Taking out bio balls :S

*~aeris~* · 09/17/2006, 02:26 PM

I have a 125g aggressive setup with a DIY wet/dry with lots and lots of bioballs. I've never had any problems with ammonia/nitrite but as you may already imagine, the nitrates are killing me (well my fish really). So I was thinking of taking out the bio balls to grow chaetomorpha. I know you should take them out slowly but I should start growing the algae and I don't have the space. My question is, could I just leave all the bio balls floating around the sump so I don't lose the bacteria and then start taking them out slowly? Or should I stay with bio balls or just leave some ? I'm scared because my fish are really messy eaters

please help!

thanx

20reefer · 09/17/2006, 04:25 PM

take thems out slowly and add the chaeto, the liverock will take of the bioload

Pablo

mg426 · 09/17/2006, 06:03 PM

Agreed.

*~aeris~* · 09/17/2006, 06:05 PM

so... leaving them floating won't work? and still getting the bio balls out slowly?

20reefer · 09/17/2006, 07:25 PM

No because what is producing the nitrates are the bioballs and then you will have the chaeto fighting agaist the nitrates that are producing your bioballs and the nitrates that produce your fishes. If you take out the bioballs then the chaeto will fight only a little amount of nitrates and is more easy to solve your problem.

BLockamon · 09/17/2006, 08:40 PM

First off, do you have enough live rock to handle the bioload? The chaeto won't help with ammonia or nitrite...only nitrate. If not, you will need to keep the ball or add live rock (after curing it in a separate container).

I'd recommend removing about 1/4 of the balls a week until they are all gone...then add the cheto. Another option would be a nitrate filter using either Caribsea No-NO3 or Seachem de*Nitrate. There is a link to a simple DIY filter setup on the Caribsea website that should work well.

scarpenter · 09/17/2006, 08:43 PM

this is totally in a different direction....but I substituted LR rubble for my bio balls. No nitrate problems, with the bacteria happy and my fish.

*~aeris~* · 09/17/2006, 09:20 PM

thanx for all your replies! I'll check into de nitrate filter... and nope I don't think I have enough LR

that's why I'm worried.
thanx again

Tyrinius · 09/18/2006, 09:28 AM

I agree with Blockamon.

09/17/2006, 02:26 PM	#1
~aeris~ Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Puerto Rico Posts: 31	Taking out bio balls :S I have a 125g aggressive setup with a DIY wet/dry with lots and lots of bioballs. I've never had any problems with ammonia/nitrite but as you may already imagine, the nitrates are killing me (well my fish really). So I was thinking of taking out the bio balls to grow chaetomorpha. I know you should take them out slowly but I should start growing the algae and I don't have the space. My question is, could I just leave all the bio balls floating around the sump so I don't lose the bacteria and then start taking them out slowly? Or should I stay with bio balls or just leave some ? I'm scared because my fish are really messy eaters please help! thanx

09/17/2006, 06:03 PM	#3
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	Agreed. __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

09/17/2006, 04:25 PM	#2
20reefer Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico Posts: 660	take thems out slowly and add the chaeto, the liverock will take of the bioload Pablo

09/17/2006, 06:05 PM	#4
~aeris~ Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Puerto Rico Posts: 31	so... leaving them floating won't work? and still getting the bio balls out slowly?

09/17/2006, 07:25 PM	#5
20reefer Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico Posts: 660	No because what is producing the nitrates are the bioballs and then you will have the chaeto fighting agaist the nitrates that are producing your bioballs and the nitrates that produce your fishes. If you take out the bioballs then the chaeto will fight only a little amount of nitrates and is more easy to solve your problem.

09/17/2006, 08:40 PM	#6
BLockamon Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,104	First off, do you have enough live rock to handle the bioload? The chaeto won't help with ammonia or nitrite...only nitrate. If not, you will need to keep the ball or add live rock (after curing it in a separate container). I'd recommend removing about 1/4 of the balls a week until they are all gone...then add the cheto. Another option would be a nitrate filter using either Caribsea No-NO3 or Seachem de*Nitrate. There is a link to a simple DIY filter setup on the Caribsea website that should work well.

09/17/2006, 08:43 PM	#7
scarpenter Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Tupelo, MS Posts: 436	this is totally in a different direction....but I substituted LR rubble for my bio balls. No nitrate problems, with the bacteria happy and my fish.

09/17/2006, 09:20 PM	#8
~aeris~ Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Puerto Rico Posts: 31	thanx for all your replies! I'll check into de nitrate filter... and nope I don't think I have enough LR that's why I'm worried. thanx again

09/18/2006, 09:28 AM	#9
Tyrinius Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 108	I agree with Blockamon.