Bioballs/Ceramic media vs. live/rubble rock

[SheldonC]

This is probably a stupid question, but is there any significant benefit to using a ceramic media like the Maxspect products compared to just using rock? I have some space in my sump and I'd like to fill it with a place for more beneficial bacteria. Sizing is irrelevant as I'll break up the rock to fit the space if needed.TIA!

 

[lil sumpin]

Ceramic media has a lot of surface area for BB. If your tank is already established then the rock should have ample bacteria. If you’re looking to enrich its biodiversity LR rubble is the way to go

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

No question is stupid... Just the answers!
Well technically ceramic media can have an advantage over bio balls and rock via the surface area. But then again it can get clogged easier and you have to have flow to support nitrifying bacteria. In old bioball systems where water cascaded over the media, it had superior gas exchange but the downside was the surface area. We have found new ways for gas exchange now. But in any event, if you have enough surface area to grow nitrifying bacteria, it does not matter what you use. Surface area can also include sand and glass etc. You will only grow enough bacteria to offset your bio-load. So if you have more than you need, you are not going to gain any advantage. That being said the more different surface areas you can grow nitrifying bacteria the better in case one get compromised or the bio load increases.

 

[SheldonC]

No question is stupid... Just the answers!
Well technically ceramic media can have an advantage over bio balls and rock via the surface area. But then again it can get clogged easier and you have to have flow to support nitrifying bacteria. In old bioball systems where water cascaded over the media, it had superior gas exchange but the downside was the surface area. We have found new ways for gas exchange now. But in any event, if you have enough surface area to grow nitrifying bacteria, it does not matter what you use. Surface area can also include sand and glass etc. You will only grow enough bacteria to offset your bio-load. So if you have more than you need, you are not going to gain any advantage. That being said the more different surface areas you can grow nitrifying bacteria the better in case one get compromised or the bio load increases.

This is helpful, thank you! My goal would be to simply increase the amount of BB in the system, though I'll admit the display has more than enough rock and I already have a few ceramic Maxspect blocks in the sump. BUT, I have an option chamber that is too small for a useful fuge, and I'm running one of the Santa Monica ATS systems. So I've got some empty space that I thought I'd fill if it made sense

 

[brandon429]

there is no benefit. filling your sump with beneficial bacteria, meaning adding extra surface area, doesn't make your tank run better, safer, or more stable during any event. it actually adds oxygen tax to your system (adding millions of unneeded aerobes into the water chain) in competition with other surfaces/their bacteria and your fish and animals, but reefs are resilient enough this doesn't matter much.

if you left your sump empty, it will run your system the same as if you stacked it with 50 bio bricks. nothing changes you can measure, you just get higher oxygen reserve use within the water column and extra places you'll have to clean waste out.

your display has all the bacteria and surface area your tank needs. adding extra doesn't help, it's a tax on the system to a small degree vs a benefit.

 

[Spare time]

You may get more anaerobic zones, but as for aerobic zones, there is no real benefit to the display tank itself.

 

[Quietman]

For normal operation of an established reef tank there's probably little benefit to having additional media assuming your parameters are good and everything is healthy and in balance. Where I do find it very helpful is when I need to setup another tank (either just because I want another tank, or perhaps an observational quarantine or a 'fish jail' for a bad tank mate to chill out a bit). So I keep a bag of media in the sump and when I need it I have established media (from my existing system) for that tank. No cycling times or additives needed (still monitor though). It's come in handy 4 or 5 times over the last few years.

 

[exnisstech]

For normal operation of an established reef tank there's probably little benefit to having additional media assuming your parameters are good and everything is healthy and in balance. Where I do find it very helpful is when I need to setup another tank (either just because I want another tank, or perhaps an observational quarantine or a 'fish jail' for a bad tank mate to chill out a bit). So I keep a bag of media in the sump and when I need it I have established media (from my existing system) for that tank. No cycling times or additives needed (still monitor though). It's come in handy 4 or 5 times over the last few years.

This is pretty much what I do. One of my sumps is always full of rubble and I keep sponges seeded for hob filters. Insta cycle pretty much. It also provides a great place for pods and other critters to multiply.
All this rock was in one of my older sumps. I moved it all into my new build sump. This is going to be a cryptic zone.

All of this rock was kept seeded in a 40g breeder for a few years. I needed to move some nems out of a tank and I needed a place for a powder brown to fatten up before moving it to the DT. Tossed in the rock filled the stock tank and instant cycle. I love keeping live rock on hand.

 

[SheldonC]

This is pretty much what I do. One of my sumps is always full of rubble and I keep sponges seeded for hob filters. Insta cycle pretty much. It also provides a great place for pods and other critters to multiply.
All this rock was in one of my older sumps. I moved it all into my new build sump. This is going to be a cryptic zone.

All of this rock was kept seeded in a 40g breeder for a few years. I needed to move some nems out of a tank and I needed a place for a powder brown to fatten up before moving it to the DT. Tossed in the rock filled the stock tank and instant cycle. I love keeping live rock on hand.

Love seeing the Santa Monica float in there! How do you like it? I have the 1.4 drop currently, but thinking about getting the float or even the magnetic one.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I would not assume it is necessarily beneficial to have either type of material in a sump.

 

[exnisstech]

Love seeing the Santa Monica float in there! How do you like it? I have the 1.4 drop currently, but thinking about getting the float or even the magnetic one.

It's a surf 4. I always like trying something different on a new build and I have never run a scrubber. Premium aquatics had them on sale so I pulled the trigger. It's too early to tell if it's working. The tank has only been filled for a week or so. I want to run a cryptic zone in the sump and the surf scrubbers have the least amount of light spill so I went that route.

 

[SheldonC]

I would not assume it is necessarily beneficial to have either type of material in a sump.

Thanks Randy! So, is there anything I can put in there to be of benefit? Maybe a small skimmer? I have a roller mat which is doing an outstanding job of taking out a lot of particulates and I've read that some people with roller mats don't really see a benefit of a skimmer as a result (ignoring the aeration portion - strictly speaking about removing organics). Or maybe it's ok to have an empty spot in the sump, perhaps I'm trying to solve for a problem I don't actually have.