Scrubber pads vs. bio balls

[drgold]

I just traded for a used wet/dry (thanks Syntax!) and it came with plastic scrubbie pads for bio media. Would it be worth getting bio balls to replace them, or are they a good bio media on their own? Is one better than the other? This will be for a 90g mbuna tank and the bio chamber is about 10x10x12." Thanks!!

 

[tuvok]

The information at the following link helped me decide:
http://www.wernersponds.com/biofiltermedia.htm

I use pot scrubbers for my biological filtration.

 

[drgold]

that's perfect, thanks!!!!!

andy

 

[beatle]

I had bio balls in my XP3 and switched to potscrubbers.

 

[Sploke]

I use lava rock in all my filters.

 

[StreetCypher]

I had bio balls in my XP3 and switched to potscrubbers.

Both are poor choices for biological media for an XP3.

Pot scrubbers and bioballs work best when they have access to air, hence their wide usage in W/D filters. For a canister, you would be better off using lava rock, ceramic rings, biomax or the eheim stuff for biological, they offer far more surface area than pot scrubbers or bioballs in that application.

 

[beatle]

I guess you didn't read the link in the 2nd post. Wet/dry filters have inherent advantages over canisters anyway, regardless of the media used. Media such as potscrubbers don't suddenly become ineffective when you submerge them.

I asked about lava rock over at cichlid-forum and the responses I got pushed me to potscrubbers. At the price, it's difficult to argue.