How many bioballs are needed?
- Thread starter rumrunner
- Start date
lion_crazz
Active Member
If you are going to do 125 lbs. of live rock in a 125 gallon tank, why not just get 20 to 25 more lbs. of rock and nix the bio balls. It would be more natural and you would not run into problems with the bioballs giving off nitrates. That is how I have my 75 set-up (with a heavy bioload). In the space where the bioballs would be, I have chaetomorpha algae growing in there, with about 5 to 6 lbs. of rubble rock throughout the wet/dry.
rumrunner
Member
I keep getting conflicting information regarding using a wet/dry versus just LR and fuge. I have a reef that runs with zero nitrates using just LR and a fuge, but the bioload is low.
I know LR is good as a filter but I have a hard time believing it can handle the large load of big, messy fish. I am sure if I had enough LR it could handle it but I don't want a tank filled with LR with no room for the fish to swim. Also, if I understand the use of macroalgae in a fuge it is for nutrient transport (decreases nitrates, phosphates). It does nothing to break down ammonia and nitrate. Am I correct in this? So if I use a wet/dry it will work with my LR to break down ammonia, nitrate with the end result nitrates. Now I know HIGH nitrates are not good, but for a FO they are fine if you keep them within acceptable limits. I don't plan to have corals or any nitrate sensitive invertabrates.
That is why I planned to go with the wet/dry. But, if someone has more knowledge than me I am always willing to listen.
Thanks for the input.
I know LR is good as a filter but I have a hard time believing it can handle the large load of big, messy fish. I am sure if I had enough LR it could handle it but I don't want a tank filled with LR with no room for the fish to swim. Also, if I understand the use of macroalgae in a fuge it is for nutrient transport (decreases nitrates, phosphates). It does nothing to break down ammonia and nitrate. Am I correct in this? So if I use a wet/dry it will work with my LR to break down ammonia, nitrate with the end result nitrates. Now I know HIGH nitrates are not good, but for a FO they are fine if you keep them within acceptable limits. I don't plan to have corals or any nitrate sensitive invertabrates.
That is why I planned to go with the wet/dry. But, if someone has more knowledge than me I am always willing to listen.
Thanks for the input.
tapeworm
Member
I went through the same dilema. I called a couple manufacturers or Berlin and W/D and they all told me to go with wet/dry.
I am building a berlin sump right now, DIY, with two bioballs towers that are removable.
My plan is to run the bioballs and gradually take one of the towers out, see what happens. I can either take the second one out as well or put them back in.
I am building a berlin sump right now, DIY, with two bioballs towers that are removable.
My plan is to run the bioballs and gradually take one of the towers out, see what happens. I can either take the second one out as well or put them back in.
moto757
Member
well I have been frunning the fuge for 2 weeks now and my nitrates dropped almost to 0 from about 40 that is pretty good considering my trigger is as messy as a 2 yr old and spits stuff every where he goes and eats the eel is pretty messy too about 14 in zebra and a 3in trigger a purple tang and some others which are by no means neat If you think of another fish messier then a trigger which will cause more waste i don't know but I don't run the bio balls and won't no more as long as I run a fuge with my sump so if you are worried about a heavy bio load and don't think it will work with out bio balls do some more searching on here about them and you will see not too many people like them
rumrunner
Member
Moto,
I understand what you are saying.....yes, fuges are great for decreasing nitrates. But, from what I understand fuges do not break down ammonia, to nitrite, to nitrate. LR and wet/dry provide that biological filtration. I am concerned about the fish load exceeding the capacity of the LR alone to handle the waste produced. Can someone else clear this up for me?
I understand what you are saying.....yes, fuges are great for decreasing nitrates. But, from what I understand fuges do not break down ammonia, to nitrite, to nitrate. LR and wet/dry provide that biological filtration. I am concerned about the fish load exceeding the capacity of the LR alone to handle the waste produced. Can someone else clear this up for me?
lion_crazz
Active Member
Yeah, just run both of them. Just be prepared to wash the bioballs every so often because of all the live rock you are going to have. If you do not, they may start to give off nitrates themselves. Wash around 1/3 of them once per month when you are doing a water chnage (wash them in the dirty tank water so that you don't wash off the bacteria.)