bio-balls or Live rock???

pensky

pensky

Member
I was a the LFS and came across a great deal a 55gal tank with hole drilled in the side to allow water to flow into a rubbermaid tub full of bio-balls and a very powerful pump to return the water all for $80 dollars.
I knew it was a great deal so I jumped. I have no experience with any filtration other than the basic carbon over the top tank with bio-wheel and protein skimmer.
what advice can I find on how to set up this type of filtration.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
This filter is a "wet/dry" filter and is quite good, IMO...
Someone will chime in and call it a "nitrate factory" which is misinformation. There are many threads on the benefits/problems of using bioballs, but many would also exist if you filled it, for example, with bits of LR. The bioballs are the equivalent of the biowheels.
Anyway, what sort of fish do you want to keep?
Personally, if a fish only system or especially predators, I would stick with the wet dry. But LR is also added to the tank in many cases not only for biological filtration, but because it provides a more natural environment for the fish (grazing, hiding). So it is not so much an either or in that way, at least.
 
pensky

pensky

Member
i eventually want to have coral but for that i would have to invest in lighting. For now I have FOWLR about ten pounds in the tank. I can not afford to buy such a large amount of LR at this time, but if I can slowly add LR to the tank and use base rock in the tub with the bio-ball that would be a good thing right? The more rock the better?
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
The more rock, the better, yes :) In this case it might work out for you fairly well. The bioballs will be the primary biological filter and as you add rock over time, you can decide what to do down the road. Now, it is important that you have a sponge or something that traps debris before getting onto the bioballs. Bioballs don't CAUSE nitrate problems, that has to deal with bioload, feeding, etc. But you don't want them to get caked with debris.
 
T

thomas712

Guest
So you will be upgrading to a 55 gallon tank? and want to use a rubbermaid tub with bio balls? But we want to save money right?
Use the new 55 as main display, no problem.
Use a rubbermaid tub as a sump? or better use the old 29 gallon as the new sump.
Forget the bio balls in the sump or wet/dry, forget putting base rock in it. Make it a refugium instead, add a few peices of baserock if you like but find someone who can send you some chaetomorpha algea and put a few inches of sand in the bottom. I think this will help filter and go farther than just a rubbermaid tub with bio balls. Unless you have a way for the water to trickle over the bio balls then its not a wet/dry, its just a sump with bio balls floating in it, and that is not as efficiant as a wet/dry.
So 55 gallon--->gravity fed to a 29 gallon sump/fuge, pump to return to main tank----> done. From there you can add lighting to do a reverse lighting schedual. You can add a hang on filter to the sump, add a skimmer, heater, small pump for circulation. All when you can afford it, just take it a step at a time. Fill the 55 with as much baserock as you want, eventually it will be alive and look fine.
Thomas
 
pensky

pensky

Member
Yes I plan to use some to keep the debrie form going into the balls.
next question I got these bio-balls used and they still have sh*t all over them. How do you suggest cleaning them?
 
T

thomas712

Guest

Originally posted by pensky
Yes I plan to use some to keep the debrie form going into the balls.
next question I got these bio-balls used and they still have sh*t all over them. How do you suggest cleaning them?
Stick them in a bucket, hot water and a gallon of white vinegar. Let em sit, then hose them off.
Thomas
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
I believe that the sump/bioballs came with the deal...no more money necessary? May have misunderstood - if it is just a sump with bioballs floating around that may not be so good that's true. Is it modified in some way so that the water trickles over them or are they just floating around? Sorry to misunderstand that....
Are you breaking down the 29g?
 
pensky

pensky

Member
it is going to be a long time before i am ready to set up the main tank, but would it be a good idea to put some saltwater in the tub of bio-ball and some LR. I could even put a pump so that the water would definitly filter through the entire system. The only problem I think I may have would be that the tub would have to set out in the dark shed and the temp changeing from 65 at night to 85 during day.
If nothing else than just get the live rock going on base rock and maybe possibly using this water to do water changes.
Would it be a waste if I don't use a skimmer and heater. I do however have a wisper 30-60 with carbon i could put on there.
what do you think?
 
pensky

pensky

Member
yes it has smaller containers in it so the water will trickle down. and yeah it was a package deal. I don't plan on takeing the 29gal down until I can put it into the 55gal. The 29gal is just starting to get good it has been up for 3 months now this is my first time ever dealing saltwater fish and LR.
 
T

thomas712

Guest
Sounds like to much work setting liverock and baserock going in a tub for to long without lighting, heating and proper water flow.
Just setup the 55 when you have time with the liverock and baserock, or just set it up with baserock and then add your liverock from the 29 when you get ready. Let the 55 cycle away until you breakdown the 29. The transfer everything over. Quite similar to what I did when I went from a 55 to a 90. Then you can add your rubbermaid wet/dry and then maybe even add the 29 under that as a fuge, that would be ideal.
Thomas
 
pensky

pensky

Member
ok so could i set the 55 gal up in the shed with LR only because i am getting to move in a month or two and I don't have any room in the house now. Will the LR be ok with out any lighting. I could however purchase a heater and skimer for reasonably cheap. whould the wisper over the top filter work even though it does not have a bio-wheel. I am confident that the water would circulate just find the pump is awesome.
 
T

thomas712

Guest
In my opinion liverock needs light.
I wouldn't do anything until you move, then when your ready you can start this prodject. No reason to to soak any rock base or live until your ready.
Thomas
 
pensky

pensky

Member
Should I use the bio-balls and tub to store water for water changes whould that be a good thing? or just a waste of time
 
pensky

pensky

Member
could I even go with a cheap heat lamp that i could get from a hardware store or something along those lines. My thought is that the longer I have the rock in water the better off i could be and to get some cheap base rock and build that up.
 
pensky

pensky

Member
really I'm just looking for a benifical way to use the great 55gal just sitting outside in the shed w/o spending a lot
 
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