BioBalls!!

[2000se]

So can someone explain to me why folks say that bioballs are nitrate factories?

I am just having a hard time understanding the difference in the logic here….

Bioballs have a lot of surface area for bacteria to grow on to help breakdown the nitrites and such..however, doesn't the live rock have the same bacteria? These are not considered nitrate factories….

Same is true for the MarinePure balls/blocks.. I just can't understand the logic…they all have huge surface areas for bacteria to live on..

[garyinco]

When I first started reefing years ago bioballs were all-the-rage and expensive. Whenever I had to move them in my sump I was shocked at the amount of detritus they trapped. Rock has an array of bacteria not only on the surface but under the surface too. Maybe not something totally aerobic, but enough to consume some nitrates. And you don't generally have fish, inverts, etc crawling around on bioballs scavenging bits of organic material. That's my story and I'm sticking to it...

[untico]

I can't remember the actual biological explanation but bio balls are fine as long as they are not exposed to lots of oxygenated water as in the return area of the sump as we used to do where so much bacteria got real good at converting nitrites into nitrates. Remember people even used to put an airstone in the bioballs to provide more oxygen to them. Anywhere else and they become like MarinePure balls or the blocks. Just my 2 cents

[azjohnny]

Bio balls job is to break down ammonia and finally convert to nitrates using high oxygen aerobic bacteria.

Underneath live rock live anaerobic bacteria and they break down nitrates into nitrogen gas, bio balls don't have the anaerobic bacteria live rock has

[2000se]

if they were fully submerged would they work more like live rock?

[Mrramsey]

I think the key to running bio balls is that you would need to have some really good mechanical filtration prior to them else they clog up with detritus. I used them in my freshwater tanks.

[shifty51008]

keeping them fully submerged would be the way to use them, they will act more like LR rubble that way. but as stated you will want some type of filter sock or filter floss before the bio balls to clean the water first.

[2000se]

Ok. So , marine pure balls/blocks end up in the same situation as the bio balls?

[RobinsonFam1]

yes, any product placed in water will eventually have bacteria growing on it. doesn't matter what it is. bio balls etc.. got a bad rap from being placed in a trickle filter which does not allow for much if any anaerobic bacteria to grow and break down nitrates.