Question on Bio-balls
- Thread starter ray8fish
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This is actually perfect because in about 2-3 months I am looking to upgrade my 55 to a 75 or 90.
Does anyone have any more useful info on transferring tanks that they could throw in?
Does anyone have any more useful info on transferring tanks that they could throw in?
Other than.....why are you using bio-balls? In a reef tank? Throw them away right now......Who told you too use them?
You have live rock right? Without know what kind of tanks you have, I am guessing it is a reef tank.
Live rock is all you need....so in tour 240g I would expect to see 300 pounds or more of rock.
You have live rock right? Without know what kind of tanks you have, I am guessing it is a reef tank.
Live rock is all you need....so in tour 240g I would expect to see 300 pounds or more of rock.
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Should you replace the bio balls with any type of filter media or just leave the chamber empty?
I have used bio balls for a breakwater before when I had a small sump and the bubbles were bad. However it was only about 10 or 15 of them. I had a full box so I rotated clean ones through every week and bleached the others to keep them clean and free of gunk.
As far as I know, that goes for any filter floss-type media, including sponges. They'll accumulate bacteria and become a nitrate farm, so keep them clean or, better yet, have spares to rotate through while you clean the old ones.
As far as I know, that goes for any filter floss-type media, including sponges. They'll accumulate bacteria and become a nitrate farm, so keep them clean or, better yet, have spares to rotate through while you clean the old ones.
Yup- George is right. Bio-balls themselves aren't the problem -it's the buildup of gunk, which can happen with anything.
Current theory is to remove anything that can cause buildup and let nature (the live rock) do it's thing. The skimmer extends water change intervals without having another filter to clog anything...
Current theory is to remove anything that can cause buildup and let nature (the live rock) do it's thing. The skimmer extends water change intervals without having another filter to clog anything...
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Thanks for the info. My 55 gallon has about 80+ lbs. of live rock so I know I have that covered. I had already planned on cleaning my bio balls this weekend so I will definately make sure I do that now.
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The thing is, my tank always tests 0 for nitrates. I guess the theory is get rid of them before they're a problem?
Dude..you have rock.....why do you want to hold on to them....they part of the family? 
It OK to throw them away...Go ahead, you can do it.....the theory is, (in fact it is a fact) you don't need them in a reef tank....who ever sold you bio-balls must either
1.) live in 1996 or
2.) have stock in the bio-ball business.
I would say 99.9993% of the membership will support this claim and most likely you 2 guys are the only ones with balls in your tank?
Get them now, take them now, and freaking throw them out..and I mean this in a good and supportive way.
It OK to throw them away...Go ahead, you can do it.....the theory is, (in fact it is a fact) you don't need them in a reef tank....who ever sold you bio-balls must either
1.) live in 1996 or
2.) have stock in the bio-ball business.
I would say 99.9993% of the membership will support this claim and most likely you 2 guys are the only ones with balls in your tank?
Get them now, take them now, and freaking throw them out..and I mean this in a good and supportive way.
washowi;42399 wrote:
I would say 99.9993% of the membership will support this claim and most likely you 2 guys are the only ones with balls in your tank?
there is a multitude of puns in this statement, but seriously though Washowi is right, bio-balls are from an older age of reefkeeping
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Castrate the TANK! Remove those balls!
I personally don't use bioballs and I do agree that you could do without them and should remove them.
But... a simple word of caution: remove them a little bit at a time. Taking them all out at once could cause your system to crash. Taking them all out at once might be the removal of more de-nitryfying bacteria than your system could handle at one time. It might not crash if you remove them all at once, but there is that possiblity so be cautious.
I think its interesting though that your nitrates are undetectable ... and I know you're thinking "if it ain't broke perhaps there's no need to fix it". I have a suspicion though that your tank will still test at zero nitrates even after you remove the balls. It will be better off that way since areas that trap gunk are not just nitrate factories, but also phosphate factories which is far worse than nitrates anyways.
G'luck.
I personally don't use bioballs and I do agree that you could do without them and should remove them.
But... a simple word of caution: remove them a little bit at a time. Taking them all out at once could cause your system to crash. Taking them all out at once might be the removal of more de-nitryfying bacteria than your system could handle at one time. It might not crash if you remove them all at once, but there is that possiblity so be cautious.
I think its interesting though that your nitrates are undetectable ... and I know you're thinking "if it ain't broke perhaps there's no need to fix it". I have a suspicion though that your tank will still test at zero nitrates even after you remove the balls. It will be better off that way since areas that trap gunk are not just nitrate factories, but also phosphate factories which is far worse than nitrates anyways.
G'luck.
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washowi;42399 wrote: most likely you 2 guys are the only ones with balls in your tank?
That's just funny. LOL!I have began to remove them, a little at a time. Just so you know.....thanks for the input!
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