So I recently started thinking that I want to increase the bio diversity of my tank. Which certainly can not hurt. Obviously there is a chance of introducing some bad bacteria and other things but I am thinking positive!! My idea was to purchase some bio balls and spread them around to people in my local reef club who I know have established mostly pest free successful tanks. Let them sit in these peoples systems for a few months, then take them all back and put them in my system.
I reached out to one person who I had in mind, he actually runs a small coral farm, and has a scientific background. He actually told me that the bacteria that would colonize the bio balls would be mostly denitrifying bacteria, which I already have in my system. And if I wanted to diversify I would be better suited to take some tank water from his and other people’s systems.
I guess this makes sense to me? What do you guys think? Are the other types of beneficial bacteria in reef tanks mostly free floating in the water column? Wouldn’t some of this bacteria also colonize the bio balls? I am definitely not opposed to taking some water. Would this be more likely to import bad things into my system than bio balls or live rock rubble? Thoughts?
I reached out to one person who I had in mind, he actually runs a small coral farm, and has a scientific background. He actually told me that the bacteria that would colonize the bio balls would be mostly denitrifying bacteria, which I already have in my system. And if I wanted to diversify I would be better suited to take some tank water from his and other people’s systems.
I guess this makes sense to me? What do you guys think? Are the other types of beneficial bacteria in reef tanks mostly free floating in the water column? Wouldn’t some of this bacteria also colonize the bio balls? I am definitely not opposed to taking some water. Would this be more likely to import bad things into my system than bio balls or live rock rubble? Thoughts?