Bioballs Help Needed

[Trip 22]

I currently have a 14 Gallon Biocube. I was tested for HIGH nitrates that went from 50 ppm to 100 ppm. I have been doing weekly 1 gallon water changes after the inital every other day. I top off with RO water. I recently cleaned the filter. The only thing left we can think of is the bioballs. I would like to get rid of them and replace them with live rock rubble. Does anyone know how to go about doing this and how much live rock rubble I would need for a 14 gallon? Everything in my tank has been going good except for yesterday my Kenya tree on top hasn't "bloomed". I would appreciate any help you have to offer, for this is my first tank.
I also tried another test kit with the same results!

This was my last readings:
S.G. 1.023
ph 8.2
NH4 (0.25)
NO3 100 ppm
NO2 .001 ppm
CA 410 PPM
PO .1 ppm

Thanks.......Marci


http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l199/tripcraz/IMG_0966.jpg

[z00mie]

I have a 14 gal biocube. I removed the sponge charcoal cartridge and bio-balls. I put a heater it the far right chamber. Sealed off the lower filter intake. I put a charcoal bag in the center chamber. I have no protein skimmer but do 1-gallon water changes twice a week. I played with the system and that is what works for me. If you remove the bio-balls do it slowly and make sure you have enough live rock to make up for the filtration.

[bpd964]

Remove the bioballs.... You can use any amount of live rock that would fit and not constrict water flow in the filter. If you use rubble I would say 2 or 3 cups should be fine.

[Trip 22]

I have a heater in the right chamber as well. How many balls do you recommend I take out at a time as well as frequency. I think I will add live rock rubble as long as it doesn't need anything else.

[z00mie]

2-3 bio-balls every 4-5 days should be ok. You will have to raise your water level to get rid of the noise

[mdisalvo55]

Yea, I took mine out when I first got the tank and used live rock rubble in its place. I also cut open the top opening a little bigger so more water flows intot he middle chamber. My heater is in the far right chamber behind some filter pads that are cut to fit. I would just buy a piece of live rock and smash it up into rubble for the middle.

[Trip 22]

I bought some live rock rubble so when I get home I will start the process. I am tempted to just to get rid of all the bioballs in one shot and fill it with the rock! The rocks have been in the LFS tanks and have corraline on them.

[GSMguy]

thats what i would do dont leave the balls in there

[Trip 22]

So get rid of them all one shot? .... not 4 every 4 days?
Anyone? That would be great.......

[mdisalvo55]

I don't know why you would do it slowly instead of all at once but just in case I would do it over the span of a few days so you don't mess something up...

[Aliie]

There is another thread about bioballs also. Can I use LR from the tank I want to take them out of? I have more accessable LR in my big tank can I use it instead?

[mdisalvo55]

Shouldn't matter either way...its up to you.

[Trip 22]

I would have done that if I had any extra....cheaper too!

[Aliie]

How small should the piece be? I will have to break up the spare pieces I have piled up in the back.

[Trip 22]

This is my first time....I just finished removing all the bioballs and adding the rubble. I did break them down and left some larger pieces. I'm nervous right now...it looks like a sandstorm in the tank. I removed a few last night and had a small sandstorm and it turned out fine. Hopefully this will turn out ok too.....Will let you know soon.
Marci

[Trip 22]

By the way...for my 14 gallon i just used about 3 1/2 pounds of live rock

[Trip 22]

Here is the before and after pics of the bioball changeover. I will post another pic after everything settles.

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l199/tripcraz/BioballChange.jpg

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l199/tripcraz/AfterFinalBioballChange.jpg

2nd Pic is the "sandstorm".

Marci

[Aliie]

Why the sandstorm?

[Trip 22]

Well I had the rocks soaking in saltwater....then put them in the chamber....and it's the dust from the rubble I added. Things have definately calmed down after a couple hours.

[mdisalvo55]

Thats a nice looking biocube...keep it up!

[Amazon4]

Very nice 'cube. We have the same one. We have the bioballs in the middle chamber. (why are they bad??)

Did you change to the LR rubble because of your readings?

Just curious...we've not had any spikes. But no fish in there yet, just CUC and shrimp. We were thinking of a perc and a goby. So maybe things will be different when there's more of a bioload?

Also, I thought LR needed light. I've seen folks add light through the back by scraping off the black paint. Will the LR rubble be OK with out a light source?

Seriously...nice tank...

[Trip 22]

Thanks....I did it because of my high nitrates level. I tried everything from cleaning the filters...using RO to top off....weekly water changes and it got higher. I am doing it to see if the bioballs are the reason for the high nitrates. I talked to the guy at the LFS and he said to get rid of them. I don't know about the lights...I crushed up the rock into smaller pieces. I guess we will have to wait and see. This is my first tank...it's about 1 1/2 months old. So its all new to me!

[mdisalvo55]

From what I understand, the bio balls just accumulate nitrates in them and cause high nitrates....you can clean them off sometimes to help though. Live rock rubble also does a good job of filtering water as it passes through all the organisms living inside the rock...You don't necessarily need light to keep live rock "live" but it helps for coraline growth and I'm sure theres some other benefit. I know a lot of people who take off some of the back black covering and put a light on also do this so they can turn it into a fuge and grow chaeto with live rock at the same time which is a great wayt o filter the water.