Bioballs or Reef Octopus or Bubble magus???????

[cryotek74]

I am working on the new tank set up. My set up came with 2 1x1x1 biocube boxes. I noticed that they are not that popular when looking at most tanks I have seen posts for. So what are the recommendations on either the reef octopus line or Bubble Magus??? i've att a pic of my sump. Aquarium is 135 gal.

 

[steve&mari]

Both of them are great skimmers I've had reef octopus before and run a bubble Magnus and love it. Can't really go wrong with either brand.

 

[Robertchrisroph]

Nice sump design

 

[cginter]

Can't go wrong with reef octopus. Also bulk reef supply carries skimz and handles all the warranty issues. That's another good brand out there.

 

[cryotek74]

Shoukd i keep the bioballs and put a power skimmer in the sump and run both?

 

[steve&mari]

I've never used bio balls I've always used liverock instead. But I don't see why you can't run a skimmer with them also.

 

[cryotek74]

Im going with live rock in the aquarium as well.

 

[Harold Green]

I have two bubble magus skimmers and they work well and I think they are available for half the cost of the reef octopus skimmers. Last year I bought a bm220A rated for 390g for around $249. Only disadvantage I see with them is that they have an internal pump which means more of an issue with cleaning or replacement. That said mines been running for over a year without any problems.

 

[cryotek74]

So should I run BOTH bioball cubes(2) and a power skimmer??? I'm looking towards the future and the goal is soft and hard corals along with a bunch of colorful fish(i know Duh!) I want to set the tank and filtration system up properly now for long term success.

Thanks for all the help and comments so far and in the future.

 

[steve&mari]

As I said I've never used em but from reading people say bio balls can be nasty if not maintained adding nutrients to the system something good liverock usually isn't adding extra nutrients. It can leach some out but less then old bio balls from what I understand.

 

[cryotek74]

Is there anything that would be beneficial to put in place of the BIOBALLS and that area of the sump? I've got the space might as well use it if I can.

 

[Twomuchless]

Look up seachem matrix

 

[soeminpaing]

Marinepure block are quite popular.

 

[1fishjones]

I'll second the Marine pure. If you look into them you'll find there isn't anything close in surface area needed for hosting bacteria.

 

[Salty0331]

Reef Octopus for sure......I have had both and the RO is a beast! They have rock solid equipment....imo. For what it's worth.....loose the bio balls after tank cycles.....they are nitrate factories. If you get plenty of LR they won't be needed.

 

[Harold Green]

I don't want to knock the bio balls either but most of us quit using them over 30 years ago. Live rock works much better. Besides the water cascading through the bio balls is fairly loud. Build your own sump with a large refugium and you'll get better water treatment from it.