Removing bio balls

[jumeda33]

Hi, I am not sure if this is the right forum. I have a 150 gal. reef sys. with about 175 - 200 lbs of rock. Set up for 2 years. I have the filter system with the bio ball and the drawer that pulls out to put the filter pad in and the trickle pipes that stick out horizontally and that sponge that seperates the two compartments. I am planning on using elbows and plumbing the pipes straight down. The question is should I put live rock in there and micron socks? What do I do about the sponge. It looks like it filters the crap that sits below that grate that the balls sit on before the water goes to the other area where the main return pump is. Not sure what is best. Any advice would be great. If you need more info I will be happy to provide it.
Thanks,
David

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Welcome to Reef Fronteers!
Fish only or corals, and if corals sps?

 

[jumeda33]

Thank you. Fish, Corals both hard and soft, leathers, hammer, frogspawn, riccordia, anemonies, etc.. I guess a little bit of everything.
Thanks,
David

 

[Herefishyfishy]

If using a sponge as a first stage filter, be sure to clean it daily. The sponges and bioballs are best removed. They are good for converting fish waste into nitrates, but better to not have nitrates if raising corals. Do the reduction gradually.
OK, here are a couple threads where the subject of removing bio-balls is discussed.

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31034&highlight=removing+bioballs

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35432&highlight=removing+bioballs

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33643&highlight=removing+bioballs

(Edit addition) Most on your coral list are more tolerant of nitrates than many. The Ricordia seem to gobble it up. Be that as it may, the purer the water (free of pollutants) the healthier the corals, and the brighter the colors.

 

[jumeda33]

Thanks Fishy. Just to clarify. The water comes out of the trickle pipes onto a filter pad that sits in a drawer that you pull out to change it. The water then goes over the bio balls to the bottom and then through that blue sponge that we have all seen get real nasty. Seems like that sponge is what is keeping all the crap that is on the bottom of that side of the filter from getting to the other side where my return pump is. My concern is if I no longer have that sponge to block that open area, what keeps that crap from going from under the balls over to my main pump?
Thanks,
David

 

[Herefishyfishy]

The entire system of a trickle filter is designed to break wastes down into nitrates. The trick is to remove the gunk from the water before the bacteria has a chance to break it sown into soluble pollutants. Getting particles through a pump hurts nothing. If concerned about removing detritus without the use of a protein skimmer, use a filter sock and keep it cleaned daily.

 

[returnofsid]

As fishy said, Wet/Dry filtration is great for a Fish Only tank, but a nightmare for reef tanks. That sponge and those bioballs quickly become a nitrate factory. One of the most critical parts of a reef tank is very low to zero nitrates.

In a typical reef tank, good quality live rock, live sand and a quality skimmer is all the filtration you'll need.

 

[sandollar]

If ain't broke, why fix it? Any reason for wanting to change things? Replacing bio-balls with live rock would be pointless if you continue to use the wet/dry. Better to leave the established bio-balls in than to consider the change to live rock.

 

[returnofsid]

Sanddollar, because he has a reef tank and bioballs are a HUGE nitrate factory, which will have a very negative effect on his reef.

 

[jumeda33]

Returnofsid,

If I take out the drawer with the filter pad that collects the water from the trickle pipes and I take out the balls and the grate that they sit on and have one empty chamber, then just pipe with 90's just part way down and finish with the old trickle pipes still going downward into the water, will that help with noise and will I create bubbles? I was told that it will create micro bubbles in the tank. I am also wanting to get rid of the nasty sponge. I thought maybe by plumbing all the way down into the water it wouldn't make any noise that way. I was also thinking of putting one or two pieces of rock from my tank in that chamber.
Thanks,
David

 

[sandollar]

Sanddollar, because he has a reef tank and bioballs are a HUGE nitrate factory, which will have a very negative effect on his reef.

Returnofsid, yes, I am aware that wet/dry's are considered nitrate factories. Not impossible to have a nitrate free tank having one though. Not very common these days, but possible if you are experienced enough.