media bag or bio ball for sump???

[ticker]

Have a ?...Whats better a media bag or bio balls for a sump in a 100 gal. coral tank...what are you all useing??? i'm currently useing a media bag but like to know what you all think on media bag or bio balls....thanks for time, rick

 

[Anonymous]

Do a quick search under bioballs...not many positive things are said about them.

 

[krullulon]

if you have live rock you don't need bioballs... bioballs provide surface area for denitrifying bacterial film, and that surface area is handled by your LR and/or live sand in a reef tank. bioballs generally don't serve any useful purpose in reef tanks IMO, and this is especially true if you're using a protien skimmer.

i run carbon in a micron sock 2 weeks a month, and i have a filter tray in the sump under my main return from the display tank with a layer of blue filter media for catching larger debris that i change every other week. i've done targeted polyfilters in the tray for a few days if something went wacky in the tank, but that's about it.

 

[ChrisRD]

Bioballs are very efficient as a nitrifying (aerobic bacteria) filter, but unfortunately, they don't provide much in the way of denitrification (anerobic bacteria). Live rock/sand do both.

 

[krullulon]

Bioballs are very efficient as a nitrifying (aerobic bacteria) filter, but unfortunately, they don't provide much in the way of denitrification (anerobic bacteria). Live rock/sand do both.

apologies -- that was a mis-speak on my end... yeah, what ChrisRD said.

 

[ticker]

thanks again guys...

 

[ticker]

so are you all useing micron bags and if so is that all...'cause i'm going out my over flow, threw a micron bag, threw a protein skimmer, threw a black spung media, back to the tank.....

 

[ChrisRD]

That sounds like a good plan, just make sure you keep the micron bag clean.

Some folks don't like floss, micron bags, etc. in a reef because they require frequent attention. IMO they can be helpful if you keep them clean, but they can be detrimental if you let stuff build-up in them too long.

HTH

 

[ticker]

yah i'm changing the bag every 2-3 days, 'cause the bag gets full and the water over flows....that was one reason i was asking 'cause of changing the bag so often...so what are people use if not micro bag???

 

[ticker]

is there a sight that i could look at some review on sump filtering setups/brand names/etc ??? Thanks

 

[ChrisRD]

I've always just syphoned any crap that settles out in the sump when I do a water change. I try to keep flow high enough in the main tank to prevent much from settling there (purposely so it will end-up in the sump where it's easy to get at).

Not sure about a good site for you, but you can try doing some searches here and on other boards to see pics of what others are doing.

HTH

 

[ticker]

thanks for your help..i do the same when i do a water change, i take it from my sump...three power heads and a large return pump, i try to push the water flow too..thanks again..