Any ideas? In place of bioballs. (UPDATE: Including Images)

I have an acrylic sump that was included with a setup purchased from Craigslist. I refuse to use bioballs, but because of it's design, it's difficult not to use them. Any ideas? I'll include some images as soon as possible. Thanks.

EDIT: Updated with images.





As you can see, the chamber is twice the size.

 

you could buy some chaeto to help out. LR rubble works well too

 

live rock rubble is a great alternative

 

if your not in a giant hurry to set things up and you want a reef, you could sell the filter system separate on CL yourself...and get a tank and baffle it how you want

 

So you want to use the bioballs? or you dont?

Bioballs are unliked by many people..One reason i know why is because they are maintenance and need to be cleaned everytime you do a water change. Not sure of any other reason, but im sure some one can tell you others.

If you are not wanting to use bioballs, you can use LR rubble. It will do the same thing as bioballs, but they are more beneficial IMO. I mean, you gotte ask your self this question? Would you rather use a man-made product that has some success? or a natural made rock that has been proven successful for man thousands of years?

 

If it didn't come free, I'd pickup a 55. I have a DIY 20 long on my 92.

 

Live rock rubble is no better than using bio balls. They both do the same thing in a wet/dry filter. Neither accomplish what live rock in the tank does and both catch too much detritus and need to be cleaned often. It's like neutering a wet/dry and still having to clean it.

Because of the design and how it works it is hard to convert the media chamber to anything else. You can grow cheato in it and that isn't bad, but sand or other stuff usually does not work. Once most remove the bio media... all it is is a sump with a spot for a skimmer.

 

The particular design of this sump makes it a challenge to work with. The bio ball chamber is double the height of the sump itself. If I were to remove the chamber, it would be nothing more than a 20 long. Hmm... I had no intentions to use it from the start, but couldn't pass up the fact that it was included free.

 

Can you put a pick up? Any way to modify it before you get your system running. A wet/dry came with my system too.... I had to sawsall it out of the cabinet when I got my sump/fuge going ;D

 

I'll toss up an image this afternoon.