What about a 50/50 with bio balls on top of live rock rubble that way your water gets oxygenated and breaks down the wast, then it goes to the live rock or rubble to finish the cycle. Then also with the live rock on the bottom it will have more water on so it may not dry out.
bio balls yes /or no whats your thought
- Thread starter kels0948
- Start date
Angela Short
New member
I think that LR has tons of tiny hidy holes for critters to live in and come out and eat the stuff the rock catches ie: food, fish poo "mmm mmm" says my old yellow tang who loved to eat poo... Oh back on topic... and Bio balls can have surface space for bacteria but not much in ways of space for critters to set up home that actually help eat the stuff the overflows pull out of the water column. Also the LR can help with anarobic also as stated.
Now as far as just having water trickle over rock rubble I have no clue since pods, worms and mini stars would probably not live in just a shower of water and would need to be submerged...but I would still opt for a good pouruse (sp?) rock in that chamber over bio balls in a reef set up but if you clean the bio balls regularly you can wash the junk out but then you would kill the built up bio on them if you wash them in FW...
Now as far as just having water trickle over rock rubble I have no clue since pods, worms and mini stars would probably not live in just a shower of water and would need to be submerged...but I would still opt for a good pouruse (sp?) rock in that chamber over bio balls in a reef set up but if you clean the bio balls regularly you can wash the junk out but then you would kill the built up bio on them if you wash them in FW...
CloudIX
Website Developer
I for one had the same question when i returned to the hobby. After alot of reading, it seems that most people have moved away from bio balls. The thing that everyone is doing now is a media reactor with some type of nitrate/phosphate exporter (you also need a good skimmer). For example i use ecobak and many other on here do the same.
If you have your heart set on using Bioballs, remember that surface area is key, the more you have the more of the beneficial bacteria can grow that help the process. I have read the LR is better at this process then bioballs, but after time the live rock can become blocked and the efficiency goes way down. But again this is only what i have read so i could be incorrect.
If you have your heart set on using Bioballs, remember that surface area is key, the more you have the more of the beneficial bacteria can grow that help the process. I have read the LR is better at this process then bioballs, but after time the live rock can become blocked and the efficiency goes way down. But again this is only what i have read so i could be incorrect.
NeveSSL
Got tubes?
Yes. The nano tanks are all different beasts than their larger siblings.
I would highly recommend two things: A media rack and a skimmer (Tunze 9002 may fit the bill well... not 100% sure on your BC14).
Media racks are just little acrylic boxes that fit into the first chamber in the back of your BC14 that has shelves made out of egg crate. You can put whatever you'd like into it. Personally, I used pillow stuffing in the top one as a mechanical filter, Purigen in the second filter, and Chemi-Pure Elite in the third chamber. Change the pillow stuffing out every 2 to 3 days (its super cheap... a $5 bag should last a year or longer), change/recharge the Purigen every 6 months or so and replace the Chemi Pure Elite every 6 months. I did this in my 28g Nano Cube and it worked out great. I'm actually going to build a large version for my current tank soon.
If you'd like to purchase a media rack, there is at least one company I know of who is making them... Stevie T. Check http://www.mediabaskets.com/.
Brandon
