confused by my filtration.

[blocky]

So my roommate bought a 90G SW with a overflow tank built in. It is really nice. We then went to a place to ask them about getting a sump system built for us. We told them that we are doing Fish and Live Rock only, with no plans to ever try reefs or corals.
So they built it. And looking at it i am kinda worried by it. It has no bio-balls or bacteria wheels where ya know bacteria can grow and eat the bad stuff. it just has a big sponge in the before the return pipe that the water has to go through to get up back in to the tank. It does have a huge skimmer, which made me happy though.
I asked the lady that built it for us why it didn't have any bio-balls; she told me that the balls hurt the live rock/live sand. And the live rock where better at doing the filtration.
So i am kind of freaked out by the whole thing.
Please explain/help.
thanks

 

[slcfish]

I'm by no means an expert on this, because I don't run a sump/fuge, but here's my opinion:
it just has a big sponge in the before the return pipe that the water has to go through to get up back in to the tank
This keeps large particles from making it back into the tank with your return water.
I asked the lady that built it for us why it didn't have any bio-balls; she told me that the balls hurt the live rock/live sand. And the live rock where better at doing the filtration.
It is not uncommon for people with wet/dry or trickle filters to remove the bio balls and replace them with live rock. I've heard/read that doing this is one way to counter-act the biggest complaint with wet/dry filters; specifically, that they convert nitrites to nitrates too quickly, and therefore cause high nitrate levels.
Again, I don't run this type of system so I'm no expert; I'm just telling you what I have heard and read.

 

[blocky]

thanks for the comments.
I am just worried/confused about it. I just don't think the LR can filter that much water without help. With the sump system the aquarium is over 110 gallons.
i just figured there has to be some sort of third party filtration.

 

[slcfish]

What fish are you keeping? How many pounds of live rock in your display?
You can run a third party filtration system independent of the overflow/sump if you wish. A hang-on power filter (Emperor 400) or a canister filter (Magnum, Fluval) would probably sooth your fears.

 

[rusting]

Originally Posted by Blocky
thanks for the comments.
I am just worried/confused about it. I just don't think the LR can filter that much water without help. With the sump system the aquarium is over 110 gallons.
i just figured there has to be some sort of third party filtration.
If you have 1-2 Lbs. of live rock per gal. you won't need the bio-balls.

 

[michaeltx]

live rock act as large bio-balls basically
here is what bio-balls do the have increased surface area for bacteria to grow on. Live rock is the very same thing but has buffering qualityies to help the water maintian PH. also included with the LR purchase you get many mnay hitchikers that help clean the tank of detirous and uneaten foods. if you are going aggressive then a liitle added filtration can be added but with my reef tanks I usually just have LR in the sump with no added filtration other than a phosphate sponge or something like that.
How much LR are you planning on having in the 90?
Mike

 

[blocky]

40 lbs of LR right now