Fluidized bed filters vs. Trickle Filter

[LoTech]

I run FBFs, but I have also heard there is one drawback:
Apparently the filter will die off very quickly if shut down for an hour of so. I guess the oxygen gets eaten up and then the colony dies. I have seen suggestions that it should be used only along with other filters.

 

[Randyk47]

I'm running a Rainbow FBF in support of an Emporer 400 and couldn't be happier. I recently got back into the hobby after years and years. Back in "ancient times" an undergravel filter was about the best thing going. After lots of reading.....and deciding to try cichlids for my re-entry tanks.....I decided to go the HOB route. Couldn't totally get away from my sand fixation so that's why the FBF. I can't imagine an easier filter to set up. Initially I was all paranoid about whether or not it was set and staying at the right fluidization rate.....now I rarely look at it. As for the filter failing is there is a prolonged power outage....OK...maybe but my neighbor's canister filter will be close behind. Besides my other hobby is computers so I just grabbed one of my UPS and stuck it under the stand. Gives me an additional hour or two of support and we rarely have outages that long.

 

[Patrick Miller]

I'm going to do a DIY sand fbf for my 90g display tank. 2pounds of sand. And a multi tank setup via a sump for feeder fish. Culturing the sand out in the goldfish pond

 

[Oughtsix]

FBF's deplete the oxygen in the water? I thought FBF's used air to suspend the media in the tank water? Bacteria does consume oxygen but with that much air flowing through the media and water I can't imagine how the water could be oxygen depleted?

I am a trickle filter person and have never setup a FBF . A trickle filter has always supported enough BB for any bioload I have ever thrown at one. Maybe a FBF might support a higher bioload but I have never needed more capacity than a trickle provides. I can vouch that a trickle filter does an excellent job of oxygenating the water (I always run a couple of air stones under the bioballs to keep them in a supply of fresh air).

In my experience a trickle filter is easy to setup and easy to maintain.