Why does everyone overdo the bio?

[Jgray152]

In terms of energy, an fx5 can sit 6 feet below water level and flow 900gph at 50W. That quietone will be pushing more like 500gph at that head. A sump will waste some energy by it's very design, but the difference doesn't become expensive until you get into larger pumps like the Q1 9000 or 14000. Even then for some people it's worthwhile, but if you're running a 2kgph W/D on your 75gl, it's generally not worth it.

This is why I will go with canisters over sumps. Canister filters are ALWAYS more energy efficient than sumps. Since canisters are a sealed system there is virtually no head loss because the pressure is the same on the suction side and discharge side of the pump. Unlike sumps. After all there are limits to a canister, maybe some point in my life I will meet that limit and switch to a sump.

The FX5 will also drop in gph with having the media installed. something to the tune of 600gph.

THe Fx5 has a good solid flow of 600 GPH with or Without media. If its jam packed with media like the Eheim stuff, it may drop more but with or without media you will get 600 gph. I have tested it.

 

[greenterra]

This simplies supports what I've been saying for years... that bio media is not needed...

I'm confident that a typical aquarium's "bio needs" could be met using powerheads to move the water and allowing bacteria to grow on walls, substrate and decor...

This is where I believe some of the misconception starts. It was mainly people running bare bottom tanks with little or no decor that had the need for a much larger amount of bio media in their filtration systems. Whilst often needed for this style of tank(especially heavily stocked tanks), the same logic seems to have been applied to setups with vast amounts of substrate and decor. Tanks as such need far less bio filtration due to the already abundant areas for BB to grow elsewhere in the system.
In saying that, it is still always far better to have too much than too little.

 

[slimmer]

Wouldn't the bb change in different conditions. As in a heavy feeding or as your monsters grow so you would want more to hopefully help handle conditions like these. I do understand that there is overkill that would do you no good but you should definately have a buffer for changes that may occur. Its hard to put an exact amount on how much bio media you need so this is one reason why people over do it.

 

[oswego]

In the early 70's I had dozens of tanks with just the old fashion undergravel filters that used airstones to move the water through the filters. No HOB, no power heads, no Canisters and no sumps with W/D media.

Also no INTERNET, and all my fish did fine. I know they did fine because I had eggs laid every week in at least one of my tanks and I raised the fry.
Hell, I even did 20% water changes without using any type of anti-clorine stuff.

After reading this and another similar thread I remembered how I used to do it and I am reconsidering how much filtration and media I am currently using.

 

[nfored]

I have also left my tanks less the shiny clean from gravel vacs and have no problems. I use play sand, and the sad truth is I have never once Gravel Vacced my 220.

I am not feeling guilty about this because my water is still clean looking, and my prams are fine. The sand helps a lot as it holds a lot of BB, I also had about 70lbs of Live Rock from an old SW. This rock is a great home for BB. It has been sad on many post that BB grows on your decor and substrate, just do a search for someone who has nuked their filter. They almost never go through a full cycle because of the bio media in the substrate and decor.

If you tell people just add a little at a time, until you find your magic number; then what happens when they need to setup another tank ASAP. I say this because most people that over do a tank do so out of lack of knowledge; these same people will end up with a fish that can't live with the other fish, and may need to rehome it; not to mention the need for hospital tanks. I think maybe people should work together and help create a sticky for helping to estimate your bio needs.

I know there is no exact number or formula, but we could give a good starting point that is in the middle. I mean here we are talking about how people over do it, and admitting that a lot of people over do it because they are told to or don't know better. So why not instead of debating come up with a solution.

My thoughts We can combine the Manufactures recommendation with the true equation for calculating gallons of water per fish; the true equation being surface area of the fish. For example if you have a 10gallon tank with 1 tiger barb and you put him in a 500 gallon tank by him self; do you need enough media for 500 gallons? or only enough for the 10 gallons?

 

[NOLAGT]

Only enough for the 10

There's only enough bb to survive off the waste produced.

And it only grows where fresh water flows...so in a tank with no filters and just gravel deco and a power head...it only grows on the surface. Certianly enough for some fish but idk how heavy a load could be put. In a SW tank it's the same...live rock it pretty pourous so there's some good surface area but also deeper in the rock and under the top layer of sand it has a different bb going on that thrives in o2 depleted areas that consume nitrates. I'm shure they have this in FW as well but not acheved in the same way as SW.

 

[MadRussian79]

This simplies supports what I've been saying for years... that bio media is not needed...

I'm confident that a typical aquarium's "bio needs" could be met using powerheads to move the water and allowing bacteria to grow on walls, substrate and decor...

I've seen plenty of tanks fail if the canister dies but the in tank power heads are working so I don't agree. If you have any filter media, carbon, zeolite, mechanical etc. you will have a build up of bacteria on it. You may not need additional bio media but you do need bio media it just dose not have to be dedicated bio media. Aquarium decoration will build up Algae and choke of the bacteria so you have to clean them in such a way that removes algae but not your bacteria. Most people clean at least one large pane of the tank which reduces the bacterial count. The use of a bio media canister or sump will keep you bacterial count stable.

 

[NOLAGT]

I've seen plenty of tanks fail if the canister dies but the in tank power heads are working so I don't agree.

IMO in this scenario I believe since the canister was running that is where most of the bacteria colonized because of better conditions than in the tank maybe better flow of fresh water and/or larger surface area. So when the canister dies majority of the BB go with it...and whats left in the tank, if any, is overwhelmed and the tank crashes. The BB population would re-grow in the tank/deco with time but usually the water gets so bad so fast that all the fish die first. If you didnt have that canister on the tank...the BB would have been more in the tank and deco.

 

[Jgray152]

In order for a tank to sustain its self without external bio filtration, you need to have the bb cultivate in the tank from the start. Remove a canister filter or any filter which houses BB will only allow a spike to happen.

I do agree that to many people use to much unneeded bio media. Especially with sumps. Of course, with sumps when using a large tank for a sump, you have all that room so you might as well use it right? Not saying you need all that bio media but its better than not using wasted space.

 

[yogurt_21]

In order for a tank to sustain its self without external bio filtration, you need to have the bb cultivate in the tank from the start. Remove a canister filter or any filter which houses BB will only allow a spike to happen.

I do agree that to many people use to much unneeded bio media. Especially with sumps. Of course, with sumps when using a large tank for a sump, you have all that room so you might as well use it right? Not saying you need all that bio media but its better than not using wasted space.

who says you need to waste it? I put fish in my 55g wet/dry hooked to my 100g tank, after all there's plenty of room for mollies and platies in there.