Touch gloves, now FIGHT!!!

[kcopper]

 

[starcore]

If BB grows on any non reactive surface with flow and good O2 then any inert porous material is good to go

 

[Tez]

kcopper thanks for sharing the video, here's my readings regular with my filter system ammonia 0ppm, nitrite 0ppm and nitrate 5ppm with a top filter system and with a fluval submerged filter pump with identical filters but in cages.



I brought a Betta large submerged pump for my 22 gallon tank just with carbon sponge and it did a spike in a few days and sent my nitrate to 40ppm after several water changes I got it back down with it removed and the fluval back in...i'm sticking to what I buy in bulk and making my own filters to make sure my fish are on a constant good flow of health.

 

[KDS]

I’m divided on this issue. On one hand, I took the Seachem Pond Matrix out of my canisters and went with pot scrubbies. I also ditched my plan to buy biohome ultimate for my sump. But I am trying the biocenosis clarification baskets for my 210 build. It will be a planted tank so I may never truly know if the BCBs really work.

 

[MissPanda]

I actually agree with not needing fancy biomedia. I don't think one is better than another. I've used many brands and never noticed a difference. If the BB is there, it's there! If it has pores it'll take BB just fine.

 

[Jonmott]

I’m divided on this issue. On one hand, I took the Seachem Pond Matrix out of my canisters and went with pot scrubbies. I also ditched my plan to buy biohome ultimate for my sump. But I am trying the biocenosis clarification baskets for my 210 build. It will be a planted tank so I may never truly know if the BCBs really work.

This is true as aquatic plants eat nitrates

 

[trahana]

I think lava rocks are awesome filter media, and super cheap at $7 for huge bag. Can't find the right size? Grab a hammer and make it smaller!
Think about how all the "good" media is ceramic(called stoneware for a reason) and how everyone says porous is better. Well, lava is about a porous as a natural rock can get without floating!

 

[zorianak]

Lots of people have kept some gorgeous fish and tanks healthy with nothing but an airpump and a sponge. If anything, I'm starting to get pushed away from carbon filtering because it can even take out the *beneficial* stuff from your water, such as your plant fertilizers.

That said, if you're using just tap water, I'd probably still put it through a carbon filter before putting it in your tank (not that I do this as I'm lazy), because you just about never know what your city has in their water.

 

[SM1199]

Lots of people have kept some gorgeous fish and tanks healthy with nothing but an airpump and a sponge. If anything, I'm starting to get pushed away from carbon filtering because it can even take out the *beneficial* stuff from your water, such as your plant fertilizers.

That said, if you're using just tap water, I'd probably still put it through a carbon filter before putting it in your tank (not that I do this as I'm lazy), because you just about never know what your city has in their water.

Actually, I never use carbon for tap water, and a lot of other people on here don't either. Carbon is useful for removing medications and that's about it. If your tap water is safe to drink, the only fish-dangerous thing in it should be chlorine which is what we dechlorinate for, or nitrogenous compounds which carbon isn't useful for anyway.

 

[GlacialMold]

I’m on wall water and I am now considering filling my canister filter with lava rocks instead of sponges. The only they are really great at IMHO is mechanical filtration.