Bio Balls

[Pass]

I am new to the maintaining of a marine tank. I have been told by several experienced aquarium owners that I should remove my bio balls from the sump. Do they serve any beneficial purpose?

 

[Dylan]

Take them out. They are created to build of beneficial bacteria, but over time it is harmful. In a reef tank, live rock sustains enough biological filtration that you don't need bioballs. Take them out, it will save you some future annoyances. If your tank is already established, take them out slowly.

 

[Pass]

Will do.. The tank has been running for about 7 months; so I will do it gradually. Thanks!!

 

[beaslbob]

I use a wet/dry on my 55g for the last 7 years or so. nitrates and phosphates are unmeasureable.

What is important to me is to get macro algaes in there to consume the nutrients.

 

[Ike]

I use a wet/dry on my 55g for the last 7 years or so. nitrates and phosphates are unmeasureable.

What is important to me is to get macro algaes in there to consume the nutrients.

Tht can work with some systems but others just can't keep up with how much extra nitrate a wet/dry can produce.

 

[Yellowtang]

Wet/dry filters don't produce extra nitrates. They just process amonia faster than live rock because of the oxygen rich enviroment. Then not having the anerobic capacity to turn nitrates into nitrogen gas the nitrates have to travel to the live rock or macro algaes to be processed. If you don't have enough of these two nitrate reducers you will have a problem with nitrates. Wet/dry's are extreemly efficient at what they do, they just don't finish the job.

JR,

 

[Wy Renegade]

In truth, bioballs properly maintained and serviced are just as effective, if not more so than live rock at the process of converting ammonia into nitrite and nitrite into nitrate. Unlike live rock, they will not convert nitrate into nitrogen gas, as they lack the anaerobic area of LR.

Proper maintanence and service requires that a portion (generally 1/2) of the bioballs be removed monthly and rinsed in freshly mixed saltwater and then returned to the sump. Many fail to keep up with the required maintance, and because of trapped organic debris, their systems nitrite or nitrate level rises.

Many aquarists remove the bioballs, and replace them with live rock rubble, thinking that they are circumventing the maintance issues - and for a time period they do. In reality however, the pores of LR can become filled with the same debris that caused problems with the bioballs, and the same issues can occur with LR rubble. Generally, if you replace the bioballs with LR rubble, it is still recommended that you occassionally remove and rinse the rubble to prevent clogging.

 

[fsu1dolfan]

I have a 29 biocube that had bio balls in it too....once i took them out and transformed it into a refuge with some chaeto and pods....my tank has been way more stable. No worries with anything other than cal/alk/mg

 

[HighlandReef]

also make sure you have enuff LR in the tank to support the system when you remove the bioballs

 

[soccerbag]

I had a fairly bad nitrate problem when I had my bio balls. I did not clean them regularly as it's almost imposssible to get all of the gunk out of them. I ended up taking them out and instantly saw a NO3 decrease. Not that they were the major cause...but I and the tank seem much happier without them.

 

[ilovereef]

if you dont take care of them, they do more harm than good, they are benefical if well maintained. If you have live rock in your system, you don't really need them.

 

[Fragged_it]

The day I removed mine was the first day of the rest of my life