Ecobio blocks/rocks to keep aquarium clean. do these actually work? has anyone tried it?

Question

here is their website:

http://www.onedersave.com/eco-bio-rock.htm

Answer 1

Hmm personally I wouldn't trust any chemical additions (and indeed not fish/inverts) to keep an aquarium clean. Good old fashioned weekly partial water changes and elbow grease does the trick, and that doesn't cost me anything (well, apart from essential dechlorinator and would-be water bills if that wasn't included in my rent).

An aquarium is a very very unnatural place for aquatic creatures to leave, the addition of things that absorb/"neutralise" toxic build up of things like ammonia is only a small temporary measure and will never eliminate the need for the old fashioned methods.

The blocks claims about the good bacteria is a bit pointless too. A fully cycled tank should have plenty of good bacteria established without the need for this (expensive) product. Waste of money if you ask me.

Answer 2

haven't tried it, but i'd say to try other things before spending all that cash! (That's nearly £100 where i come from!!)

what it seems to be is basically an oversized piece of aquarium filter material! i think it works in the same way as an undergravel filter- trapping the bad bits and keeping them out of the water.  it's a poor substitution for good filtration, but as an addition, it should be fine.  

personally, i wouldn't use it- it's obviously not chemically inbalanced, or harmful to our fishy little friends, but there's no way i'd pay all that money for a bit of volcanic rock!!!

why don't you try buying some pummice, making sure it's well cleaned and popping that it your tank- it may very well have the same affect :)