bio balls or rock rubble

[Octoberfest]

I have just purchased an 14 gallon oceanic bio cube and am currently in the process of setting it up.

It comes with bio balls in the center section and I'm wondering if I should leave them in there or fill it with rock rubble? I have a bunch of rubble that will fit in there, or at least I can break it up in order to fill it up.

Just a thought.

 

[BridgetP]

No bio balls!
Fill it with the liverock and you should probably remover the wet dry piece and fill the middle chamber as heigh as your rock rubble.
hth

 

[Octoberfest]

that's what I figured, just wanted to make sure with the smaller tank.

 

[icepick5587]

The consensus is no definitley no bio-balls. Live rock rubble is soo much better.

 

[Lagger]

Not sure why all the hoopla about LR rubble. If you have enough LR in the display, it will provide enough bio filtration.

Sure, there might be more surface area on the rubble, however, many types of LR are porus enough to sustain the same amount of bio filtration.

 

[Reef5]

I would use Bioballs, if you can get LR rubblw get it

 

[psidriven]

Can anyone explain the advantage of rubble over bio balls? I've never seen a thread detailing one over the other. For the record though, I replaced my bioballs with chaeto.

 

[Octoberfest]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8782109#post8782109 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lagger
Not sure why all the hoopla about LR rubble. If you have enough LR in the display, it will provide enough bio filtration.

Sure, there might be more surface area on the rubble, however, many types of LR are porus enough to sustain the same amount of bio filtration.

I will have more than enough live rock in my tank but I figured I'm going to remove the bio balls and thought that if I have the rock rubble laying around, why not put it in there. Would just more water be better than more rock?

 

[danfrith]

Don't use bioballs. They are nitrate factories.

 

[gmy]

I concurr with the majority...... if you use the bioballs you are asking for trouble in the not too distant future. I put used rubble I had on hand in a large filter bag and placed it in the second chamber.

 

[psidriven]

That's what I hear, but why would bio balls increase nirates but not rubble? Both are just structures for bacteria to grow on.

 

[gmy]

In theory you are right they are both structures having the same purpose. But rubble allows the bacteria to colonize on both the surface and internally through its pores whereas the bioballs can not.

 

[tiburone9162003]

can i just add little pieces of live rock in one of the chambers of my aquapod and takeout the bil-balls and ceramic rings...?

 

[prison police]

I have a 24g nano and have both rubble rock and bio balls (about 12) along with the sponge filter that comes with it. No problem out of this combo. I rinse the sponges out weekly and do water changes about every other week. I did the bio balls to get things started (took them from my 75g reef).Probably could take them out but why change things if its working! Just my 2 cents worth.
chad

 

[tiburone9162003]

prison,u got any pics of ur 24g. nano?

 

[o2zen]

Stupid question - what is chaeto? Should the LR go in a bag like someone meantioned of should I just drop it right into the middle chamber. Should the drip tray be left in place as well at the top and should the false bottom be removed or left in? Sorry I am a newb.

 

[Octoberfest]

I removed the lower tray in the middle chamber but put the top one back in when the rock rubble was added. I had it off when the pump was running and it was really loud, the top tray quieted it down a good bit. I put the live rock in there with no bag, no problems so far. It would be easier to remove if it was in a bag but I didn't see the purpose. Also if it's not in a bag and some pods start to breed in there it will be easier for them to get out of the bag and into the main tank....I would think.