Bioballs outcompeteing LR?

[clayswim]

Moot? I don't think so, I think that how close bacterial populations hover towards the maximum value in a LR vs LR+W/D system can give us a good deal of insight into the basics of what is occuring here...

I consider it moot because in both cases you have bacterial populations only large enough to support the ammonia in the water. Both convert ammonia and nitrite to safe levels, and both are capable of scaling their populations up and down based on bio-load; so in that sense the argument is moot What's of importance is the ability of either to support a sufficient anaerobic population capable of reducing nitrates.

They are both very "natural" processes

I don't consider water trickling over plastic balls natural, but to each his own I guess... lol. The ocean uses so many ways to process waste that we can't begin to recreate it, but bacteria living in live rock is very much part of it. Wet/dry filters lining the shore are not. That was my point. Bacterial conversion inside rocks happens in every reef in the world; and in every body of water for that matter. When we grow bacteria in trickle filters we're changing the equation a bit by creating an environment with unnaturally high dissolved oxygen. Looking at the enormous scale of the ocean one can only assume that tidal areas have very little impact on the ecosystem concerning ammonia and nitrites.

Clayton

 

[MikeS]

Why kick a man when he's down???

I figured when you fell off the log, that would be embarassment enough .

You are too kind Nikki, I take back all the bad stuff I ever said about you, even the stuff you never actually heard me say... :lol:

I'm thinking my DSB will be boxed up and in the mail on its way to your front door before I fall off the log.... :lol:

I thought the silent treatment would have been the better approach this time. Oh, by the way, next time you quote me, can you at least spell my nick right?

Actually, I LOVE the silent treatment....umm, on second thought, I had better not go down that road... Sorry about the mistype on the name, fat fingers ya know...hope you can forgive me there, Rikki....

MikeS

 

[Krish]

We've all talked about bio-balls outcompeting LR and that they shouldn't be used together because one will out-compete the other. What about this refugium containing bio-balls:
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...duct_Code=ECO-SYS2410AM&Category_Code=Special

 

[MikeS]

Is this something you are looking at purchasing? If so, you can build a same size sump/fuge that will work just as good for a heck of a lot cheaper than $360....I see it's got bioballs and "miracle mud"....do a search here on miracle mud and see what you come up with...

MikeS

 

[MikeS]

here's some info on Miracle Mud...

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3364&highlight=miracle

 

[Krish]

No, I wasn't thinking on buying it. I just remembered seeing it while I was looking at some refugiums and thought it might add to the debate. I remember mentioned being made on using bio-balls in combination with LR, which turned out to be useless, but here they are providing another combination of using bio-balls in conjunction with miracle mud and caulerpa.

 

[clayswim]

When submerged bio-balls are almost worthless, and so is half of that refugium in my opinion.

Clayton

 

[Krish]

LOL...It's probably just a marketing strategy to make the system look appealing.