Bio Balls

joemck · 05/06/2009, 06:03 AM

How important are bio balls? I have been running a 65 RR tank with about 100 lbs of LR and it seems to be fine. I have a sump but no bio balls. Only a filter and charcoal.

ihopss · 05/06/2009, 06:34 AM

100 LB of LR will be good for your bio filter,so do not use the balls.

Whys · 05/06/2009, 07:55 AM

This is one of the few resolved debates in reef-keeping. Bioballs do you no good. That's what the liverock is for.

thegrun · 05/06/2009, 08:14 AM

Use the space in the sump for a refugium, not bio-balls! Setting up a refugium was the single best thing I've done for my tank. It lowers my nitrates to near zero and stabalized my PH.

Ranchhand02 · 05/06/2009, 08:14 AM

I have bioballs in my sump. Should I remove them and just add more live rock to my sump?

thegrun · 05/06/2009, 08:19 AM

Bio balls will add nitrates to your tank, so yes, I would remove them. If you have quite a few, you may want to remove 1/2 or 1/3 at a time to allow the bacteria on your live rock to multiply and compensate for the removed bio-balls. Live rock or better still, a refugium is a better way to go.

Michael · 05/06/2009, 08:48 AM

They are very efficient at what they do, but they will clog up with detritus and create nitrates if not cleaned regually. if you take them out of the filter or sump and wash them in tank water every couple of months then they will be ok, but we are learning more and more now through reports from reefers who use them that a reef aquarium just doesnt need them and indeed the bio-balls can be a hinderance.

best to not use them if your considering a full blown reef with inverts and corals, if fish only and you dont mind cleaning the tank regually then fine.

Superstretch18 · 05/06/2009, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Michael
They are very efficient at what they do, but they will clog up with detritus and create nitrates if not cleaned regually. if you take them out of the filter or sump and wash them in tank water every couple of months then they will be ok, but we are learning more and more now through reports from reefers who use them that a reef aquarium just doesnt need them and indeed the bio-balls can be a hinderance.

best to not use them if your considering a full blown reef with inverts and corals, if fish only and you dont mind cleaning the tank regually then fine.

Nitrates from bioballs do not come from accumulated waste, although that is possible too.

Bioballs don't have any anerobic areas, so the nitrate that they produce has nowhere to be broken down. Live rock can support the appropriate bacteria to break waste all the way down to Nitrogen gas...

Michael · 05/06/2009, 09:00 AM

ive used them before and never saw nitrates, and always kept them clean, a lfs near me has a massive amount as main filteration running dozens of reef tanks with litrally hundreds of corals in them, his levels are 0, he cleans them as well, i understand and agree with your comment, but it does seem strange that its possible to keep nitrates low if they are used providing they are cleaned.

dont get me wrong id never consider using them now as with the discovery of live rock and our learning about flow and lighting nothing else is needed, fwiw they are nitrate traps and id never suggest toi any reefer they were a good idea, just saying if they are used and not allowed to accumalate waste in on and around them they can be useful outside reef aquaria.

my lfs wouldnt agree though and he even trickles water through his, he has a tube about 6 ft tall and 2-2.5 ft round it is packed with them and water is trickled through as part of his filteration, ive never seen tanks in such beautiful condition as his, i questioned him about it and he said hes been using them for donkeys years and providing they dont get dirty he doesnt get any problems. i was quite amazed at the water quality in his reef tanks and would never have believed it if i never saw it for myself, strange really, still im happy without them.

Whys · 05/06/2009, 09:06 AM

Let us all join hands and sing KUMBAYA.

Superstretch18 · 05/06/2009, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Whys
Let us all join hands and sing KUMBAYA.

And you thought we all agreed! LOL!

At least we can agree that we shouldn't be using them!

...oh Lord, kumbaya.

stanlalee · 05/06/2009, 09:21 AM

Nitrates are intentionally the end result of bioballs. they are designed and placed specifically to harbor ammonia and nitrite processing aerobic bacteria (hence wet/dry and placement above the waterline) with the end result being nitrates. Many tanks have bioballs without nitrates but its not because bioballs dont produce them, they are just being broken down somewhere else in the aquarium. If they arent producing nitrates they arent working correctly.

joemck · 05/06/2009, 02:47 PM

so to boil it all down......

bio balls = bad

live rock = good

Cool!!

Thanks everyone!!

05/06/2009, 06:03 AM	#1
joemck Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 6	Bio Balls How important are bio balls? I have been running a 65 RR tank with about 100 lbs of LR and it seems to be fine. I have a sump but no bio balls. Only a filter and charcoal. __________________ Forgive Instantly. Current Tank Info: 65 RR

05/06/2009, 08:48 AM	#7
Michael NTTH Rookie Help Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gloucester, England,UK Posts: 7,808 Blog Entries: 6	They are very efficient at what they do, but they will clog up with detritus and create nitrates if not cleaned regually. if you take them out of the filter or sump and wash them in tank water every couple of months then they will be ok, but we are learning more and more now through reports from reefers who use them that a reef aquarium just doesnt need them and indeed the bio-balls can be a hinderance. best to not use them if your considering a full blown reef with inverts and corals, if fish only and you dont mind cleaning the tank regually then fine. __________________ Don't be afraid to ask questions, we in the new to the hobby are here to help you [For My Tank Spec,Photo Album,Articles and website, click on my name] MY Very Kindest and Warmest Regards , MIKE Current Tank Info: I have a 92 gal Corner Tank, and way too many pieces of equipment to list really, (proud member of the reef central corner club)

05/06/2009, 09:00 AM	#9
Michael NTTH Rookie Help Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gloucester, England,UK Posts: 7,808 Blog Entries: 6	ive used them before and never saw nitrates, and always kept them clean, a lfs near me has a massive amount as main filteration running dozens of reef tanks with litrally hundreds of corals in them, his levels are 0, he cleans them as well, i understand and agree with your comment, but it does seem strange that its possible to keep nitrates low if they are used providing they are cleaned. dont get me wrong id never consider using them now as with the discovery of live rock and our learning about flow and lighting nothing else is needed, fwiw they are nitrate traps and id never suggest toi any reefer they were a good idea, just saying if they are used and not allowed to accumalate waste in on and around them they can be useful outside reef aquaria. my lfs wouldnt agree though and he even trickles water through his, he has a tube about 6 ft tall and 2-2.5 ft round it is packed with them and water is trickled through as part of his filteration, ive never seen tanks in such beautiful condition as his, i questioned him about it and he said hes been using them for donkeys years and providing they dont get dirty he doesnt get any problems. i was quite amazed at the water quality in his reef tanks and would never have believed it if i never saw it for myself, strange really, still im happy without them. __________________ Don't be afraid to ask questions, we in the new to the hobby are here to help you [For My Tank Spec,Photo Album,Articles and website, click on my name] MY Very Kindest and Warmest Regards , MIKE Current Tank Info: I have a 92 gal Corner Tank, and way too many pieces of equipment to list really, (proud member of the reef central corner club)

05/06/2009, 02:47 PM	#13
joemck Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 6	so to boil it all down...... bio balls = bad live rock = good Cool!! Thanks everyone!! __________________ Forgive Instantly. Current Tank Info: 65 RR

05/06/2009, 06:34 AM	#2
ihopss Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Gilmer,tx Posts: 751	100 LB of LR will be good for your bio filter,so do not use the balls.

05/06/2009, 07:55 AM	#3
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	This is one of the few resolved debates in reef-keeping. Bioballs do you no good. That's what the liverock is for.

05/06/2009, 08:14 AM	#4
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Use the space in the sump for a refugium, not bio-balls! Setting up a refugium was the single best thing I've done for my tank. It lowers my nitrates to near zero and stabalized my PH.

05/06/2009, 08:14 AM	#5
Ranchhand02 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 532	I have bioballs in my sump. Should I remove them and just add more live rock to my sump?

05/06/2009, 08:19 AM	#6
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Bio balls will add nitrates to your tank, so yes, I would remove them. If you have quite a few, you may want to remove 1/2 or 1/3 at a time to allow the bacteria on your live rock to multiply and compensate for the removed bio-balls. Live rock or better still, a refugium is a better way to go.

05/06/2009, 09:06 AM	#10
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	Let us all join hands and sing *KUMBAYA.*

05/06/2009, 09:21 AM	#12
stanlalee Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: hampton roads, va Posts: 1,799	Nitrates are intentionally the end result of bioballs. they are designed and placed specifically to harbor ammonia and nitrite processing aerobic bacteria (hence wet/dry and placement above the waterline) with the end result being nitrates. Many tanks have bioballs without nitrates but its not because bioballs dont produce them, they are just being broken down somewhere else in the aquarium. If they arent producing nitrates they arent working correctly.