Bio Ball Question

[Salty D-O-G]

If they are completely submerged by water can they still be a Nitrate Factory? Thanks in advance.

Jerry

 

[matts125]

yeah they pretty much always are...

they are great for cycling a tank but garbage after it is cycled


Matt

 

[moortim]

Yes, as far as I know they produce nitrate any time they approach water.:lol:

 

[cwby416]

You may have increased your nitrates simply by thinking about bio balls!!!! :lol:

 

[Jnance]

wait a minute, so are you telling me i should take the bio balls out of my tank? (13 month old cycled tank)

 

[matts125]

wait a minute, so are you telling me i should take the bio balls out of my tank? (13 month old cycled tank)

what are your Nitrates at?
I dont recomend them at all..

Matt

 

[cwby416]

what are your nitrates at Jnance?

 

[moortim]

Regardless of what your nitrates are at I would say get rid of the bio balls, they aren't helping any.

Tim

 

[Jnance]

i just tested and looks like they are riding a little under 15 ppm

 

[saltguy21]

Remove them in portions. In other words, remove 1/4 of them each week for a month.

 

[moortim]

A 13 month old tank should read practically 0 nitrates, the bio balls can contribute to this.

 

[Jnance]

gotcha gracias

 

[matts125]

yeah take em out....

Matt

 

[Pikachu]

why does everyone have to hate on bioballs=(. They are one of the better filtration mechanisms for FOWLR. u must admit they are great for reducing amonnia to nitrate.. but i guess if u are running a reef... slowly take them out =(

 

[cwby416]

but what good are they after they get you to the nitrate phase??

 

[Pikachu]

not much.. but im just saying.. they do a good job of getting rid of amonnia

atleast they are blue... instead of a crappy brown color or somehting

 

[Scooterman]

LR with a good skimmer is much more efficient than bio-balls. I would just yank them out, all of them one quarter at a time over a day or two, just make sure you have enough LR first, get rid of the problem, & clean the container they were kept in then do a WC. Be done with it!

 

[Krish]

If they are completely submerged by water can they still be a Nitrate Factory? Thanks in advance.

Jerry

Pretty much yes...They have no anaerobic zones so nitrates will always be their end product. With them in a wet/dry environment, they are just more efficient at nitrification because they are exposed to highly oxygenated water, but still either way, they cannot perform denitrification

 

[Salty D-O-G]

Ok as a few of you know I have pondered on this Nitrate thing for a few threads now and have been slowly removing the "Balls". I use the Aqua Medic Turboflotor Hang On Protein Skimmer T-1000. It is by far the best skimmer I have used to date but, should I then use a UV sterilizer also once all the Bio balls are out and 2 I do have a good amount of coraline algea will it actually explode in growth once it takes over for the bio balls? Thanks

Jerry

 

[Scooterman]

You can get mixed opinions on a UV, I don't run one but doesn't mean you should or shouldn't have one IMO you don't really need it if you change your water & remove Detritus & blow your rocks clean often enough. The coralline won't take over for the bio-balls; the LR bacteria will take over after your tank balances out.