best biological media

jayson417

jayson417

Member
Since we are on the subject of filtration, Im running a wet/dry and a protien skimmer and also a fuval 305. Im highly considering removing the fuval. Two reasons Maintenance is a pain in the butt and its always collecting so much crap.
Will my wet/dry and skimmer with my 60lbs of live rock be enough?
55G
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
It depends on what you have in the tank, and what the water parameters are.
For a reef I would say yes. For others it depends. I doubt the fluval is adding much to it, especially if there is no biomedia in it. If there is you can move it to the system in some way. But you could have issues with circulation (as the fluval can move water well). If it is collecting "so much crap" you need to consider that it is doing a good deal of mechanical filtration and that could be a loss. The stuff will collect somewhere, including in your bioballs.
 
gio28

gio28

Active Member
thanks for all of the replies. how can i incorporate bio balls into my tank? (all i can have is in tank or hang on equipment) can i put some in my power filter? or make a hang on fuge or something?
 
jayson417

jayson417

Member
Originally Posted by gio28
http:///forum/post/3078120
thanks for all of the replies. how can i incorporate bio balls into my tank? (all i can have is in tank or hang on equipment) can i put some in my power filter? or make a hang on fuge or something?

You can build your own Fuge or Wet/Dry out of a 10g tank for under a 100$
Right now my Nitrates are always at 40 never any lower but sometimes higher. I only have 4 fish and 3 hermit crabs.
55G
Foxface
Maroon Clown
3 Stripe Damsel
Yellow Belly Damsel
the Fuval does more alot of water but i can replace it with an extra powerhead.
Im just wondering if this is my cause of high trates.
Thoughts?
 
coral keeper

coral keeper

Active Member
Here are a few pictures of the sand filter that I'm thinking about using(I already have it) for my 180 gallon reef.
Inside with the tube.

Inside with the tube taken off.

A few things about the filter.


Picture of the hole filter with a 10 week old kitten sitting near it.(Not my kitten, she is my brothers kitten but he went on vacation, so we are going to take care of it for a week.)

This picture is for Meowzer. :p Her name is Daisy.

What are your thoughts ophiura?
 
gio28

gio28

Active Member
just wondering if anybody knows where to get plans or already has them for something like a diy wet/dry filter that is hang on. or diy fuge that i could also put bioballs in. anything to lower trates for a heavily stocked tank will do really
 
U

usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by gio28
http:///forum/post/3078170
just wondering if anybody knows where to get plans or already has them for something like a diy wet/dry filter that is hang on. or diy fuge that i could also put bioballs in. anything to lower trates for a heavily stocked tank will do really
The easiest way to lower nitrates in a heavily stocked tank is massive water changes as often as necessary. You play a big part in how much you feed as well. If you have messy eating fish like puffers and triggers nitrates are virtually unavoidable, and water changes are your best option. You could do a deep sand bed to help with nitrates, or you could do a fuge with some macro algaes that may assist in keeping numbers down, but nothing compares to the old school water change. Bio balls don't do anything for nitrates. As a side note...if you are doing a fish only application nitrates are really not much of a concern. Fish can tolerate them with little if any effect IMO much more so than inverts or corals.
 
gio28

gio28

Active Member
i do 15% changes every week..they just wont drop (at 20-40). the next piece of equipment i buy is definitely gonna be a skimmer. probably the aquac remora or octopus hob. i might do a diy fuge (does anybody have an idea on where to find diy plans for it) with a deep sand bed and with algae to lower the trates as well. i got my reef tank planned out and its gonna be on the high stocked end with fish. what purpose do bio balls serve if they dont lower nitrates...isnt that what bio media does?
 
U

usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by gio28
http:///forum/post/3078261
i do 15% changes every week..they just wont drop (at 20-40). the next piece of equipment i buy is definitely gonna be a skimmer. probably the aquac remora or octopus hob. i might do a diy fuge (does anybody have an idea on where to find diy plans for it) with a deep sand bed and with algae to lower the trates as well. i got my reef tank planned out and its gonna be on the high stocked end with fish. what purpose do bio balls serve if they dont lower nitrates...isnt that what bio media does?
Bio-balls are just like the bio-wheel...they do the exact same thing. They all assist in breaking ammonia and nitrites down...which then ends up as the relatively harmless nitrate. Most all filter applications leave you with nitrates. It is the end result of the nitrification process. You have to have oxygen free water for the bacteria that breaks down nitrates (this environment can exist in live rock). A skimmer helps by removing the organic material before it can turn into ammonia, and start the cycle. There are denitrification filters you can buy, but they are relatively expensive and the expense is ongoing...I am unsure of there effectiveness, but I can only guess as you don't ever really hear anyone talk about them. Look up remote deep sand beds, or chaetomorpha algae, or refugiums on any search engine or on here in the DIY section, and I am sure something would pop up for you.
 
gio28

gio28

Active Member
because of my hang on equipment only situation im kinda confused on how to use the 28" of space on the back of my tank. there's the skimmer is was gonna get, a fuge, and the power filter i have now.
so if i get an AquaC remora, a CPR Aquatic AquaFuge Refugium, and keep my aquaclear 50 power filter there is just enough room. is all of this good equipment? any changes or suggestions?
 
U

usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by gio28
http:///forum/post/3078322
because of my hang on equipment only situation im kinda confused on how to use the 28" of space on the back of my tank. there's the skimmer is was gonna get, a fuge, and the power filter i have now.
so if i get an AquaC remora, a CPR Aquatic AquaFuge Refugium, and keep my aquaclear 50 power filter there is just enough room. is all of this good equipment? any changes or suggestions?
Do you have zero space under the tank, or just vrey limited space? If limited I would go with a canister to save space on the back of the tank. A HOB filter is going to take much of that 28" space I suspect. I doubt you would have room for all three items, or you would be limiting their effectiveness based on size. I have not personally used any of the items you listed, but have heard others talk of them, and from their comments it seems to be decent equipment. I have a CPR wet/dry with skimmer that I am satisfied with, but have no personal experience with any of the other manufacturers listed.
 
gio28

gio28

Active Member
my tank is on a dresser so there is no under tank space at all. i have to move my tank to get hardwoods floors in my bedroom for the day so maybe ill get a stand since i have to move my tank anyways. then i could get a sump w/ fuge. and have a good hob skimmer if that will work.
 
U

usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by gio28
http:///forum/post/3078983
my tank is on a dresser so there is no under tank space at all. i have to move my tank to get hardwoods floors in my bedroom for the day so maybe ill get a stand since i have to move my tank anyways. then i could get a sump w/ fuge. and have a good hob skimmer if that will work.
If you go sump stick that skimmer in there. The HOB skimmers take alot of the aesthetic value away from the tank IMO. They are big and bulky. That is one of the greatest features of the sump...hide the hardware, while adding more water volume.
 
gio28

gio28

Active Member
oh haha i totally forgot about it hiding everything like my heater and junk.
i might just do a diy sump to save money. would a good diy sump be the same as a store-bought one? but i dont have a clue about making them so i might just buy one if its too hard.
 
U

usirchchris

Guest
Originally Posted by gio28
http:///forum/post/3078996
oh haha i totally forgot about it hiding everything like my heater and junk.
i might just do a diy sump to save money. would a good diy sump be the same as a store-bought one? but i dont have a clue about making them so i might just buy one if its too hard.
Definitely. I would never pay for a sump. Just buy the biggest tank you can fit. Get four or five baffles, and you are good to go. You can find many sump builds and can even go to youtube for videos on how to build one. I don't buy hardly anything new. I buy everything I can used, and build anything else I can. Buying new is for the lottery winners IMO...lol. I buy filter pads, food, fish, salt and test kits, everything else I have is used.
 
gio28

gio28

Active Member
if i were to make a sump should it be all natural filtration or include some bioballs as well (cause alot of the store-bought ones have bioballs).
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by gio28
http:///forum/post/3079034
if i were to make a sump should it be all natural filtration or include some bioballs as well (cause alot of the store-bought ones have bioballs).
Live rock rubble works as well...has the same issues (eg can collect gunk if not properly set up or rinsed).
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
My personal preference of bio balls over rubble when we are talking about purely nitrification is water displacement. You get a far larger surface for bacteria colonization and far less displacement with bio balls. Which can be a factor in dilution especially in smaller tanks
 
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