Bio balls

[Nirol]

I was gifted a tank. They were using bio balls in the sump. Should I keep them or redo the sump? Thanks!

 

[Bpb]

Redo. No use for bio balls. If they were totally submerged you could replace them with siporax or marine pure balls to actually get some denitrification going on. But the blue or black plastic media is a waste of space. Live rock alone is plenty of nitrification. If you don't replace them, just remove them for better sump flow and less water displacement


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[ca1ore]

Yes, agreed, really limited usefulness in a reef tank. I use some to aid CO2 dissolution in my calcium reactor and fooled around with them in a swamp cooler years ago, but the need for them as bio filtration is better served by rock.

 

[Nirol]

Thanks. Suggestions to put in that area of the sump?

 

[scubadan206]

I have some in my sump. They float just before the return chamber. I'm really only using them to grow benthic style critters on. Sponges, worms, and other things to increase the life in the tank. I have plenty of room...

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Thanks. Suggestions to put in that area of the sump?

Hard to say without knowing the full picture. What other equipment? What livestock will be in the display tank? What's your personal approach and personal preference?

There are a million ways to do this hobby successfully, you have to find something you're comfortable with that fits your system.

 

[scubadan206]

Yeah, what does your system need? If you need more for denitrification, then something for maximum surface area is preferable. If you have enough of that then something for benthic style inverts is a good idea. These critters polish the water and convert unwanted nutrients to food that your corals can use. It doesn't have to be rock BTW. Anything that stuff can attach to will do. For maximum effectiveness some (straight from the ocean) liverock is a good thing. You can have all the things the real ocean has, without having to worry about coral eating hitchhikers. Since it's in your sump and away from your main display.
Daniel.

 

[Rich1Reef]

Bio balls still have uses. They get a bad wrap but they aren't useless. They can and will prevent any type of ammonia spike if they are in a trickle system. I skeptically keep hearing from folks around the area that bio balls and MarinePure in the sump underneath them is some kind of miracle.

Right now my fish are in a 55G while I upgrade to a bigger tank. I busted out the old wetdry and I must say I've been impressed with how that and a 5 gallon bucket growing algae with an LED 5k light is handling the system. Some of my corals that I thought died a while ago are actually growing.

With all that ..... I'm not going that route with the new build though. Just been a little impressed.

 

[Nirol]

Thanks all. I am a pretty seasoned Reefer and understand the cycle, etc but have never used the bio balls. Remember, I was gifted this tank. I broke it down and reset it up the same day. So far all looks fine and I have not yet even connected the sump at all. No cycle occurred although I have made two water changes just to be sure. All livestock and CUC survived the move. (I'm amazed!)

The only critter that I have questions about is the anemone in pic#3 as others have said looked like a BTA in trouble... He was upside down after the move and so I was able to gently nudge him loose and have moved him to a better location. I hope he stays there and he does appear to be better for it.

So if I install the sump and skimmer it is a Sea Clear Wet Dry type so it causes a rain in the area the bio balls were at. I am thinking of just adding Purigen or Chemi-pure packs in that area. Thoughts?

 

[jda]

Definitely keep them if you are going bare bottom and/or are going to have a minimalistic rock scape. Otherwise, they can go if you can handle the N cycle in other places.