Should I take out my balls?

[JahReefer]

I am having a space problem in the sump of my wet/dry (too many pumps). I have seen posts where people mention removing the bio-balls from the wet/dry and just using the box as a sump.

Separate from the wet/dry I also have a 20 gal refugium and lots of LR so I am not sure the balls are necessary. How much nitrification actually takes place on them?

I would really welcome some opinions.

[lebowski]

Take them bioballs out.

[kozmo02]

take em out, thats what live rock is for

[wylie713]

:lol: @ the title but seriously yea take em out gradually

[chuckie]

take em out gradually

Yep good idea to do it slowly a little bit every day. By the way how much LR you got?

[JahReefer]

125 lbs LR in 90 Gal. Also 2" live sand.

[reef enforcement]

you do not need them; take them out.

[Jamesurq]

neuter that wet dry...

[LizardWorks]

I must say that I am an advocate of the bio balls. They work for me and have for a long time. But in your case I would say that if space is at a premium and with all the LR, LS and refugium that you have, your system would probably do just as good without them. But take them out gradually so as not to shock the system.

[joeychitwood]

JahReefer, what is your nitrate level? It has been mentioned repeatedly on various boards that BioBalls, BioWheels, Eheim-type substrates, etc. all produce nitrates in the tank.

I always had a low level of nitrates in my 55 until I removed my BioWheels. I took one off first, then removed the other about one week later. My nitrates dropped to zero.

[Rock Anemone]

lol, the title really made me laugh... :lol: j/k

I agree with the above, take them out slowly, maybe a few every other day. They arent' needed and will just produce Nitrites, defeating their purpose.

Rock Anemone:D

[Rock Anemone]

~double~

[Fishiness?]

Should I take out my balls?

Absolutely NOT!!! Get her Tubes cut.

_____________________________________
Sorry, I couldn't resist. :D Great title. I looked.
(I agree with the above. That's what LR is for.)

[wylie713]

Absolutely NOT!!! Get her Tubes cut :lol: :lol: ok i think im done laughing no no wait.....:lol: ok there that should do it :D

[JahReefer]

Nitrates have been slowly climbing. After going 3 weeks without any water change the nitrates shot up to 20PPM. This made me suspect the balls. Sounds like I should slowly remove them, any suggestions on how long I should spread this out?

Maybe I can glue them to the wall after I remove them, then I can say that the system is running "balls to the wall"......or I'll express my fellings about the rising nitrates in a little ball busting session...

[jcigars]

Man...This is the thread of the year.:lol: :lol:

My mind is definitely in the gutter.

[Reilly13]

I agree that you don't need the balls. As to whether they're causing a problem I'm not so sure.
Everyone rips on the bioballs for being a nitrate factory but, balls or not, nitrates will be produced correct? It's how the nitrates are delt with after that which determines whether they accumulate and become a problem or they are removed by a DSB/Scrubber etc. The nitrogen cycle has to happen otherwise you have a tank full of ammonia and that's it!
If I'm way off base here someone correct me!

[Frick-n-Frags]

You are correct. The trick is to locate the nitrate factory right next to the de-nitrator factory, like in the deep pores of LR or the anaerobic depths of the DSB.

The remotely located, very aerobic bioball reactor can only produce nitrates which are put directly into the water column vs having the nitrates go right into the nearby denitrator and not really make it into the water column.

Final answer: get your sump singin' soprano :D


FWIW, I have ONLY LR(200#+ in a ~200gal system) and algae as filters, no sand, no skimmer, etc. My nitrates have been zero for many years and I have only really been beefing up the macros these last 2 years so I have to vouch for the LR.

I am going to add a DSB module at some point so I can feed the corals a little more and still keep all my fertilizer levels at zero.

[Reilly13]

So the real problem with bioballs is not that they produce nitrates it's that they release these nitrates directly into the water to be delt with later at another location? Which might be ok if you have a very high processing rate for nitrates in the tank, say an algae scrubber?

Where as live rock/sand have denitrifying bacteria living in very close proximity to the bacteria that are producing the nitrates and most of the nitrates never really make it into the water column.

There is a need for some nitrates though right? Doesn't anything photosynthetic use this fertilizer in conjuntion with it's zoo's to produce food for itself? Clams are one that I thought readily used up nitrates.

I'm not pushing for bioballs here believe me, I just want to know the facts rather than take someones word for it as I'm sure Jahreefer does.

[SeaNemesis]

Yes indeed, please take them out and show us a pic of them. :lol:

[jcigars]

Better get the Macro Lenz out. :eek2:

LMFAO :lol: :lol: :lol:

[MiNdErAsR]

If it's a FO tank then leave the bio-balls. However if it's reef, then remove them all. No need to do things slowly if it's an established tank. The needed bacteria is already present and will handle things nicely.

IMO, IME

[SPC]

Originally posted by Reilly13
There is a need for some nitrates though right? Doesn't anything photosynthetic use this fertilizer in conjuntion with it's zoo's to produce food for itself? Clams are one that I thought readily used up nitrates.

I'm not pushing for bioballs here believe me, I just want to know the facts rather than take someones word for it as I'm sure Jahreefer does.

I'm not sure how clams receive nitrates in nature Reilly, but if you were to test the water for nitrates around a pristine reef I would guess they would test zero. It is possible that clams are able to farm their own nitrogen source as most corals do.
Steve