bio balls or rubble rock
- Thread starter sign guy
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gen1dustin
Member
I'm new to saltwater not freshwater though & I decided to use bio-balls & once I get my live rock in I'll throw any rubble in with the bio-balls. I've got a blue-bonded filter pad before the balls.
stingrayjs
Member
There are many posts about this. Both have positives and negitives.
cgrant
Active Member
if your going reef you really wont need the bioballs once everything is going, if your going to do a fowlr and will have an aggressive tank you might want to consider having both.
I have a 210 with a couple of decent sized puffers, so i am keeping the bioballs but also doing a fuge, thats what i am going to try next anyway.
I have a 210 with a couple of decent sized puffers, so i am keeping the bioballs but also doing a fuge, thats what i am going to try next anyway.
rswrestler
Member
be cautious about the lava gravel...the lava rock can have some earth metals in them that are harmful for your tank.
gen1dustin
Member
Originally Posted by RSWrestler
be cautious about the lava gravel...the lava rock can have some earth metals in them that are harmful for your tank.
From my understanding only true natural lava rock has that. Which any lava rock made for aquarium use is man-made & I'm pretty sure everything from home improvement stores is man-made.
be cautious about the lava gravel...the lava rock can have some earth metals in them that are harmful for your tank.
From my understanding only true natural lava rock has that. Which any lava rock made for aquarium use is man-made & I'm pretty sure everything from home improvement stores is man-made.
T
thomas712
Guest
Which is better? the bio balls, far more surface area and will get less clogged that rock rubble. But would still need to be maintained.
I've got plenty of discussion threads on bio balls, even a bio ball pros and cons if you like to do a search.
I've got plenty of discussion threads on bio balls, even a bio ball pros and cons if you like to do a search.
gen1dustin
Member
Originally Posted by sign guy
Is lava rock better than rubble rock
I'm not for sure, I do believe however that both would have more surface area for bacteria than like plastic bio-balls. I would think the rubble would be best since it is already inhibited by things.
Is lava rock better than rubble rock
I'm not for sure, I do believe however that both would have more surface area for bacteria than like plastic bio-balls. I would think the rubble would be best since it is already inhibited by things.
lobstergrabber
Member
I have thought of this a few times myself. Most people state the bio balls are a nitrate trap unless you clean them regularly. With this in ming I would think you would have to clean the live rock rubble just as regularly because it will trap just as much detrious as the balls if not more.
Rich
Rich
sign guy
Active Member
Originally Posted by Gen1Dustin
I'm not for sure, I do believe however that both would have more surface area for bacteria than like plastic bio-balls. I would think the rubble would be best since it is already inhibited by things.
But dont the bio balls have more area, all those spikes?
I'm not for sure, I do believe however that both would have more surface area for bacteria than like plastic bio-balls. I would think the rubble would be best since it is already inhibited by things.
But dont the bio balls have more area, all those spikes?
sign guy
Active Member
Originally Posted by lobstergrabber
I have thought of this a few times myself. Most people state the bio balls are a nitrate trap unless you clean them regularly. With this in ming I would think you would have to clean the live rock rubble just as regularly because it will trap just as much detrious as the balls if not more.
Rich
If you have a good pre filter wouldn't the trash be caught
I have thought of this a few times myself. Most people state the bio balls are a nitrate trap unless you clean them regularly. With this in ming I would think you would have to clean the live rock rubble just as regularly because it will trap just as much detrious as the balls if not more.
Rich
If you have a good pre filter wouldn't the trash be caught
gen1dustin
Member
Yeah a pre filter does work from what I hear & I have me a nice piece of blue bonded filter pad above mine. I think a lot of times that might be over done with them being nitrate traps, JMO though.
I think it is that rocks would be porous unlike a bio ball.
I think it is that rocks would be porous unlike a bio ball.
sign guy
Active Member
Originally Posted by Gen1Dustin
Yeah a pre filter does work from what I hear & I have me a nice piece of blue bonded filter pad above mine. I think a lot of times that might be over done with them being nitrate traps, JMO though.
I think it is that rocks would be porous unlike a bio ball.
here is what I have heard
plastic bio balls are not as porous as rubble rock but still has more surface area
and ceramic bio balls are more porous than rr and have as much surface area as bb
what is over done the pre filter?
Yeah a pre filter does work from what I hear & I have me a nice piece of blue bonded filter pad above mine. I think a lot of times that might be over done with them being nitrate traps, JMO though.
I think it is that rocks would be porous unlike a bio ball.
here is what I have heard
plastic bio balls are not as porous as rubble rock but still has more surface area
and ceramic bio balls are more porous than rr and have as much surface area as bb
what is over done the pre filter?