For decades, lava rock was one of the most common filer media used in pond biofalls and waterfall filters. It was inexpensive, widely available, and seemed like a natural option for building beneficial bacteria colonies. However, as pond filtration has evolved, so has our understanding of what actually works best—especially in the challenging pond conditions we see throughout the Oklahoma City Metro.
Today, professional pond builders across the country, including our team here in OKC, strongly recommend Aquascape® Bioballs as the superior alternative. Beginning in 2026, we will replace lava rock with Bioballs during all pond cleanouts when necessary to give our customers a cleaner, healthier, and lower-maintenance filtration system.
Why Lava Rock Was Used in the First Place
Historically, lava rock was appealing because it is porous and affordable. Those pores gave beneficial bacteria a place to colonize, and for a long time it felt like the best option available. Many early koi ponds, biofalls, and DIY waterfall filters used landscape lava rock packed into nets or trays.
And yes—it did work to some degree. But over time, we’ve learned more about its limitations, especially in ponds exposed to Oklahoma’s heavy clay soils, high winds, and seasonal debris.
The Real Problems With Lava Rock (What You’ll Notice in Your OKC Pond)
1. Lava Rock Clogs Quickly and Is Extremely Hard to Clean
Those tiny pores that should grow beneficial bacteria also trap fine muck, leaves and dust, algae, and fish waste. Within 1–2 years, most of the rock becomes completely impacted, reducing surface area, restricting flow, and making filtration nearly useless.
2. Lava Rock Provides Less Effective Surface Area Than Engineered Media
Bioballs are designed specifically for filtration. They maintain open structures that allow maximum contact with moving water—something lava rock cannot maintain once compressed.
3. Lava Rock Is Extremely Heavy (and Sharp!)
Heavy to remove, difficult to rinse, rough on hands, and stressful on filter boxes.
4. Dust and Fines Can Cloud Your Water
Many landscaper-grade lava rocks contain dust, grit, and debris that can irritate fish unless thoroughly washed.
5. Irregular Shapes = Wasted Space
Lava rock compresses together, sealing off pores and limiting effective surface area.
Why We Now Use Aquascape® Bioballs in All Oklahoma City Metro Pond Biofalls
• Much higher usable surface area
• Extremely easy to clean
• Lightweight and durable
• Better water quality for koi and goldfish
What This Means for Your 2026 Pond Cleanout
If we open your biofalls this upcoming season and find heavy bags of lava rock, we will recommend replacing them with Bioballs to improve water clarity, reduce maintenance, and enhance the health of your ecosystem.
Serving the Oklahoma City Metro With Better Pond Filtration
We proudly install and maintain Bioball-based filtration systems for ponds in Oklahoma City, Edmond, Yukon, Mustang, Moore, Norman, Guthrie, Choctaw, Bethany, and surrounding areas.
Ready to Upgrade Your Pond’s Filtration?
If your biofalls still contains lava rock, switching to Bioballs will dramatically reduce maintenance and improve your pond’s biological filtration.
Book your 2026 spring cleanout today and we’ll handle the upgrade for you.