live rock or bio-balls??
- Thread starter reefer123
- Start date
lion_crazz
Active Member
live rock, without question if you are going to spend the money to get enough of it.
lion_crazz
Active Member
I would do mostly big pieces. It will be easier to aqua-scape.
ktsdad
Member
How strong of a light do you have on your sump with rock in it?
I am just setting up a 250 also, started the cycle process tonight (threw in a chunk of raw fish).
I was torn between starting with bio balls or taking them out and putting in LR. Went with Bio-Balls, maybe change out later.
I am just setting up a 250 also, started the cycle process tonight (threw in a chunk of raw fish).
I was torn between starting with bio balls or taking them out and putting in LR. Went with Bio-Balls, maybe change out later.
oceana
Active Member
i only run 2 40 watt normal output builds. works great covered in coraline and there are tons of pods and mysid, all kinda of dusters. even the rocks that are not under water are covered. its interesting to see the different types of life that grow on the rocks that are under the water line compared to the ones that just have the water pouring over it.
carshark
Active Member
not trying to jack the thread.. i have the similar question, I am setting up a 29 gal. refugium and a seperate wet/dry. i was thinking of what to put in the wet/dry. I have heard bad things about bioballs, so i was curious of what to put in it. Live rock rubble came to mind, and was wondering if that would be a good idea for the wet/dry as well..
oceana
Active Member
Originally Posted by carshark
not trying to jack the thread.. i have the similar question, I am setting up a 29 gal. refugium and a seperate wet/dry. i was thinking of what to put in the wet/dry. I have heard bad things about bioballs, so i was curious of what to put in it. Live rock rubble came to mind, and was wondering if that would be a good idea for the wet/dry as well..
did you read any of this post ya bone head ?? lol jk
yes it is 100% ok to use and better then bio balls. i use around 150 pounds of it in my wet dry and many otehr members here do as well. its a great choice over bioballs
not trying to jack the thread.. i have the similar question, I am setting up a 29 gal. refugium and a seperate wet/dry. i was thinking of what to put in the wet/dry. I have heard bad things about bioballs, so i was curious of what to put in it. Live rock rubble came to mind, and was wondering if that would be a good idea for the wet/dry as well..
did you read any of this post ya bone head ?? lol jk
yes it is 100% ok to use and better then bio balls. i use around 150 pounds of it in my wet dry and many otehr members here do as well. its a great choice over bioballs
carshark
Active Member
Originally Posted by oceana
did you read any of this post ya bone head ?? lol jk
yes it is 100% ok to use and better then bio balls. i use around 150 pounds of it in my wet dry and many otehr members here do as well. its a great choice over bioballs
yeah it isnt a very big wet/dry, I have a 75 gallon tank. where should i put my LR i was thinking in that drilled chamber, but should i also put it in the other side?
did you read any of this post ya bone head ?? lol jk
yes it is 100% ok to use and better then bio balls. i use around 150 pounds of it in my wet dry and many otehr members here do as well. its a great choice over bioballs
yeah it isnt a very big wet/dry, I have a 75 gallon tank. where should i put my LR i was thinking in that drilled chamber, but should i also put it in the other side?
oceana
Active Member
with that wet dry i would do the following.
THE PIC IS CRUDE BUT YOU GET THE POINT.
i would put the pump up on something so that it was raised off the sand bed a bit and then hang a very basic light for the macro. then you have a wetdry/sump/fuge all in one.
it was hard to tell but it looks like the spot i put the sponge filter is made to go there. if there is not a spot for one then you dont really need it but they help alot as long as you are sure to clean it often
THE PIC IS CRUDE BUT YOU GET THE POINT.
i would put the pump up on something so that it was raised off the sand bed a bit and then hang a very basic light for the macro. then you have a wetdry/sump/fuge all in one.
it was hard to tell but it looks like the spot i put the sponge filter is made to go there. if there is not a spot for one then you dont really need it but they help alot as long as you are sure to clean it often
carshark
Active Member
so then the 29 i had in mind for a fuge wouldnt be neccessary? i started out wanting a a FOWLR set up, well you know how that goes... so now I have removed my emporer 400(nitrate factory) and still running just a skimmer. I am wanting to go to a reef and I have my lights and powerheads galore, working on a closed loop as we speak, so the next thing was a fuge and better filtration.
oceana
Active Member
no go with the 29 i did not see that you had that planned. i thought that since you had no fuge it would be better then nothing.
you can do this two which would not be a bad thing but dont down size your fuge plans. the bigger the better. you can also fill that space up with more live rock or a nice in sump skimmer.
you can do this two which would not be a bad thing but dont down size your fuge plans. the bigger the better. you can also fill that space up with more live rock or a nice in sump skimmer.
carshark
Active Member
Originally Posted by oceana
no go with the 29 i did not see that you had that planned. i thought that since you had no fuge it would be better then nothing.
you can do this two which would not be a bad thing but dont down size your fuge plans. the bigger the better. you can also fill that space up with more live rock or a nice in sump skimmer.
yeah thats what I was thinking about doing.. along with a bit of LR. i was concerned though about putting LR in the fuge and the wet/dry because i would need lighting for both.
no go with the 29 i did not see that you had that planned. i thought that since you had no fuge it would be better then nothing.
you can do this two which would not be a bad thing but dont down size your fuge plans. the bigger the better. you can also fill that space up with more live rock or a nice in sump skimmer.
yeah thats what I was thinking about doing.. along with a bit of LR. i was concerned though about putting LR in the fuge and the wet/dry because i would need lighting for both.
oceana
Active Member
Originally Posted by carshark
yeah thats what I was thinking about doing.. along with a bit of LR. i was concerned though about putting LR in the fuge and the wet/dry because i would need lighting for both.
you dont have to go big on this. think very basic. the live rock does not need light at all to support the life that makes your rock "live" but the algea such as corraline do. coralline grows great under minimal lighting. so a basic 6 dollar 2x20 watt ballast from HD will work perfectly. then by a few bulbs at your LFS for around 15 bucks each. one actinic and one 10k and your in business
yeah thats what I was thinking about doing.. along with a bit of LR. i was concerned though about putting LR in the fuge and the wet/dry because i would need lighting for both.
you dont have to go big on this. think very basic. the live rock does not need light at all to support the life that makes your rock "live" but the algea such as corraline do. coralline grows great under minimal lighting. so a basic 6 dollar 2x20 watt ballast from HD will work perfectly. then by a few bulbs at your LFS for around 15 bucks each. one actinic and one 10k and your in business
carshark
Active Member
Originally Posted by oceana
you dont have to go big on this. think very basic. the live rock does not need light at all to support the life that makes your rock "live" but the algea such as corraline do. coralline grows great under minimal lighting. so a basic 6 dollar 2x20 watt ballast from HD will work perfectly. then by a few bulbs at your LFS for around 15 bucks each. one actinic and one 10k and your in business
I was told that the LR did need that.. good, i am not concrened with coraline on wet/dry filter rocks. if i dont need a light thats good, i will need one for my 29 fuge, 2x20 with actinic and 10,000K will do the trick on a 29? cool..
you dont have to go big on this. think very basic. the live rock does not need light at all to support the life that makes your rock "live" but the algea such as corraline do. coralline grows great under minimal lighting. so a basic 6 dollar 2x20 watt ballast from HD will work perfectly. then by a few bulbs at your LFS for around 15 bucks each. one actinic and one 10k and your in business
I was told that the LR did need that.. good, i am not concrened with coraline on wet/dry filter rocks. if i dont need a light thats good, i will need one for my 29 fuge, 2x20 with actinic and 10,000K will do the trick on a 29? cool..
oceana
Active Member
Originally Posted by carshark
I was told that the LR did need that.. good, i am not concrened with coraline on wet/dry filter rocks. if i dont need a light thats good, i will need one for my 29 fuge, 2x20 with actinic and 10,000K will do the trick on a 29? cool..
if you are using it for the fuge only i would go with standard 6500k plant gorw bulbs. you can find some nice ones at your local hardware store. get a warm and a cool. you will grow macros in that thing like wild fire.
with that said i am giving you the cheapest route that WILL work. if you give them mroe light they will grow faster and work better. i'm just saying that you dont NEED to go out and spend big bucks on lighting for a fuge. a good alternative would be to get a dual 96 watt retro kit on the big E for 96 bucks bulbs includded. get 6500k plant bulbs and you will be good to go
I was told that the LR did need that.. good, i am not concrened with coraline on wet/dry filter rocks. if i dont need a light thats good, i will need one for my 29 fuge, 2x20 with actinic and 10,000K will do the trick on a 29? cool..
if you are using it for the fuge only i would go with standard 6500k plant gorw bulbs. you can find some nice ones at your local hardware store. get a warm and a cool. you will grow macros in that thing like wild fire.
with that said i am giving you the cheapest route that WILL work. if you give them mroe light they will grow faster and work better. i'm just saying that you dont NEED to go out and spend big bucks on lighting for a fuge. a good alternative would be to get a dual 96 watt retro kit on the big E for 96 bucks bulbs includded. get 6500k plant bulbs and you will be good to go
carshark
Active Member
Originally Posted by oceana
if you are using it for the fuge only i would go with standard 6500k plant gorw bulbs. you can find some nice ones at your local hardware store. get a warm and a cool. you will grow macros in that thing like wild fire.
with that said i am giving you the cheapest route that WILL work. if you give them mroe light they will grow faster and work better. i'm just saying that you dont NEED to go out and spend big bucks on lighting for a fuge. a good alternative would be to get a dual 96 watt retro kit on the big E for 96 bucks bulbs includded. get 6500k plant bulbs and you will be good to go
thanks a ton i appreciate it....
if you are using it for the fuge only i would go with standard 6500k plant gorw bulbs. you can find some nice ones at your local hardware store. get a warm and a cool. you will grow macros in that thing like wild fire.
with that said i am giving you the cheapest route that WILL work. if you give them mroe light they will grow faster and work better. i'm just saying that you dont NEED to go out and spend big bucks on lighting for a fuge. a good alternative would be to get a dual 96 watt retro kit on the big E for 96 bucks bulbs includded. get 6500k plant bulbs and you will be good to go
thanks a ton i appreciate it....