Abstract: The purification effect of biological aerated filter stuffed with zeolite, haydite and volcanic rock for river water was studied. The results showed that both HRT and pollution load could affect the performance of biological aerated filter with the three different stuffs. The biological aerated filters stuffed with zeolite and haydite had higher purification effect of NH₄⁺-N and stronger shock resistance ability than that with volcanic rock. The purification effect of the filter with the three stuffs on COD_Cr was basically consistent. The averaged removal rate of the biological aerated filter stuffed with zeolite, haydite and volcanic rock for NH₄⁺-N was 75.24%, 77.78% and 33.59%, respectively, and that for COD_Cr was all about 50%.