Bio-balls gone..now what?

[Capecliff]

Just took Bio-balls out. Should I remove the "prefilter" material from top of sump? (Once you take the bio balls out, it sure does get noisy.)

[Outerbank]

You can take the prefilter material out if you want. You can also put a pvc extension on your sump so that the water enters the sump at or just above the water line. This will quiet things up.

Scott

[Capecliff]

Thanks for the reply. Does the sprinkling of water from the perforated plate above the sump offer any airation benefits?

[jimi]

Yes, by disturbing the surface of the water gases are exchanged.

[Skipper]

I recently removed the remaining bio-balls from my tower. I definitely think the dripping water is beneficial for oxygen exchange. I used to have an industrial grade Poly-Filter in the drip tray. I moved it to the bottom of the tower to help with the noise.

[aquaman5151]

I am about to take my bio balls out and my thought was to put a basket with cotton under it. I will let the water drip from there. I wguess that will quiet it up a little also.

[chrislove01]

Whay are you taking your bioballs out, do they cause a problem??????

[aquaman5151]

No problem. Bought a Fluidized bed.

[Skipper]

chrislove01...bio-balls are nowadays considered to be nitrate factories. Don't ask me the whys & wherefores because I'm not "chemically inclined." I'm sure someone can jump in here and offer the rationale behind it. Another reason I removed mine was that they were building up calcium deposits (sticking together) and trapping detritus.

[hughem]

the "trapping detritus" problem is the most common one sited. Apparently the bacteria that grows on the surface of the bio-balls can only consume/convert disolved nitrates, not solid material. I'm still wondering if they wouldn't be beneficial if trickled with FILTERED water, so no "trapable" detritus was dropped on them?

Perhaps the output from the skimmer could be trickled over them?

I'm also considering a tall cylinder with a thick pre-filter material on top. Feeding it with some bypass from the return pump and draining it into the sump. I could clean out the pre-filter frequently enough to remove any detritus collected there and keep the balls "clean". Thoughts?

I grilled my LFS owner for a while this weekend. He claims to get best results from putting NOTHING in the first sump chamber; says to "keep it clean". He recommended that I drill a hole in the dividing panel and put the powerhead in the first chamber and the skimmer in the second chamber, to keep the skimmer in place. After some goofing around I found that he was right. There was no good way to clamp the skimmer in the second chamber and it was getting rained on by the drip tray in the first chamber.

[Jaffo_botz]

Always good to refresh/review the nitrogen cycle...: This may be useful for some..redundant to others....

What are bioballs for? they provide surface area for bacteria that breaks down organics......specifically,they support aerobic (oxygen loving) bacteria that breakdown ammonia into nitrites. Nitrites are also toxic, but fortunately this same aerobic area on the bioballs supports other bacteria that will breakdown the nitrites into nitrates. Nitrates are not necessarily toxic to our tank inhabitants (at certain levels and acclimated appropriately), but Nitrate is a 'food source' for nuisance algaes in our tank. In 'bio-ball' tanks, nitrates increase... water changes are a key means for nitrate removal. Nitrates need to be controlled/removed in some fashion (eventually).

Where does the original ammonia/ammonium come from? Fish waste and foods, among other things...ie. detritus trapped in filter floss that hasn't been removed..etc.....

Why are LR and LSB's popular as well as allow you to eliminate the bioballs? LR/LSBs provide greater surface area for the aerobic bacteria to grow on, as well as provide anaerobic (very little oxygen) areas where bacteria that utilize nitrAtes can live (hence turning the nitrates in harmless nitrogen gas, which get's released out of the tank)....actually completing the basic nitrogen cycle.

In addition, it should be noted that the an/aerobic bacteria only consume these organics (ammonia/nitrite/nitrate) mainly while 'growing' or multiplying. LS/LR provides microfauna (microscopic animals) that 'feed' on these bacteria....literally continuing to free up more areas for more bacteria to grow...hence consuming the available ammonia/nitrite/nitrate .. larger animals feed on the microfauna...fish/corals feed on these larger animals... a pretty close "circle of 'waste' life" is complete...
hence you are providing a natural system for organic control....
Add a skimmer which removes a portion of the organics before they break down...and you have the system that many of us have built succussfully...and is a fairly low maint. system.

An added benefit to a properly built LSB (araganite) will also be a natural level of buffering and Ph balance.

BTW aquaman: The Fluidized Bed Filter will not add anything other than potentially more surface area, than your bioballs....Fluidize Bed Filters, just like the bioballs, only have aerobic areas....and are nitrate 'factories' per se just like bioballs....just potentially more efficient.

The 'popular' approach has become that everything in the tank has a purpose (from a proper environment for the dif sp. bacteria, to algae control, to detritus eaters...etc) to support a few 'show' animals....and you'll have a easy to maint, more 'natural' system....and IMO better success.

[hughem]

Thanks Jaffo-Botz,

That is the most comprehensive explanation I have read. So I'll happily chuck the bio-balls and get more live rock -- I don't really have enough now.

From your post, it seems that the bio-balls are an INCOMPLETE process (just as fluidized bed "filter"). The more I study this, the more I find that when we try to emulate nature instead of USING nature, we screw ourselves. Nature has had several billion years to get this right, and we're not going to best her with a handful of plastic!

Thanks again.

[fitzyu]

Skipper.....bloody nice tank!!!!
INcredible! What did the lighting cost? Major!
Nice.

Originally posted by aquaman5151
I am about to take my bio balls out and my thought was to put a basket with cotton under it. I will let the water drip from there. I wguess that will quiet it up a little also.

[Skipper]

Hey, thank you, fitzyu! In order to maintain my sanity...I've never really put a pencil to the cost of my lights (or my entire reef set-up, for that matter!) If I did figure it all up, I'd probably have to kill myself for spending too much!

[Jaffo_botz]

Glad to share Hugh...Bioball systems due work...
if you're changing over to LR...do it slowly, I'm sure you already know this.... Add a little LR...then remove a few of the bioballs....etc. make sure the LR is cured before adding to the existing tank, etc. To be safe, do it over a couple/months for ensured success...IMO

[hughem]

Actually, I just added the sump (and bio-balls) recently. My 125 has been going for 10 years with live rock, crushed coral and a "mini-reef" hanging on the back.

Recently I decided to get serious. I got a sump and skimmer, decided to scrap the mini-reef, increase live rock, add a sand-bed area in the tank and build a new hood with MH and VHO actinic (I have 6 4' fluorescent tubes now).

I also added an AquaController II because I can't resist gadgets, but actually its really helpful.

[Staceon]

Hey Guys,

I gutted my wet/dry's about a year ago. I left the drip trays in place and about 6 months ago I put a screen with turf algae on it. Where the bio-balls used to sit it now 2 tupperware bowls fill 3/4 full with LS and one small piece of LR. Below these bowls is more live rock located in the bottom chamber. Its reverse lit with 3 plant grow bulbs. Here is pic: