N
newreefers
Guest
I am removing the bio balls, but now the sound of the water falling is really loud. Is there something else to put in there??
T
thomas712
Guest
Do what Carole said and also raise your sump level.
Thomas
Thomas
N
newreefers
Guest
in the pic I have drawn a red line in the hose, it attaches to the 90 on the top, how would I extend this down through the drawer area with the blue line on it?? This is where the trickle part happens, and I run poly in the drawer.
wester97
Member
well, what is on the inside of the lid? is there any way you could attach another piece of tube?
or you could get a piece of plastic tubing and make it long enough to go from the bottom to the top and up into the 90 a bit. You dont need all of the wather to flow in it, bc if it isnt attached to the 90 some will flow on the outside and inside of the new piece of tubing .... make sense?
or you could get a piece of plastic tubing and make it long enough to go from the bottom to the top and up into the 90 a bit. You dont need all of the wather to flow in it, bc if it isnt attached to the 90 some will flow on the outside and inside of the new piece of tubing .... make sense?
komet
Member
I dont understand why you need to remove bio-balls. The lfs in my area has 2 beautiful 300 gallon show tanks which have been runnning for over 6 years with the original bio-balls. They consistently test their nitrates and have never had a reading over 5. Im sure you can get by without them in some instances, but It is not necessary to remove them IMO.
N
newreefers
Guest
I'm removing them because I am fighting a huge nitrate problem. I had my tank for 6 years with no problem, then started using the wet/dry and now have a big problem, I have tried everything to get rid up the nitrate. My problem started with the bio balls, so removing them may stop the problem.
T
thomas712
Guest
Old post
Pros of bio balls.
First off, these little guys are great for starting a tank, they help tons in the cycle by breaking down the more toxic ammonia and nitrites into the less toxic nitrates and keep the oxyegen high.
Bio balls offer more surface area than an equal amount of a replacement item like liverock.
They have far more ability to oxygenate the water than liverock.
The more oxegen supplied to the process results in a faster reaction capability of the filter to change the breakdown process.
The amount of surface area contained in bio balls supports a far greater amount of nitrifying bacteria, The amount of nitrifying bacteria in any system is dependent on two factors here. The amount of food supplied and the amount of surface area available. Due to the round shape with the little spikes these little balls have much to offer in surface area.
With maintanance; to repeat; With maintanance these bio balls have a lot to offer any wet/dry sump application. They are not a bomb waiting to go off, they are not nitrate factories anymore than any other mechanical filter.
Cons of bio balls.
The do tend to get dirty, therefore they will collect a certain amount of slime and junk on them. This leads to a nitrate buildup. In larger amounts the nitrates can lead to a problem, typically nitrates above say 30 ppm.
This initself is the cheif complant about them and the big con that everyone talks about.
One of the big reasons that people change or remove the bio balls is to go to a more natural type of filtration. The other is that they do not want to hassle with cleaning them.
Bio balls are not the only way to filter the water. Liverock will work in its place by upping the water level in the sump and using it much in the same way you would in the main tank. Others just replace them with liverock rubble and let the water splash over them, but in my opinion this is not as efficant as the bio balls. Also my opinion that if liverock rubble is used without raising the water level the rock itself will still get as dirty as any bioball and will need cleaning itself, but since I have not personally gone this route I can not speak from any experience on the liverock in the sump.
In the end it is the one who owns the system who must decide how or what method they will choose to filter the water. What ever the choice is the goal is the same, to achieve excellent water conditions.
Anyone with a reef tank or saltwater tank must have a method of removing nitrates. Some just feel safer without the bio balls
Hope that helps some, and I hope that I did justice to both sides.
Thomas
If a nitrate problem are your bio balls dirty, is there a pre filter floss in place? Are you over feeding? Are you using a skimmer and is it working to peak efficancy? Water changes?. Adding anything to the tank that is introducing the nitrates? or would cause more nitrates?
Many like to have the bacteria on the rocks and sand instead of running bio balls like Broomer5 for one. (where has he been latley?)
Your replacement of the poly filter depends on water conditions. Usually it will turn a dark brown and then either needs to be cleaned or replaced.
Thomas
Pros of bio balls.
First off, these little guys are great for starting a tank, they help tons in the cycle by breaking down the more toxic ammonia and nitrites into the less toxic nitrates and keep the oxyegen high.
Bio balls offer more surface area than an equal amount of a replacement item like liverock.
They have far more ability to oxygenate the water than liverock.
The more oxegen supplied to the process results in a faster reaction capability of the filter to change the breakdown process.
The amount of surface area contained in bio balls supports a far greater amount of nitrifying bacteria, The amount of nitrifying bacteria in any system is dependent on two factors here. The amount of food supplied and the amount of surface area available. Due to the round shape with the little spikes these little balls have much to offer in surface area.
With maintanance; to repeat; With maintanance these bio balls have a lot to offer any wet/dry sump application. They are not a bomb waiting to go off, they are not nitrate factories anymore than any other mechanical filter.
Cons of bio balls.
The do tend to get dirty, therefore they will collect a certain amount of slime and junk on them. This leads to a nitrate buildup. In larger amounts the nitrates can lead to a problem, typically nitrates above say 30 ppm.
This initself is the cheif complant about them and the big con that everyone talks about.
One of the big reasons that people change or remove the bio balls is to go to a more natural type of filtration. The other is that they do not want to hassle with cleaning them.
Bio balls are not the only way to filter the water. Liverock will work in its place by upping the water level in the sump and using it much in the same way you would in the main tank. Others just replace them with liverock rubble and let the water splash over them, but in my opinion this is not as efficant as the bio balls. Also my opinion that if liverock rubble is used without raising the water level the rock itself will still get as dirty as any bioball and will need cleaning itself, but since I have not personally gone this route I can not speak from any experience on the liverock in the sump.
In the end it is the one who owns the system who must decide how or what method they will choose to filter the water. What ever the choice is the goal is the same, to achieve excellent water conditions.
Anyone with a reef tank or saltwater tank must have a method of removing nitrates. Some just feel safer without the bio balls
Hope that helps some, and I hope that I did justice to both sides.
Thomas
If a nitrate problem are your bio balls dirty, is there a pre filter floss in place? Are you over feeding? Are you using a skimmer and is it working to peak efficancy? Water changes?. Adding anything to the tank that is introducing the nitrates? or would cause more nitrates?
Many like to have the bacteria on the rocks and sand instead of running bio balls like Broomer5 for one. (where has he been latley?)
Your replacement of the poly filter depends on water conditions. Usually it will turn a dark brown and then either needs to be cleaned or replaced.
Thomas
N
newreefers
Guest
"""If a nitrate problem are your bio balls dirty, is there a pre filter floss in place? Are you over feeding? Are you using a skimmer and is it working to peak efficancy? Water changes?. Adding anything to the tank that is introducing the nitrates? or would cause more nitrates?
Many like to have the bacteria on the rocks and sand instead of running bio balls like Broomer5 for one. (where has he been latley?)
Your replacement of the poly filter depends on water conditions. Usually it will turn a dark brown and then either needs to be cleaned or replaced."""
Here is my routine...
bio balls not dirty, I keep them clean and there are two pre filters the water goes through before getting to the balls.
There are pre filter sponges on both overflows which are changed out and cleaned every 3 days.
Skimmer is working great, emptying every 2 days.
The poly in the drawer gets changes with the sponges every 3 days.
I only feed every other day, only what can be eaten and not letting any sink to the bottom.
My lights are less than 6 months old.
I am just assuming the bio balls are the problem, they are what is different in my system.
If you have any other ideas, I am ready to hear them since I am at my wits end with this problem.
As you can see from the pic, almost all balls are out, been doing it very slowly, do you think I should put them back in???
Many like to have the bacteria on the rocks and sand instead of running bio balls like Broomer5 for one. (where has he been latley?)
Your replacement of the poly filter depends on water conditions. Usually it will turn a dark brown and then either needs to be cleaned or replaced."""
Here is my routine...
bio balls not dirty, I keep them clean and there are two pre filters the water goes through before getting to the balls.
There are pre filter sponges on both overflows which are changed out and cleaned every 3 days.
Skimmer is working great, emptying every 2 days.
The poly in the drawer gets changes with the sponges every 3 days.
I only feed every other day, only what can be eaten and not letting any sink to the bottom.
My lights are less than 6 months old.
I am just assuming the bio balls are the problem, they are what is different in my system.
If you have any other ideas, I am ready to hear them since I am at my wits end with this problem.
As you can see from the pic, almost all balls are out, been doing it very slowly, do you think I should put them back in???
T
thomas712
Guest
Thats just doesn't sound right
Floss and poly every three days How dark do they get? Sometimes its over a month before I change my poly filter. I'll see if I still have the last one and add a pic of it so we can compare. Empty skimmer every two days? This is suggesting that more than every other day feeding or that something is in the tank that is fowling the water bad.
I just can't buy into the thought that your bio balls are doing this. When you take them out is there any detritus or debris on them, are they covered in slime or something?
Hey Bang Guy, is there any chance that a mass infauna death could be causing this to happen?
Thomas
Floss and poly every three days
How dark do they get? Sometimes its over a month before I change my poly filter. I'll see if I still have the last one and add a pic of it so we can compare. Empty skimmer every two days? This is suggesting that more than every other day feeding or that something is in the tank that is fowling the water bad.I just can't buy into the thought that your bio balls are doing this. When you take them out is there any detritus or debris on them, are they covered in slime or something?
Hey Bang Guy, is there any chance that a mass infauna death could be causing this to happen?
Thomas
T
thomas712
Guest
Here is my last polyfilter that I removed, it was in my tank at least a month or more. does yours get that dark in 3 days.
Thomas
Thomas
N
newreefers
Guest
Yes!!! It is really close to that color after only 3 days!!! I have hair algae like crazy, run a phosphate sponge 24/7, carbon, I am at a loss.
When I took the balls out, they were not slimy or anything like that. Very clean!
Here is my bio load:
1 yellow tang 3-4"
1 flame angel 3"
1 lmb 2.5"
3 mollies converted to saltwater 1.5"
4 chromis 2" each
1 maroon clown 2-3"
1 firefish 2-3"
and an assorted clean up crew.
there is a ton of bristle worrm, spagetti worms, and such in the sand as well.
These are in a 125 gallon tank. Is my dsb going south??? Should I put the balls back in???
Sorry for so many questions!!:help:
When I took the balls out, they were not slimy or anything like that. Very clean!
Here is my bio load:
1 yellow tang 3-4"
1 flame angel 3"
1 lmb 2.5"
3 mollies converted to saltwater 1.5"
4 chromis 2" each
1 maroon clown 2-3"
1 firefish 2-3"
and an assorted clean up crew.
there is a ton of bristle worrm, spagetti worms, and such in the sand as well.
These are in a 125 gallon tank. Is my dsb going south??? Should I put the balls back in???
Sorry for so many questions!!:help:
N
newreefers
Guest
Here is a pic of my poly at 3 days.
N
newreefers
Guest
Oh yea, here are the last water params
calcium - 450
alk 10 dkh
ph 8.3
mag 1200
ammon 0
trite 0
trate 0 didn't show, but I'm guessing the hair algae is sucking it up
phosphate - same as trates.
temp a constant 80
I tried some macros, but in the tank it got eaten, or just turned white and dissapeared.
calcium - 450
alk 10 dkh
ph 8.3
mag 1200
ammon 0
trite 0
trate 0 didn't show, but I'm guessing the hair algae is sucking it up
phosphate - same as trates.
temp a constant 80
I tried some macros, but in the tank it got eaten, or just turned white and dissapeared.
N
newreefers
Guest
.
jbstuart
Member
Actually I'm interested in hearing a cure all to this one. Hair algea is a pretty punishing algea to deal with. I would assume your doing proper water changes with water you've tested as having no phos in it. What food are you using, are you dosing anything extra that might contain these chemicals?
As much as I like fish, I only have 5 in my 110. The only thing I can think is if you have an additional aquarium, you might relocate a couple fish, to see if a reduction in bioload helped you.
I calculated roughly that you have 18" of fish in your 125, what is the old recommended standard for fish per gallon in a salt water aquarium?
As much as I like fish, I only have 5 in my 110. The only thing I can think is if you have an additional aquarium, you might relocate a couple fish, to see if a reduction in bioload helped you.
I calculated roughly that you have 18" of fish in your 125, what is the old recommended standard for fish per gallon in a salt water aquarium?
N
newreefers
Guest
I only use RODI water, have my own so I know my filters are good. I hav ehad these fish for a long time, prior to the problems. Food is nori, some fresh meat, and a small amount of flakes a couple times a week. The only this I dose is reef former. I have two other tanks that all get the same food, water, etc. and have no problems in them. Although... they don't have the wet/dry with bio balls.
T
thomas712
Guest
OK..Back to the skimmer having to be emptied every couple of days. This suggests that you have Heavy Dissolved Orgainic Compounds going on. but this doesn't sound like it could be from every other day feeding.
As to removing clean bio balls. Since you almost have them all out you might just as well remove them. I am almost drooling to prove that it isn't them anyway, but its your tank, keep them or remove them all.
I would do at least a 30% water change and check your water source just to be sure, that is TEST IT.
Could be that your sand bed has become a nutrient sink and its leaking,.....just a possiblility.
Thomas
As to removing clean bio balls. Since you almost have them all out you might just as well remove them. I am almost drooling to prove that it isn't them anyway, but its your tank, keep them or remove them all.
I would do at least a 30% water change and check your water source just to be sure, that is TEST IT.
Could be that your sand bed has become a nutrient sink and its leaking,.....just a possiblility.
Thomas