Does anyone use bio balls??
- Thread starter sltwtrfan
- Start date
al mc
Active Member
Hopefully you will get someone who likes using them give you some positive feedback. This has been debated here before. The people who like them
generally have a strick protocol for pulling some of them out and cleaning them. They usually clean a portion of them (I have heard 25-50%) of them weekly to keep them from becoming the 'nitrate factories' you referred to in your post.
generally have a strick protocol for pulling some of them out and cleaning them. They usually clean a portion of them (I have heard 25-50%) of them weekly to keep them from becoming the 'nitrate factories' you referred to in your post.
ophiura
Active Member
I would do a search.
Absolutely people use them, they are fantastic at what they are designed to do.
They DO NOT cause nitrate problems, people cause nitrate problems (overstocking, overfeeding, not enough maintenance, little other export).
I would absolutely positively use them on a predator tank. I would use the space for a refugium on a reef tank. They definitely have a use in this hobby.
Absolutely people use them, they are fantastic at what they are designed to do.
They DO NOT cause nitrate problems, people cause nitrate problems (overstocking, overfeeding, not enough maintenance, little other export).
I would absolutely positively use them on a predator tank. I would use the space for a refugium on a reef tank. They definitely have a use in this hobby.
lesleybird
Active Member
I use the big bioballs in my overflows. They do not get dirty and cause nitrate problems because I use micron filter pads on top of them to catch the crud before it gets to the balls. The really big bioballs do not seem to trap the dirt as the spaces between the spike things on the balls are greater than the small balls. The smaller balls look like they would trap the waste particles more. I have them in the overflows half way up to reduce the crashing sound of the water so I do not use the new U tubes in the overflows as I use my overflows as a wet/dry filter. Lesley
nordy
Active Member
I have used them for the past 8 or so years and they work for me and I still use them now that I have switched from FOWLR to a reef tank. I cleaned them for the first time last year and they had a fair amount of algae growing on them. I now clean them about once a month and they are staying very clean. The decreased bioload (gave away that messy dogface puffer!) also helps with tank maintenance and with keeping my CC substrate clean. I also turn off the pumps (I have my pumps on one powerstrip) when cleaning the tube filter in my overflow to keep stuff out of the sump. I do regular water changes and my nitrates are consistently reading 0 everytime I test.
florida joe
Well-Known Member
I have them in my sump for a about seven years they do just what they are suppose to do, provide a large area for nitrifying bacteria to grow, I would not clean them for the first six months you have them in use as to not diminish your nitrification process to much until it is fully colonized search my post on cleaning them. An added plus for me is that I pull some out and use them in my hang on filter in my QT to seed or reseed the the tank of nitrifying bacteria
cowfishrule
Active Member
i have them on my biocube 14. i have yet to clean them (set up 10/07), and my 'trates are constantly 10.
oph said it best. the balls do not cause 'trates, lack of maintainance (sp) does.
oph said it best. the balls do not cause 'trates, lack of maintainance (sp) does.