New Tank + Wet/Dry Sump w/ BioBalls? (Cycling)

[scytale]

(I know Wet/Dry Bio-Balls have been discussed ad naseum already but...)

I'm setting up my first saltwater tank this weekend, and I can get a good deal on this used wet/dry sump tank...

I'm planning on a FOWLR tank to start (though I don't have any LR yet)--and maybe switiching to a reef tank next summer...

**Is it better to remove the bioballs now, before I even steup the tank?
Or should I leave the balls in place while the tank cycles--then gradually remove them as I add LR?

My "setup" right now is very limited: just a 55 gallon tank, 1 bucket of "live" sand, and 1 small powerhead from my old FW tank and that's about it.

(My brother-in-law is going to donate some PC lighting and a protien skimmer to "my cause" in 1-2 weeks but I want to fill my tank now and start cycling ASAP.)

I've read about the "nitrate factories" BB can become in reef tanks (but that they could be fine for use in FO tanks???)

How does their presence impact tank-cycles?

Would Bio-balls be beneficial or detrimental while the tank is still cycling....?


And if it IS better to remove them all now---what should I put in their place?
(I haven't seen the sump tank in person yet--but from the picuture it looks like it could use a bettter bubble trap instead of bio balls...)

 

[Scooterman]

LR is what you should use, & a good skimmer! It is best to not use them & just go with the rock, by the time they start doing anything you should have some rocks in there. Soak the sump in vinegar & it will clean up well! You can't cycle without the rocks except some with the sand, & will cycle again with any additions of LR so try & get most in there asap & if you add later do it in very small amounts if you have fish inside & test frequently. We mostly recommend using Saliflert test kits, Nitrite, Nitrate, ph, & ammonia for FOWLR!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

They will cycle, but better to have your live rock cycle and not have the tank dependant on the bacteria on what will be removed later. Pull them ALL out now and replace with an in sump protein skimmer.

 

[IAP Brian]

That looks like an older style Blue Sierra sump. The bio-balls can be usefull for 3-4 months if you are starting with uncurred and unclean rock. However, I think you would be better off to pull out the balls and fill the compartment with base rock (that chamber can also be nice for filter media like carbon, ect...) Scooter & HFF pretty much said the rest.

 

[Krish]

Welcome to RF! IMO, it's better to start with live rock as suggested, otherwise when you add it later, you will have to cycle the tank all over again and depending on what livestock you have, you may have to remove the more sensative fish if you get any spikes in ammonia etc. The bio-balls as Brian suggested can be used for a while, but eventually, they will become a nitrate factory and will have to be removed otherwise you will have unwanted nuicance algae. In a FO setup, the fish can tolerate nitrates to an extent, but you will have to keep up with water changes to prevent them from getting too high. If you decide to go to a reef setup later, you will have to spend quite some time working off all those nitrates as corals and inverts are more sensitve to them. If it were me, I'd start out without any bio-balls and get some live rock

I've read about the "nitrate factories" BB can become in reef tanks (but that they could be fine for use in FO tanks???)

I've never heard of that before, infact it's the opposite when using something like crushed corals in a shallow sand bed which can shoot up nitrates if not taken care of properly. BB doesn't create nitrates, it actually helps prevent an accumilation of them by allowing you to keep any waste/detritus into suspension to be skimmed off, mechanically removed, or used up by corals rather than settling inside a sand bed. It's when you have some shallow sand beds where there isn't enough depth for denitrification to take place in an anaerobic zone, nitrates can shoot up if the detritus is allowed to settle and rott there degrading water quality. DSB's are the only ones that can perform denitrification (because of the anaerobic zones) but they too have to be taken care of properly so as to not disturb these regions. I've personally never been nitrate free until I went bare bottom and a lot of people tend to switch over to bare bottom because of the ease in taking care of the tank and keeping waste to a minimum.

HTH some and good luck!

 

[scytale]

Thanks for all the info everyone!

Krish-- sorry when I said "BB nitrate factory" in my post-- i meant "Bio-Balls" not "Bare-Bottom" tank--I'm still a noob.

Anyways, apparently my seller promised the sump to someone else!

So now I'm back to square-one.
Looks like I'm going the DIY route (use a clear plastic container--or maybe that 10 gal glass tank sitting in the garage)--I guess now I can skip the bio-balls altogether though!

 

[Krish]

Sounds good man...You'll be happy you skipped the bio-balls anyways. Trust me...I used them on my first setup and I ended up leaving the hobby out of frustration because of nitrates! Hope you get sorted out

 

[Skimmy]

EDIT; oops, i didnt see that you didt get it...lol