removing bio balls??

genzod66 · 01/27/2008, 02:16 PM

how should i remove them,slowly?also water comes in over prefilter,then over balls,if i remove them ,still use the filter media tray for mechanical?thoughts for converting??

HumbleLobster · 01/27/2008, 02:41 PM

How long have the balls been in there? If they have an established biological base already, you should slowly be removing them and replacing them with rubble or whatever else you are replacing them with. Do this slowly so you don't cause an increased load on your filtration system.

I'd still use the prefilter area for mechanical filtration, since you only want the rubble to preform biological filtration, not mechanical.

atvdave · 01/27/2008, 03:00 PM

Like TheHumbleLobste said remove them slowly if they have been in there for some time.

Also on the filter media. If it's nitrates that your wanting to reduce and the filter media is a filter sponge type then yes, remove it also.

Or if you want to keep it you could purchase a 2nd one and just keep swapping them out every other week. Wash the one you take out in a washing machine like you do filter socks.

But if you don't nitrates will start to increase from the filter sponge as well.

01/27/2008, 02:16 PM	#1
genzod66 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 385	removing bio balls?? how should i remove them,slowly?also water comes in over prefilter,then over balls,if i remove them ,still use the filter media tray for mechanical?thoughts for converting??

01/27/2008, 02:41 PM	#2
HumbleLobster Should be Quarantined Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tucson Posts: 432	How long have the balls been in there? If they have an established biological base already, you should slowly be removing them and replacing them with rubble or whatever else you are replacing them with. Do this slowly so you don't cause an increased load on your filtration system. I'd still use the prefilter area for mechanical filtration, since you only want the rubble to preform biological filtration, not mechanical.

01/27/2008, 03:00 PM	#3
atvdave Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Newburgh, IN Posts: 1,763	Like TheHumbleLobste said remove them slowly if they have been in there for some time. Also on the filter media. If it's nitrates that your wanting to reduce and the filter media is a filter sponge type then yes, remove it also. Or if you want to keep it you could purchase a 2nd one and just keep swapping them out every other week. Wash the one you take out in a washing machine like you do filter socks. But if you don't nitrates will start to increase from the filter sponge as well.