LR Bio-balls??

[hot883]

Originally Posted by pohtr
So if LR rubble is used in a wet/dry without bioballs then the nitrate factory problem is resolved? And if so then, why use bio balls at all?
But also, if the bioballs are producing too many nitrates for the LR to keep up with then if the bioballs didn't do that, wouldn't that mean there'd be an ammonia problem instead?
Bio Balls is old technology just like we used to love crushed coral over under ground filters. We now know that this is bad. Live rock is a wonderful filtration device that mother nature started and wow it's worked all these years. Ha!

 

[rumrunner]

So if LR rubble is used in a wet/dry without bioballs then the nitrate factory problem is resolved? And if so then, why use bio balls at all?
Yes, I would think the nitrate factory problem would be resolved if you used LR instead of bioballs. But, you could still have nitrates if you were overstocked and producing too much waste for your LR to handle.
Bioballs can still be useful. They are very good as a filter for a fish only tank. They also are cheaper than filling your tank with expensive liverock and taking up swimming space for fish.
I am setting up a 125g FO tank and I have decided to use a wet/dry with bioballs. I am also going to use some liverock but not enough to handle all my filtration needs. I didn't want to have to take up all the space in my tank with liverock so that I could leave more space for fish to swim. I realize that I will have nitrate build up but since it is fish only tank that is okay as long as I keep them in a safe level for the fish by doing water changes. I am also considering using a refugium also which should help keep the nitrates lower. If I was going to make this tank a reef I would have used all liverock and no wet/dry. So, bioballs still have their use in certain situation.

 

[hot883]

Originally Posted by RumRunner
Yes, I would think the nitrate factory problem would be resolved if you used LR instead of bioballs. But, you could still have nitrates if you were overstocked and producing too much waste for your LR to handle.
Bioballs can still be useful. They are very good as a filter for a fish only tank. They also are cheaper than filling your tank with expensive liverock and taking up swimming space for fish.
I am setting up a 125g FO tank and I have decided to use a wet/dry with bioballs. I am also going to use some liverock but not enough to handle all my filtration needs. I didn't want to have to take up all the space in my tank with liverock so that I could leave more space for fish to swim. I realize that I will have nitrate build up but since it is fish only tank that is okay as long as I keep them in a safe level for the fish by doing water changes. I am also considering using a refugium also which should help keep the nitrates lower. If I was going to make this tank a reef I would have used all liverock and no wet/dry. So, bioballs still have their use in certain situation.
I agree with your post 100%. I just ordered a sump/refugium w/skimmer made for a 150 gal. and I will put it under my 55. I believe the sump holds 12 gallons.

 

[pohtr]

Is it also a good idea (or not?) to have LR rubble under the wet/dry where it is submerged? Would it then work the same as the LR in the wet/dry? Then if there is light added to either one does that change its filter qualities? Does anyone ever use light in their wet/dry? Does it matter?

 

[daytonaree]

beleave it or not it the coraline algae the filters the water not the little holes in the rock the reason bio balls works is because its wet and dry meaning the bio balls are not under water all the time and if you were to put a light on them light the coraline algae would grow and filter much much better. my tank only has a skimmer a 150 with a ASM G4x and lots of liverock with good flow around it. I have be reefing over 10 years and my friend that owns a lfs has a phd in marine bio. and as weird as it sounds grow up with julian sprung they went to school together so I have a good info source.

 

[pohtr]

So why doesn't everyone just skip the wet/dry and fill the area with LR rubble & deep sand and macro algae & have a refugium instead?? Seems a lot cheaper and easier and better to me.

 

[acrylic300]

So I wonder how thick a peice of rubble needs to be to get the anerobic nitrate reducing bacteria going.
I also wonder what effect trickling water over rubble would have? Could the rubble still have anerobic activity even though oxygen rich water is moving over it?
Or better yet what about a seperate compartment where water moves very slowly through the rubble. Like 10 gal. an hour?
Could you use regular driveway limestone gravel? It would eventually be live.

 

[pohtr]

Not only that how big, but how small does a piece have to be to be considered rubble? Why would it have to be rubble anyway? Why not larger pieces in the wet/dry?
Also, what if the trickle doesn't exactly keep all of the bioballs/LR rubble wet? If it trickles in the middle but not on the edges.
I guess none of that would matter if you took out the wet/dry part & turned that area into a refugium.

 

[gebrony]

ok i have a wet dry trickle filter with bio balls and was wondering if my 50+ lbs of live rock in the tank would be able to handle the nitrates?
also thinking of a hang on fuge would that also help with the nitrate prob?

 

[octopus8]

Hey guys,
That was awesome. Anyway, I was curious about my situation. I just set up a 120 with dual overflows, 2 mag drive 12's and a sump. I currently have bio-balls with other media filter stuff. I have only been up and running for a week. Is it ok to go with the bio-balls for a little while and then switch over to having rubble lr like you said earlier? I have 47lbs of very mature lr and 40 lbs of very mature ls in addition right now. I will be adding more lr soon. I was just curious about switching to rubble later down the road?
Thanks