Bio balls and ceramic rings VS Live rock in the sump.
OK "everybody" condemn Bio balls and Ceramic rings as Detritus catchments tools and creating a nitrate factory. Yes I do agree that they do catch a lot of junk because stirring or moving them stir up a lot of green water.
And LiveRock, will that not do exactly the same? Or Live Rock Rumble?
Concept with the bio balls is to have as big a surface area as possible. That is why LR should be very porous.
Normally the compartment area where Bio balls or the LR rumble are used is if the through flow method where a DSB is a overflow method. The water flow from top to bottom, or reverse where a DSB flow left to right or reverse.
So both the LR pieces and the Bio balls will not be able to create the anaerobic area to be able to finally convert the detritus into harmless gasses.
So only advantage of using either bio balls, ceramic rings or live rock will be to catch detritus and to do the first breakdown phase. And because the breakdown is incomplete we end up with one main function, and that is to catch the detritus.
So the physical properties of bio balls and ceramic rings will be EXACTLY the same as live rock pieces. Although the LR pieces will be less because it should offer a lot more surface area than ceramic rings. And all these mediums will then act mostly as a catcher of detritus, and all of them will then need to be rinsed. No Difference.
Other than providing beneficial bacteria place to live, Copepods and bristle worms can also flourish in this area. Extra benefits from them will be nice, but rinsing the balls every week? You will just loose all living creatures that you want in the first place.
Also somebody mention that you should clean the bio balls weekly by boiling them. WTF??? Then you will kill of the bacteria you want and the bio balls will only act as a detritus trap. Or am I missing something here?
MY Conclusion.
Having LR pieces in the sump will act the same as Bio balls and ceramic rings. So condemning Bio balls you should condemn LR pieces.
Also
Sump setups, its all a matter of personal preference.
OK "everybody" condemn Bio balls and Ceramic rings as Detritus catchments tools and creating a nitrate factory. Yes I do agree that they do catch a lot of junk because stirring or moving them stir up a lot of green water.
And LiveRock, will that not do exactly the same? Or Live Rock Rumble?
Concept with the bio balls is to have as big a surface area as possible. That is why LR should be very porous.
Normally the compartment area where Bio balls or the LR rumble are used is if the through flow method where a DSB is a overflow method. The water flow from top to bottom, or reverse where a DSB flow left to right or reverse.
So both the LR pieces and the Bio balls will not be able to create the anaerobic area to be able to finally convert the detritus into harmless gasses.
So only advantage of using either bio balls, ceramic rings or live rock will be to catch detritus and to do the first breakdown phase. And because the breakdown is incomplete we end up with one main function, and that is to catch the detritus.
So the physical properties of bio balls and ceramic rings will be EXACTLY the same as live rock pieces. Although the LR pieces will be less because it should offer a lot more surface area than ceramic rings. And all these mediums will then act mostly as a catcher of detritus, and all of them will then need to be rinsed. No Difference.
Other than providing beneficial bacteria place to live, Copepods and bristle worms can also flourish in this area. Extra benefits from them will be nice, but rinsing the balls every week? You will just loose all living creatures that you want in the first place.
Also somebody mention that you should clean the bio balls weekly by boiling them. WTF??? Then you will kill of the bacteria you want and the bio balls will only act as a detritus trap. Or am I missing something here?
MY Conclusion.
Having LR pieces in the sump will act the same as Bio balls and ceramic rings. So condemning Bio balls you should condemn LR pieces.
Also
Sump setups, its all a matter of personal preference.