Bio balls on my sump
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Zen Reeferer
Well-known member
Most folks will slowly remove the bio-balls, a few per day, and replace with live rock. If you remove them too quickly, may cause tank to start the cycling process again.
Hope this helps...
...James
Hope this helps...
...James
spongebob lover
flea whisperer
i agree with Zen dood, just start removing them slowly because otherwise in the long run you'll have troubles with them like you said nitrate factory.
Some people add rocks instead or sometimes chaeto in their sumps.
I don't have anything on my tank more than just my skimmer, my return pump and pretty soon a phosban reactor .
ohh yeah and welcome to RF dood
Some people add rocks instead or sometimes chaeto in their sumps.
I don't have anything on my tank more than just my skimmer, my return pump and pretty soon a phosban reactor .
ohh yeah and welcome to RF dood
Skimmy
SKIM FU
has the 100lbs of live rock been in there a while??
if it has, i'd say it's safe to take your balls off the sump
as long as the bacteria colony is well established in the live rock( been in the tank a few months) and your flow is good enough, you shouldnt have to worry too much about slowly removing the bio balls. as a mattrer of fact the bacteria colonies on the balls are only making the superior bacteria colonies in the live rock compete for nutrients.
if it has, i'd say it's safe to take your balls off the sump
as long as the bacteria colony is well established in the live rock( been in the tank a few months) and your flow is good enough, you shouldnt have to worry too much about slowly removing the bio balls. as a mattrer of fact the bacteria colonies on the balls are only making the superior bacteria colonies in the live rock compete for nutrients.
even though there may be bacteria on the rock, i would still remove the bioballs slowly....the bacteria on the rock will have to catch up to process the extra waste, since some of the nitrifying bacteria was removed...i have my overflows going straight into 2 filter socks...i change them out every 3-4 days...the filter socks and my skimmer are all the filtration that i have..my nitrates are almost zero!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you have to be sure to change out the filter socks every few days , as they will collect detritus and raise the nitrates...
Krish
RF STAFF
Welcome to Rf if I haven't welcomed you already As for the bio-balls, to be safe, I'd remove them slowly. The environment bio-balls are in (a wet/dry environment) makes them very efficient at what they do so I'm sure your tank depends on them to a pretty high degree. Better safe than sorry IMO. Good luck
As for the bio-balls, to be safe, I'd remove them slowly. The environment bio-balls are in (a wet/dry environment) makes them very efficient at what they do so I'm sure your tank depends on them to a pretty high degree. Better safe than sorry IMO. Good luck
Skimmy
SKIM FU
that is plenty. the trick to utilizing the bacteria colonies on/in the rocks is high flow,
you must deliver the nutrients to the colonies in stead of letting it collect into detritus.
k, fine...lol take the balls out slowly:doubt: :lol:
better to error on the side of caution
you must deliver the nutrients to the colonies in stead of letting it collect into detritus.
k, fine...lol take the balls out slowly:doubt: :lol:
better to error on the side of caution
Zen Reeferer
Well-known member
Yes...I'm sure removing the bio balls would be of great benefit.
About the live rock...As long as there is plenty of flow thru/between/behind and around...100 lbs sounds like a great start. (and as long as you think it looks good, too)
...James
Herefishyfishy
Smart Bass
Well my last tank was a 90 with about 200 pounds live rock. Live plants, fish, softys. Had and a wet/dry filter with bio balls that had been running continuously for 5+ years. Took the balls out all at once, was a BIG mistake! Ammonia spiked. Take your time, 25% and watch readings. If all OK, take another 25% out.
Nothing good ever happens fast in a reef tank.
Nothing good ever happens fast in a reef tank.
Krish
RF STAFF
Your 100lbs is sufficient so you don't need bio-balls at all, just remove them slowly so your tank doesn't experience a biological shock... The end product of a wet/dry is nitrates because they have no way of getting rid of them (via denitrification) but your live rock can perform denitrification so I'd just get rid of the bio-balls and let the live rock do their job
LakeEd
Achilles
Mike's (Herefishyfishy) comment about removing about 25%... then monitoring is a very good suggestion.
I would remove 25%... wait a week, test to ensure no Ammonia or Nitrite... then remove another quarter... wait another week... test... and so on, until they are gone.
I would remove 25%... wait a week, test to ensure no Ammonia or Nitrite... then remove another quarter... wait another week... test... and so on, until they are gone.
