bio balls

R

Reef4Fun

New member
I have been reading different things about bio balls, and I'm sorry if there have been many threads about the subject. But I feel that I need my question answered for me from you guys, I trust your opionions. I have been getting the cyano (red slime algae) lately. It may be where my 96watt dual actinic's wore down to nearly nothing (I read cyano likes that kind of light) but yesterday I received my new 130watt dual actinic's, and WOW does the tank look great! Anyway, I still need to up the flow (I have two returns and a SCWID, it's not enough) I was wondering if removing the bio-balls would be helpful. I cleaned the filter media, which I do every week. I would like to replace the bio-balls with either filter media or live rock. I do not have a fuge, but at this time I do not have the means for one due to needing a proper light for it. I was thinking of using filter media, because If I use live rock I will need to raise the water level in the sump to cover the rock completely, if I do this then if there is a power outage and the pumps quit, the water will overflow my sump. As it is now, when the pumps quit, the water stops about 4 inches from the top of the sump. I know I did a lot of rambling, but if anyone understands my question and can help, I would appreciate it.
Thanks
 
<insert perverted comment here>

Bio-balls serve a dual purpose of breaking up the water as it falls into the sump to 1. help with gas-exchange, 2. to break up bubbles, so you dont get them into your tank.

Yes they also give bacteria a good surface area to thrive and grow, but then agin so does LR and Filter Media. For my sump I used 4-5 bioballs sitting on a huge wad of filterstuffs. But that just makes it look more....homemade! XD Well theres my worthless 2cents worth.
 
The reason people refer to bio balls as "nitrate factories" is that they convert ammonia -> nitrite -> nitrate which is released back into the water column. At this point it requires some other type of export to remove the nitrate (water changes/macro algae growth/etc..).

The bacteria that convert nitrate into nitrogen gas require an oxygen poor environment. Live rock and sandbeds have these areas deep inside (anoxic areas) that harbor the bacteria that can convert nitrate into nitrogen gas.

Also bio balls trap lots of detritus. If you do want to use bio balls I would rinse them in saltwater as often as possible. The problem with filter media is just as bio balls it entraps detritus.

Filter media is fairly easy to rinse so it can provide a great nutrient export. The problem is, it requires you to rinse out the media frequently to rid the tank of whatever it traps. I would try and rinse biweekly if possible.

How much live rock do you have in the main tank?
If 1-2 pounds per gallon I would be confident that you have plenty of area for nitrification to happen and have no need for anything in your sump. Keeping your sump free of items makes it easy to siphon out any detritus or anything else that settles.

If you have cyano I would try to increase the water flow, decrease nutrient import and increase nutrient export. Its general advise but im sure there is some way you can implent one of the above into your tank.

Also when you do water changes after siphoning all the normal areas use just the hose and siphon off all the cyano that you can.

With all this said sometimes newer setups go through a cyano phase that burns itself out fairly quickly.

I'm not sure if this answered your question...
 
Also if I was you and wanted to easily increase water flow I would ditch the SQWD. They rob your water flow and are horribly inefficient devices.
 
I was just thinking and hopefully my last post didnt come across really rude. I try to give honest and direct suggestions.
 
really,

i just read last night, that sand is or can be better than rock, and that rock is better than bio balls many times over.


the problem listed with rock was coraline algea covering it, other wise iv read that rock is the best.
 
WOW I can't add anything to Matt's post.
I've never used bio balls so I can't comment on them but I completely agree with this
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8204929#post8204929 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MattG
How much live rock do you have in the main tank?
If 1-2 pounds per gallon I would be confident that you have plenty of area for nitrification to happen and have no need for anything in your sump. Keeping your sump free of items makes it easy to siphon out any detritus or anything else that settles.

If you have cyano I would try to increase the water flow, decrease nutrient import and increase nutrient export. Its general advise but im sure there is some way you can implent one of the above into your tank.

Also when you do water changes after siphoning all the normal areas use just the hose and siphon off all the cyano that you can.
Click to expand...
really,

i just read last night, that sand is or can be better than rock, and that rock is better than bio balls many times over.


the problem listed with rock was coraline algea covering it, other wise iv read that rock is the best.
Click to expand...
:lol: If it's the article I'm thinking about, well, lets just say don't believe everything you read ;) The "expert" author is a little biased when it comes to sand beds he just can't explain how one works.
Most agree rock is better than bio balls but the reefers I consider knowledgeable didn't buy his "theory" about coralline coverage or sand.
 
Well, I have a 120 tank with about 160 lb of live rock. I don't have a deep sand bed, it is about 1 inch thick. I don't like the really deep sand beds as they tend to look nasty against the glass, IMO. I am really wanting to save for a TUNZE 6100, and put the SCWD in my 45 hex. Oh, and Matt, I certainly do not think you are being rude at all. I appreciate everyones help.
 
Oh, forgot to add, I have now ventured into sps, so I really want to get this whole bio-ball, ammoinia, nitrate thing right.
 
Personally I never bought into the "nitrate factory" crap myself. All my tanks have bio-balls in them and I have no nitrate in them.
not all tanks are the same though.
 
I don't believe that light spectrum has anything to do w/ cyano at all. Its simply caused from too many nutrients in your tank, do water changes using a turkey baster or power head to blow off the waste and cyano into the water column, this will make your tank very cloudy, while its in suspension, do a 20-30% water change. Do this everyday until its gone, and run your skimmer very wet after the change for a couple of hours. Also, don't use any of that cyano remover, its like spraypainting over rust IMO. Bioballs will make no difference in this matter also IMO, you could take them out and be just fine.
 
Thank you, this info is very helpful. I have been taking a long handled scraper and swishing the cyano around and catching it with a net the best I can, it makes a difference. The rest is caught in the filter after the tank clears. I am so lazy with my water changes, I hate to admit. My tank is 120 gal and I don't have any large enough containers besides a 10 gal one, to catch my ro/di water in, so this makes it difficult to do larger water changes. (this and the fact that I am lazy) But, I just need to get another bucket and start doing this correctly.
Thank you everyone.

Oh, one more question. I have been adding chlorine remover in my ro/di water, is this correct to do?
 
Adding a dechlorinator should not hurt anything but is very unnecessary.

Just in case you are wandering the carbon filter is what removes the chlorine. If the carbon filter was not removing the chlorine completely it would damage your RO membrane in no time.
 
ahhh, ok, I didn't know that. Well, thats one less expense I need now, lol. When does the di unit need replaced, or the inside "stuff" need replaced?
 
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