What is better to use then bio balls??

Hi, i should be expecting a 14g biocube any day now...ive been reading a lot on how bioballs can become a problem....I will be putting live sand and rock in the bio cube to start....but is there something thats better and more affective then the bio balls??

 

live rock and cheato!


all thou if used correctly bio balls are fine

 

what is cheato...sorry im pretty new into the whole sw world

 

hahah no problems man thats what we are here for! Cheato is a macro algea that feeds off nitrates and helps keep the water quality up

 

also keep in mind that you dont put cheato where ur bioballs are. cheato is photosynthetic and needs light to survive. Usually people will put it in a sump or refugium.

Now if u want to replace the Bioballs, you can put live rock rubble in the area where the bioballs normally go.

 

IMO leave the bio-balls in. Just be sure to clean them every other week. You could replace them with live rock rubble but without CUC to clean it you face the same problems. In reality you could take them out and leave that area empty if you want a no mainenance area there.

 

i started with a 14 nano,and used bioball in a large net bag,so they were easyier to pull out and rinse every fewweeks or so.They work fine but if left unattended they will gather to much (junk)for the good bacteria to feed on and become a nitrate and nitrite trap

 

I used the ceramic rings. They come in net bags to start. When I did a water change I would just take them out and shake them off in the dirty water. Don't use them now, but didn't have a problem with them when I did.