bio balls vs scrubbies

[aaronb]

I'm not exactly sure either. If you have enough bio balls to support the amount of bacteria for your aquarium the added surface area would be no added value at all. From what people that like scrubbies say they have more surface area. I guess maybe if they didn't have room for an optimal sized sump that would support their tank with bio balls they could use scrubbies instead. If you're just using scrubbies, because it's your personal preference with no real world added benefit that's understandable. The wet dry I just built for a 75 gallon aquarium holds 7 gallons of bio balls which is way more than necessary. I could've used scrubbies, but the added surface area would've been pointless.

I don't understand why people are saying to use a good prefilter and that takes care of the stuff building up in the scrubbies. On one of my tanks I use a 25 micron filter sock and it lets some stuff through that would be slowly building up in the scrubbies. In another tank I use a 100 micron filter sock and it letd a lot of stuff through it. I actually put 3 shrimp in that sump to try and help keep it cleaner.

 

[Boadams87]

I just ordered 7 gallons of bioballs earlier. I'm not interested in using scrubbies. I'll save them for dishwashing. I'm not cheap or broke, so there's no point in buying scrubbies unless you're in one of those 2 catergories.


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That was the stupidest thing anyone could say"!!!!!!

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[aaronb]

It collects on the bottom of the sump and stays there till you vac it up. Is this a serious question? The main point is vacuuming the bottom of a sump is 100x easier than shooting out all the scrubbies in a sump. My original post states the benefits of bio balls over scrubbies. I still have not seen the benefits of scrubbies over bio balls posted if the appeal is NOT the price as all scrubby users claim. I have seen members swap out scrubbies in their 100 gallon sumps for the reasons I've stated. Surface area is already discredited due to the food and crap collection as well as the lack of trickle dispersion.

Please enlighten me if cost is not the determining factor to this choice in " biological medial "...... that functions more like mechanical.

I have the same thoughts. I think people are a little confused on what makes a good trickle set up. Scrubbies are flexible, so you could fit a lot more in an area if you really wanted to. Packing the scrubbies tightly would really inhibit the trickling ability of the filter and make it more like mechanical filtration as you stated.

That's why bio balls are made in a way to optimize water dripping. They could probably make them with more surface area and sacrifice the way they drip water.

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[ElectricBlueSeanBurch]

I have the same thoughts. I think people are a little confused on what makes a good trickle set up. Scrubbies are flexible, so you could fit a lot more in an area if you really wanted to. Packing the scrubbies tightly would really inhibit the trickling ability of the filter and make it more like mechanical filtration as you stated.

That's why bio balls are made in a way to optimize water dripping. They could probably make them with more surface area and sacrifice the way they drip water.

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[aaronb]

Glad you're back...and so soon!

Thanks. One of the good members on here said the same members have gotten on his nerves more than once on here as well, but not to let them drive me away. I regret the way I worded my original comment, since I didn't mean to insult. The reason I have always heard people used scrubbies is because they said they were cheaper. My limited experience with them I didn't like how they trapped particles in them. Based on that I only thought someone that couldn't part with the funds for bio balls would choose scrubbies, since they were cheaper. I understand every person has their preference on Inge for different reasons and they have the right. Bio balls and scrubbies both have advantages and disadvantage as with anything. I prefer bio balls as I've said.


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[hereticlosmorte]

i use scrubbies in my sump (and it's not to conserve space as it's a 3 drawer trickle tower into a 90 gallon sump).
they were by far the cheaper media to use, i'll admit to that.
they've been running for almost a year on my ray tank, and there is very little grime on them. i place filter floss in the top drawer, which catches most of the detritus. it does a good enough job that i don't even bother using filter socks.
i have used bio balls and ceramic media in the past and prefer the scrubbies. i find my water is cleaner looking with the scrubbies vs the balls/rings.
to each their own, we can't convince narrow minded people that scrubbies are a valid alternative and not just for the "poor".

the same thing could be said of people using real rocks in their tanks vs backgrounds. real rocks could be vastly cheaper and more realistic, while the fake backgrounds are much more expensive and not as real. each has their pros and cons, be it safety of the fish (toxins, rocks dislodging onto fish), affecting your water (unknown rocks you pick up could leach loam or other minerals into your tank), or purely aesthetics (eye of the beholder). everyone will do something different, and side with one over the other by personal preference.

both are valid forms of media, both have pros and cons, if you wanna try one or the other, go for it. but don't come on here and say it's only good for certain people because of their lifestyle, monetary value, or anything else. it does make you look ignorant and there are many people on here with more than enough money that choose to use something as inexpensive as pot scrubbies.

 

[RonBurgandy]

i use scrubbies in my sump (and it's not to conserve space as it's a 3 drawer trickle tower into a 90 gallon sump).
they were by far the cheaper media to use, i'll admit to that.
they've been running for almost a year on my ray tank, and there is very little grime on them. i place filter floss in the top drawer, which catches most of the detritus. it does a good enough job that i don't even bother using filter socks.
i have used bio balls and ceramic media in the past and prefer the scrubbies. i find my water is cleaner looking with the scrubbies vs the balls/rings.
to each their own, we can't convince narrow minded people that scrubbies are a valid alternative and not just for the "poor".


the same thing could be said of people using real rocks in their tanks vs backgrounds. real rocks could be vastly cheaper and more realistic, while the fake backgrounds are much more expensive and not as real. each has their pros and cons, be it safety of the fish (toxins, rocks dislodging onto fish), affecting your water (unknown rocks you pick up could leach loam or other minerals into your tank), or purely aesthetics (eye of the beholder). everyone will do something different, and side with one over the other by personal preference.

both are valid forms of media, both have pros and cons, if you wanna try one or the other, go for it. but don't come on here and say it's only good for certain people because of their lifestyle, monetary value, or anything else. it does make you look ignorant and there are many people on here with more than enough money that choose to use something as inexpensive as pot scrubbies.

So the benefit is that it works well as a mechanical filter because it keeps your water clearer than bio balls would is what you are saying? Bio media is not designed to clear up a properly cycled tank of particulates. That is what mechanical media is for.

You've run w/a scrubby set up for almost a year? Could you do us all a favor on your next water change and take a picture of the your actual scrubbies to show how filter floss prevents EVER having to unclog them? I ask this because a bio ball set up will NEVER need such maintenance. THAT is one the benefits of bio balls over scrubbies. Like I have already stated, a bio ball that NEVER clogs or catches detritus will always function better than a scrubby w/ detritus.

The surface area argument does not really hold water considering almost every scrubby set up have the scrubbies packed in perfectly to completely fill the bio chamber..... this leads to minimal to no trickle dispersion so even less surface area comes in contact w/ the water than w/ bio balls therefore completely nullifying this claim. It may work if the scrubbies are placed in a random order and settled in the chamber is a non compressed fashion.

Because people don't agree w/ your "take" on media because actual facts disprove it does not make them narrow minded.... who's the narrow minded here....really?

I have never stated that it is not a "valid" form of media, my statement is that it is not the most efficient.

I've stated the Pro's of bio balls relating to their purpose of design..............Biological media. You point out that the cons of it are that they do not function well as a MECHANICAL media. That is not a con at all. Also that the pro's of scrubbies are that they are more cost efficient and work great as a mechanical media.......not a pro seeing as that is not what they are being used to replace......Bio media.

 

[buddha1200]

i use scrubbies in my sump (and it's not to conserve space as it's a 3 drawer trickle tower into a 90 gallon sump).
they were by far the cheaper media to use, i'll admit to that.
they've been running for almost a year on my ray tank, and there is very little grime on them. i place filter floss in the top drawer, which catches most of the detritus. it does a good enough job that i don't even bother using filter socks.
i have used bio balls and ceramic media in the past and prefer the scrubbies. i find my water is cleaner looking with the scrubbies vs the balls/rings.
to each their own, we can't convince narrow minded people that scrubbies are a valid alternative and not just for the "poor".

the same thing could be said of people using real rocks in their tanks vs backgrounds. real rocks could be vastly cheaper and more realistic, while the fake backgrounds are much more expensive and not as real. each has their pros and cons, be it safety of the fish (toxins, rocks dislodging onto fish), affecting your water (unknown rocks you pick up could leach loam or other minerals into your tank), or purely aesthetics (eye of the beholder). everyone will do something different, and side with one over the other by personal preference.

both are valid forms of media, both have pros and cons, if you wanna try one or the other, go for it. but don't come on here and say it's only good for certain people because of their lifestyle, monetary value, or anything else. it does make you look ignorant and there are many people on here with more than enough money that choose to use something as inexpensive as pot scrubbies.

I actually agree with this statment about the gunk,as i stated before i have two identical sumps one scrubbies one bio balls,but i run multiple micron pads and i havent cleaned my scrubbies or bio-balls in over a year also.
I check them periodically because i was told they clog up when i first put them in my wet/dry but so far it has not happened,so i dont believe that to be the case if you use good mechanical.
And on my next filter pad change i would be glad to post a video of mine of how clean mine are,or anyone is welcome to stop by and see for them selves.
People are going to like what they like and when they like something no matter what is proven or disproven,i am sure that even after someone was to veiw my wet/dry and see the clean scrubbies there would be something else they would try to find wrong just to make themselves right.
I have had good results with both so once again i say use what you like and what works for you.