Block Bio-Filter Media for Marine and Freshwater Aquariums, 8 by 8 by 4-Inch

I can't say enough about these bioplates. I saw these on Bulk Reef Supply in one of their video series and decided to try them on my next tank setup. I now am convinced that every tank should have these in the sump. I work in a LFS that services reef tanks. We have seen a dramatic drop in problems since adding these to tanks. We have begun to replace all blue bioball systems with the plates...its simply no match. The bioplate clearly has a greater surface area for bacteria to colonize to and effectively reduces nitrates due to the massive increase in biological filtration. Anyone looking to run a system with a minimalist type of aquascape should drop a 8x8x4 block in their sump.The only con is that the plates sometimes arrive cracked. Unless you are trying to use these in-sump standing up (like in a Vertex sump) then the crack doesn't cause issues. I used 1/3 of a cracked 8x8x1 plate in my personal Nuvo 38 and the other 2/3 in a client's 55gl. Both tanks saw a dramatic reduction in algae growth after 3 weeks (the time it probably took to colonize). I am no longer getting cyano in the nano tank which has plagued me for nearly a year and that was with weekly water changes (sometimes more). I have even added new fish to the tank finally.

Very practical

Bought the large brick as I have used MarinePure for years. I used 3cft of it in my koi pond shower and used it in multiple fresh water set ups as well. I ordered this for my reef tank and as expected it is a great biological filtration choice. It does its job due to its porous design however it doesn't handle rough shipping well. My brick came broken in half. It doesn't look great but it lost none of its function. I would buy this over and over again in figure set ups without a single concern.

Using the marine pure name is terrible because it gives marine pure a bad name. This ceramic media literally disintegrated in a light rinse- all gone- I have nothing to show for it and can’t use it at all. It only sat in my house for three days before attempting to rent in use and it disintegrates in touch. Please DO NOT BUY, and go for the real stuff in a LFS or use SeaChem Matrix. Absolutely terrible!

I bought this to use in my reef tank. I saw it on a BRS video and they showed how much water it held because of the pore network I was impressed. I put it in my sump in the refugium in a low flow area under a ball of cheato to keep it blocked from the light. I figured having the extra surface area for bacterial filtration couldn't hurt. My nitrates stay around 1ppm. This stuff is very very very delicate. If you squeeze it too hard you get little particles of it coming off in your hands. When I first got it I soaked it in RO water and gentle lifted it up and down to try and get as much loose stuff off as possible and did this with fresh RO two or three times until the water stayed pretty much clear. Basically place this in your sump somewhere you will not be hitting into it or pushing it around and just let it be. This is a great option if your going for a minimal rockscape in the display. I have one 8x8x4 block in the refugium and one 8x8x1 block between a set of bubble baffles on my 90 gallon setup.As far as the aluminum scares. I read all the threads on the forums before buying the blocks. I put them in May 1st.......I had a triton test done last year on 7/21/15 and my Al reading was 0.11ug/l This year 6/12/16 a month after the block was added the Al was 24.93 ug/l. NOTHING in my tank has had ANY ill effects since the addition of the blocks and my tank is loaded with sps.

I love this stuff, I would like some tonga branch looking rock formations made from this if possible.

I can't speak highly enough of these bio blocks. I already had one for my 150 gallon reef that has been in there for nearly 9 months with no issues. I ordered two more since I expanded the system to 270 (added frag tank volume with little-no live rock) gallons total and I can't wait to see how three perform. Please, for the love of God, don't pay attention to these reviews saying it crashed their tank or gave them issues. Yes, it's brittle because it's so porous so you have to be careful. Yes, you NEED to rinse it THOROUGHLY! I rinsed all of mine with RO/DI water in a 5 gallon bucket several times before placing them in the tank and never had any issues or saw any sort of cycle.

A lot of people posted this would come broken. Hoped I'd be lucky but this is what we pulled from the box