Biocube 29 - remove Bioballs or leave them with liverock

estockman · 11/03/2011, 08:08 AM

Hi! I added about 20#s of Fiji live rock to my Biocube 29 about 6 months ago. It looks awesome and is very colorful. My chemistry seems great, but I have not removed the bioballs. I have heard contradicting opinions on that. IMO it seems like there is alot of good bacteria back there and ofcourse some waste. But do I really want to get rid of all that good stuff?

Question: Is it best to start removing them (slowly) or can I leave them in?

fshaqrmman · 11/03/2011, 08:16 AM

The live rock will take the place of the bioballs. So take the bioballs out.

Sugar Magnolia · 11/03/2011, 08:17 AM

Bioballs tend to trap a lot of detritus over time which can lead to high nitrate levels and nuisance algaes. It's best to remove them slowly over the course of a few weeks time so that the beneficial bacteria in your live rock can adjust their population.

estockman · 11/03/2011, 08:24 AM

Thank you all! In its place I think I will put some Cheateau (sp?) and mount a light on the back. I could also get one of those shelf like filters where you can place a number of different items. Thoughts?

Sugar Magnolia · 11/03/2011, 08:27 AM

Chaeto, very good idea. It will help export excess nutrients.

And yes, many people have modified the back chambers to run some GFO or Chemi-Pure.

slowwrx137 · 11/03/2011, 09:38 AM

I just picked up a used Biocube 29 and the first thing I did was get rid of the bio balls. I just made a media rack out of acrylic and egg crate and put that in the middle chamber instead.

jasin401 · 11/03/2011, 10:30 AM

media rack? with what on the rack? can you post some pics? very interested. i took my bio balls out and just put liverock back there. also removed false floors.

Hextall · 11/03/2011, 10:35 AM

Google intank media basket, they ahve some videos/animations on their site for the one they sell.

Basically a three shelved "tower" that you put in chamber two... water flows out of chamber one, into the tower and down through some filter floss (shelve 1), then the next two chambers usually hold some type of filter media (most popular seems to be chemipure elite and purigen).

The ones intank sells are a bit pricey, but very well made. people also build their own (see above) for a much less expensive option.

BowieReefer84 · 11/03/2011, 10:40 AM

Here is a shot of the back of my 29gal biocube:

contest 2 by mteske1, on Flickr

I no longer use purigen. I keep gfo and chemi-pure in the media rack with filter floss on top. If you are not going to run an auto top off I would not recommend the Tunze nano skimmer, as it needs a constant water level. The chaeto could be used in place of the skimmer.

StevieT sells the racks and skimmer cups for biocubes and other tanks. His website is mediabaskets.com

Goodluck!

slowwrx137 · 11/03/2011, 10:56 AM

Here's a picture of the rack I put together with some extra stuff I had laying around. I put a bag of carbon on the bottom shelf, phosguard in the middle, and filter floss/sponge on the top because I had this stuff laying around also. Will probably switch to chemipure when I run out.

jasin401 · 11/03/2011, 01:14 PM

ahh..i see..this is great info..thank you

11/03/2011, 08:08 AM	#1
estockman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 4	Biocube 29 - remove Bioballs or leave them with liverock Hi! I added about 20#s of Fiji live rock to my Biocube 29 about 6 months ago. It looks awesome and is very colorful. My chemistry seems great, but I have not removed the bioballs. I have heard contradicting opinions on that. IMO it seems like there is alot of good bacteria back there and ofcourse some waste. But do I really want to get rid of all that good stuff? Question: Is it best to start removing them (slowly) or can I leave them in?

11/03/2011, 08:16 AM	#2
fshaqrmman Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Mount Pleasant, SC Posts: 133	The live rock will take the place of the bioballs. So take the bioballs out. __________________ 90 Gallon Reef-Ready AGA, 20L Sump, (2) 250W Aqua Medic hqi pendants, Aqua Euro Chiller, (2) Vortech mp10w es, JBJ ATO

11/03/2011, 08:17 AM	#3
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	Bioballs tend to trap a lot of detritus over time which can lead to high nitrate levels and nuisance algaes. It's best to remove them slowly over the course of a few weeks time so that the beneficial bacteria in your live rock can adjust their population. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

11/03/2011, 08:27 AM	#5
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	Chaeto, very good idea. It will help export excess nutrients. And yes, many people have modified the back chambers to run some GFO or Chemi-Pure. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

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11/03/2011, 08:24 AM	#4
estockman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 4	Thank you all! In its place I think I will put some Cheateau (sp?) and mount a light on the back. I could also get one of those shelf like filters where you can place a number of different items. Thoughts?

11/03/2011, 09:38 AM	#6
slowwrx137 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: St Petersburg, FL Posts: 174	I just picked up a used Biocube 29 and the first thing I did was get rid of the bio balls. I just made a media rack out of acrylic and egg crate and put that in the middle chamber instead.

11/03/2011, 10:30 AM	#7
jasin401 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Providence Posts: 252	media rack? with what on the rack? can you post some pics? very interested. i took my bio balls out and just put liverock back there. also removed false floors.

11/03/2011, 10:35 AM	#8
Hextall Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Newmarket, NH Posts: 327	Google intank media basket, they ahve some videos/animations on their site for the one they sell. Basically a three shelved "tower" that you put in chamber two... water flows out of chamber one, into the tower and down through some filter floss (shelve 1), then the next two chambers usually hold some type of filter media (most popular seems to be chemipure elite and purigen). The ones intank sells are a bit pricey, but very well made. people also build their own (see above) for a much less expensive option.

11/03/2011, 10:40 AM	#9
BowieReefer84 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Maryland, 21075 Posts: 409	Here is a shot of the back of my 29gal biocube: contest 2 by mteske1, on Flickr I no longer use purigen. I keep gfo and chemi-pure in the media rack with filter floss on top. If you are not going to run an auto top off I would not recommend the Tunze nano skimmer, as it needs a constant water level. The chaeto could be used in place of the skimmer. StevieT sells the racks and skimmer cups for biocubes and other tanks. His website is mediabaskets.com Goodluck!

11/03/2011, 10:56 AM	#10
slowwrx137 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: St Petersburg, FL Posts: 174	Here's a picture of the rack I put together with some extra stuff I had laying around. I put a bag of carbon on the bottom shelf, phosguard in the middle, and filter floss/sponge on the top because I had this stuff laying around also. Will probably switch to chemipure when I run out.

11/03/2011, 01:14 PM	#11
jasin401 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Providence Posts: 252	ahh..i see..this is great info..thank you