used sump & bioballs?

[cordell]

While at the LFS today, I told the lady I was looking for a used tank for my sump. She showed me this acrylic tank that had been used for a sump on one of her big tanks. It has been torn down since, and the bioballs and all were dry. She sold me the thing for $50, which I thought was good. However, she only had a few leftover bioballs that hadn't been used, so she gave me the unused ones and told me to take the ones that were already used in the sump, and put them in hot water and wash them off that way. Is this a good idea to use the same bioballs that she used? I know it might be a good thing if they were still in water, but they are dried out. I was wondering if this could have any good/bad effects to my tank? My main tank is a 75g with 120lb aragonite sand so far, no live sand or live rock yet (gotta get the sump and overflows complete first).. I managed to get the water in there without disturbing the sand at all, but after the salt, it is pretty cloudy.
I have 3 maxijet7s and one minijet400 stirring it all around in there... I know it probably won't clear up until I get the skimmer going.
Should I use anything like a biowheel filter? I don't want anything to be HOB except the overflow.
sorry for the long post.. had a lot of new questions since I Finally got it all setup.. and got this used sump and not sure about the bioballs.
thanks!!
cordell

 

[thomas712]

Originally posted by cordell
Is this a good idea to use the same bioballs that she used? I know it might be a good thing if they were still in water, but they are dried out. I was wondering if this could have any good/bad effects to my tank? Should I use anything like a biowheel filter?
thanks!!
cordell
Like she said, just clean them in hot water just to get the dust and any debris off of them. I don't see any problem using them at all, eventually they will become coated with your bacteria.
Good effects/Bad effects.
Nothing drastic should happen, you will most likely increase your dissoved oxygen, and process waste alot faster with the increase in oxygen. If they ever seem to get dirty just clean a few handfuls every now and again. Use a filterfloss changed weekly or biweekly and they should stay fine for several months.
About the only bad thing I see happening is one of those crazy bio ball hating crack addicts coming out of the woodwork and saying "NO way dude, bio balls?, no way dude"
Strongest argument I have heard of not using them is simply to have your bacteria grow on your rocks and sand and not the bio balls.
good luck
Thomas

 

[cordell]

yeah I'm still wondering if maybe I should just use the bioball area as a refugium later on down the road.. since the sump doesn't really have room for a refugium, and I don't have room under the stand for another tank(refugium).. I have heard good and bad things about the bioballs and I don't want anybody to start debating on that again. I had actually decided against using them, but she had this for such a great deal. Would I just be better using it as a refugium, or bioballs? If I use bioballs, I most likely will not be able to have the fuge.
thx
cordell