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View Full Version : need help...getting rid of bio-balls


cash cow
02/19/2009, 05:51 PM
heres what I have.......i've had this reef tank set up for about 17 years with a wet-dry with bio balls in it.........i've been battling cyano for about a year now, on and off......i know it's because of the nitrate built up in the bio-balls...........what do you recommend besides slowly taking out the bio-balls slowly over time? then what? all suggestions greatly appreciated!!! I'm trying to get this bad boy ready for some SPS............ Thanks to all......

Denbf58
02/19/2009, 05:57 PM
do you have a sump if not do you have room to set one up a sump with refuge with cheato is a good way to remove nitrates

cash cow
02/19/2009, 08:40 PM
yeah.....i have a sump.........should i put live rock in the wet dry? and also more in sump?

Gary Majchrzak
02/19/2009, 08:46 PM
do you have liverock in the display?
if so, has it been in use for 17 years?

cash cow
02/19/2009, 08:47 PM
yes.......lots of rock in the display tank........none in the sump.......been in there for 17 years or so.......

Gary Majchrzak
02/19/2009, 09:12 PM
I wouldn't place any LR in a commercially built wet/dry sump because they're (usually) too small to begin with. Besides, if you have enough LR in the display you're okay to slowly start removing bio balls and replacing them with nothing :eek:

If LR in the display has been in use for 17 years and you want to convert to an SPS type aquarium you'll need to tackle the problem of reducing/removing accumulated orthophosphates.
This is best done before introducing any SPS type corals. It can be accomplished without removing any rock from the aquarium by turning off the lights for several weeks while running a skimmer and performing regular water changes. ("Cooking" is a term applied to this method and more info on it can be found in a search. If you can blow the dust out of the rock with a strong powerhead that's what you want to do....repeatedly). I would also continue to run some type of PO4 remover (ie: GFO or other) in order to get phosphates down to lower level.
Liverock is a renewable resource. Good luck.

cash cow
02/19/2009, 09:16 PM
thanks gary..........i appreciate the advice.........i'm not going to throw any SPS in there until I convert this move.......should I also get rid of polyfiber pad at the top of the wet dry??

Gary Majchrzak
02/19/2009, 09:22 PM
that pad can be a useful mechanical filter. I would keep it in place. Similar to a "filter sock", it will catch debris and remove it from the system. You'll need to keep rinsing it out very regularly.

Rich D
02/19/2009, 09:25 PM
What is the problem with bioballs? I have heard bad things about them but nothing specific.

Gary Majchrzak
02/19/2009, 09:36 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14436971#post14436971 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bubbles129129
What is the problem with bioballs? I have heard bad things about them but nothing specific.
review aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.
In short:
Wet/dry media provide a surface for aerobic bacteria to convert ammonia to nitrates. (Thus bioballs are often called a "nitrate factory".)
Submerged liverock provides surfaces for anaerobic bacteria to denitrify.