Bio-Wheel vs. Bio Balls?

[Billyblaze]

Anyone have opinions on doing a tidepool sump vs. a wet/dry trickle filter with bio balls? I have heard pros and cons on both setups. I have a 75 gallon tank, about 80+ pounds live rock, lots of coarls and a dozen fish. I want to get rid of my emperor filter and get something better. Ant suggestions or comments would be great!

 

[KahluaZzZ]

yep me too. Bought bio-balls for my DIY wet/dry.
Since my LR is poor quality, i hope it can retain a lot of bacteria.

 

[S.Reef]

Well, you already got a ton of live rock. If your tamk isnt too highly stocked you could just add some powerheads and go filter less.

 

[1979camaro]

i agree with sam, that would be the way i would go

 

[S.Reef]

Oh...and protein skimmer...awesome piece of equiptment.

 

[1979camaro]

he already has a skimmer

 

[S.Reef]

Ahh..man im blind.

 

[Billyblaze]

Thanks for all your thoughts. My tank is fairly heavily stocked. About a dozen fish, 10 coarls(and growing!), 2 anenimies. Plus I would like to get the heater and uv pump out of the tank.

 

[S.Reef]

Well then go with a sump. I still wouldnt put any other filter on the tank. Just keep up with the water changes and such.

 

[dbacksrat]

for the sump you just need an overflow, a pump, and the sump itself (can be a $100 sump POS from the lfs or can be a cheap aquarium or tupperware tub) and some other basic plumbing parts
hey it looks like you have a pretty nice skimmer--how does it perform?

 

[Billyblaze]

The skimmer is great! I highly recommend it. I have thought about trying to make a sump and overflow, but sometimes I think it would just be eaiser to buy one. I haven't seen ant good plans for a home made overflow, and if I'm going to shell out 80 bucks for that, I may as well go all the way. I sure wish I would have bought a drilled tank!

 

[dbacksrat]

I sure wish I would have bought a drilled tank!

if only we could go back in time...i would have bought a drilled tank too...i also woulda saved a little more money and bought a real skimmer like yours

 

[S.Reef]

Theres a lot of "I wish" in this hobby.

 

[TRe]

you say u got a dozen fish...what kind???

 

[aresgod]

TRe DONT PUT ANYMORE FISH IN YOUR TANKS!!!!

 

[Billyblaze]

I have a kole tang, flame angel, foxface, two percula clowns, two pajama cardnials, a yellow watchman goby, a firefish goby, and a Green Mandarin. Also a cleaner shrimp and a coral banded shrimp. There is a sand sifter star and a brittle star. Some may say my tank is over stocked, but my water is always perfact. I change 6 gallons a week without fail.

 

[dbacksrat]

how's your pod population? does the mandarin get enough food? what about a refugium?
your tank might be a bit full, but it is looking good

 

[aresgod]

80 pounds of LR should be ok for a mandarin a fuge never hurts and it looks like no one else in their eats pods, soem mandarins can be trained to eat frozen or other live stuff,

 

[dbacksrat]

does the sand sifting star do much for your sand bed? what kind of brittle star do you have? just interested

 

[1979camaro]

i have a pair of sand sifting stars and they are always going up and down through that stuff...i like having them in there to stir up stuff, prevent gas pockets from forming, etc