Yet another bio ball Q?

[dragracer]

So I have just started all over with my FOWLR tank. I heve a 75 gallon with 65 pounds of LR. I am thinking of using my bio balls this time around. I am not going to have a large bio load at all, maybe 2 clowns, pink and blue shrimp goby and lawnmower blenny with a clean up a crew......but that is still all a full cycle away. But my question is........I've read on many post that bio balls need to be cleaned every so often, and since mine are coming out of retirment and need to be cleaned.......shall I just rinse them or clean them with anything special.......OR shall I by pass them alltogether?

 

[oreo12]

I would toss the balls in the trash. Add about 10 more pounds of live rock You will need abou 4 power heads I also have a power filter hanging on the back with carbon in it I use no filter pads or bio type media my leavels are all 0 I also have a 75 gal tank.

 

[thomas712]

Use the balls, they are overpoweringly more efficient then rocks in their place, unless the rocks are submerged, if the rocks are not submerged then they will eventually just look like river rocks with slime and algae on them anyway, because they too will collect detritus. Bio balls in a wet/dry atmosphere will beat rocks everytime, there is nothing as efficient.
If nothing else just use them for the cycle and then if you have plenty of live rock and sand in the tank you can remove them and the bacteria will be grown in the tank with the rock and sand, a more natural method that many prefer.
Thomas