Good biological media?

[Peach02]

So I’ve been researching bio media for a planned tank upgrade (waterbox 190) and originally thought marine pure then read about the aluminium leeching controversy but since most media is ceramic which seems to be the consensus on the cause of leeching currently is there any good media to go with other than the plastic bio balls or rock? If so what would you reccomend and why
Some other options I found where
Mantis bio media plates but also ceramic
Bright well bricks but also ceramic and can’t find them in Australia
So long story short what is a good bio media that dosnt leech aluminium?

 

[lapin]

Reef rock. No matter how many imitations say they are better, nothing is like the real thing.

 

[Reef.]

I use siporax, it’s sintered glass.

 

[Peach02]

Reef rock. No matter how many imitations say they are better, nothing is like the real thing.

What would you do to negate the detritus trap fator?

 

[Larry L]

I'm not convinced that aluminum leaching from ceramic-based is media is that much of a problem, especially if you rinse it well first to get the dust off before putting it in your tank, and don't jostle it around much once it's in there. I've been very happy with my MarinePure blocks and have been running them for many years with no issues. The very first ICP test I did had slightly elevated aluminum reading, which Randy Holmes-Farley said was unlikely to be a problem, and I have never gotten an elevated aluminum reading since then.

I haven't used them myself but I've always thought the Maxspect Nano-Tech Bio-Media balls looked interesting - still ceramic but they are made of very tiny beads all bonded together very securely, so maybe would hold up better in the long run and be less likely to crumble if jostled around than the fired ceramic plates/blocks.

Like @Reef. said, Siporax is also a good non-ceramic option.

 

[taricha]

Aerogel. Maximum pore space per volume.
(Joking, but hmmm....)

 

[Peach02]

I'm not convinced that aluminum leaching from ceramic-based is media is that much of a problem, especially if you rinse it well first to get the dust off before putting it in your tank, and don't jostle it around much once it's in there. I've been very happy with my MarinePure blocks and have been running them for many years with no issues. The very first ICP test I did had slightly elevated aluminum reading, which Randy Holmes-Farley said was unlikely to be a problem, and I have never gotten an elevated aluminum reading since then.

I haven't used them myself but I've always thought the Maxspect Nano-Tech Bio-Media balls looked interesting - still ceramic but they are made of very tiny beads all bonded together very securely, so maybe would hold up better in the long run and be less likely to crumble if jostled around than the fired ceramic plates/blocks.

Like @Reef. said, Siporax is also a good non-ceramic option.

So in your opinion the large bricks of washed properly with RODI water and left Undisturbed in the sump with average flow don’t cause aluminium problems and the leeching is due to the dust?

 

[Larry L]

So in your opinion the large bricks of washed properly with RODI water and left Undisturbed in the sump with average flow don’t cause aluminium problems and the leeching is due to the dust?

It's hard to know if the elevated Aluminum I saw was from not rinsing off all the dust, or if I got the dust rinsed off ok but the block itself leaches a bit after first being put in. Like I said I haven't seen elevated Aluminum in ICP tests since then, so in any case it seems there is not any ongoing leaching.

It's also possible that the initial elevated Aluminum was not from the ceramic media at all, and came from something totally unrelated, but it seems like there is too much anecdotal evidence out there to rule out the ceramic media.

 

[Peach02]

It's hard to know if the elevated Aluminum I saw was from not rinsing off all the dust, or if I got the dust rinsed off ok but the block itself leaches a bit after first being put in. Like I said I haven't seen elevated Aluminum in ICP tests since then, so in any case it seems there is not any ongoing leaching.

It's also possible that the initial elevated Aluminum was not from the ceramic media at all, and came from something totally unrelated, but it seems like there is too much anecdotal evidence out there to rule out the ceramic media.

Okay thank you for your input, have you had any issues with LPS or sps?