'd think a more unified experience might be possible.

That said, the setup across the three apps was one of the most painless examples of multi-app installations I've seen. What's more, once the system is set up, you'll rarely need to use the Alexa or Eero apps -- and when you do, they're simple enough to navigate.

In the grand scheme of the smart home, these criticisms are little more than quibbles. Ring has delivered a fantastic home security system with genuinely useful features to help with everything from internet and power outages to break-ins and intruder deterrence. You can even store and process video footage locally -- a first for Ring.

Forget the privacy-degrading Ring drone camera and Amazon security robot Astro: the future of home security is the Ring Alarm Pro, and it's here now.

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