from balls to plants?

mastertech

mastertech

Member
OK. so i have a large sump under my 125 tall reef tank and about 25 gallons of it is filled with bio-balls. i would like to get rid of them and convert it into a refug. but i dont know that i sould do it all at once. i was thinking i could partition off half of that area of bio-balls and clear out one side. then add the refuge plants and light it up and let it get further established. instead of elimination the whole area in conversion and possibly sending the tank is some sort of shock.
still new at this (a little over one month of owning a 3 yr established reef tank, search my prior post if that is not clear)
bring on the info!!
 
cherylann

cherylann

Member
Get rid of the bio balls they really are not doing anything any way, that should start the bio ball debat again. Watch water parameters, do a H20 change, a day later. Make sure what ever you put in sump or refugium has been seeded. Live sand with some sand from your display tank and live rock with cheato is good.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
IMO go slowly, take out 1/4 of the balls then test for ammonia for a week. Have enough water mixed and available to do a 50% water change if needed. Your bio balls are part of your biofiltration and you don't want to disrupt that too violently. If after a week your ammonia and nitrite readings are stable take out another 1/4 and start the week over again. do this until all the balls have been removed. You want the sand and rock in your tank to build up enough bacteria to take over for the bacteria that you are removing with the bio balls.
 
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