bio-balls

[tiffbritty]

do you have to change the bio-balls in the wet/dry filter or can you clean them, if so how do you clean them? happy holidays

 

[slick]

You don't have to change them you can clean them. I don't know if you would want to clean them in the water from the sink because the chlorine in the water would kill the bacteria.

 

[broomer5]

tiffbritty
If you see tan/gray dusty build up on the bioballs - you can clean them.
As slick said - you don't want to use freshwater or tapwater.
You want to protect the living bacteria on the surfaces of the bioballs.
When you do a water change - simply remove "some" of the bioballs out of your wet/dry, and swish them around in the bucket of old removed tankwater.
Preferably while this old tankwater is still warm.
After you swish the crud off of them - place them back in your wet/dry.
Next water change - clean a few more off same way.

 

[gregzbobo]

Or if you have a bunch of live rock in your tank, you can remove the bio-balls completely. A few at a time though. I replaced mine with some base rock. Had the rock, had the room, so why not?

 

[danrw84]

do bioballs go in sumps?
ive got a 29 gal and im making a 20 gal sump with hang on fuge..would i benifit from bioballs in the sump?
ive got 35-40 lbs lr and 40 lbs ls

 

[tiffbritty]

thanks for the info, i will clean them when i do my next water change. happy holidays

 

[gregzbobo]

Bioballs go in sumps yes, but are not required. If you don't maintain them, the nitrate levels in your tank can go up. Your better off in my opinion putting some less visually appealing live rock in the sump.

 

[fishy88]

dont clean them!!!!!
the bio balls have all of your bio load in them i.e. the bacteria.

 

[coraltrapper5020]

I have a wet dry with bio balls. Under the chamber of bio balls I have micro algea and sand, Let by a 18 watt NO light thats on 24/7. It's working for me. No nitrate built up yet its been running like this for about 2 months.