Bioballs- nitrate - no SPS growth

[chrisek]

HI all, current setup is 3x18x18. the tank has been established for a few years, I have always battled nitrates currently running denitrator sand bed in tank and skimmer, large water changes RO water.

Im toying with the idea of removing my bioballs (slowly) and running a sump with just equipment in the hope this will cut nitrates currently running at 50ppm. my SPS hold their colour and full PE but very very slow to no growth.

in the hope the live rock and sand bed will take care of the bio's

Good idea or bad??

[drake66]

bioballs hold deitrius, i'd just yank em all out and give your sump a good cleaning.

[chrisek]

water is prefiltered before getting to bioballs. Wont that affect the tank taking them all out at once?

[mikeatjac]

Bio balls are great for for a fish only tank but otherwise they need to go if you have the needed live rock. They don't really hold detritus but they so efficiently process nirites they can be come a problem, a nirate factory.

[mikeatjac]

Take them out over a month if you have live rock rock in your tank.