YourWrasseIsMine
Non-member
I have been reading on your sites about how using bio-balls can cause lots of nitrates. Im about to purchase a wet/dry filter and thinking about removing the bio balls and adding live rock. what do u guys think?
Bio balls or live rock?
- Thread starter YourWrasseIsMine
- Start date
MofoCorals
Previously - elmafioso52988
Refugium is a lot beter than anything. Rock rubble is usually use for pods. A fuge removes nitrates and phosphate instead of adding it.
kevinpratt823
Non-member
wet/dry filters are old school, still good for freshwater though I think. If you already had one, you could modify it quite a bit for use as a refugium, but otherwise I think you'd be better off looking for a sump already setup for it, there are a few on here right now. The live rock will serve the same purpose in your tank, save for a couple pieces in the fug to breed pods, I am a firm believer in the deep sand bed with chaeto for nutrient export, and of course, water changes. What size tank?
guyduquette
Non-member
I use live rock rubble in mine. It's the best.
ReefGrlGLH
Non-member
So what about the bio-balls that are filled?
jdemarco
Non-member
My first purchase upon getting involved in this hobby was a megaflow sump which had the bioballs. After further review and months into my tank set up i just flat out removed the bioballs completely. If you are just setting up from scratch, i think anyone here would tell you to plan on a setting up a sump which would allow you(if you desire) the opportunity to convert one section into a refugium down the road. Once you get things going and you get settled in you too will be on a mission to keep/manage your nitrates and you will ponder adding a refugium down the road, it is sort of the natural progression. The more than you can plan ahead NOW will save you lots of aggrevation down the road let alone $$$. I have only been doing this for 1yr but all of the "life long" hobbyists I have come in contact with would say to get rid of the bioballs if you will be using live rock in the tank. Much better more stable long term setup.
What are you going to do with this tank? If it's going to be fish only, then bio balls may have some utility. Otherwise, forget them completely.
For your sump, you don't need the wet dry at all. Most people just make their sumps out of off the shelf fish tanks as this is usually cheaper and you can customize as you like.
The connection between bio-balls and nitrate is more than just detritis. The problem is that bio balls support super efficient nitrification, so everything is rapidly broken down to nitrate. Without bio balls, (and with live rock) you get much more complex food webs where a lot of the ammonia and other waste can be eaten, absorbed, or otherwise removed/used so that it doesn't end up as nitrate. In other words, wet dry filters are way too effective at what they do.
For your sump, you don't need the wet dry at all. Most people just make their sumps out of off the shelf fish tanks as this is usually cheaper and you can customize as you like.
The connection between bio-balls and nitrate is more than just detritis. The problem is that bio balls support super efficient nitrification, so everything is rapidly broken down to nitrate. Without bio balls, (and with live rock) you get much more complex food webs where a lot of the ammonia and other waste can be eaten, absorbed, or otherwise removed/used so that it doesn't end up as nitrate. In other words, wet dry filters are way too effective at what they do.
Haypoo
Non-member
I have a 100 gallon tank running only with a bin of bio balls and some polishing pads. It's been running for months and I started from scratch. I havent had a problem yet and I have a huge bio load.
but! a fuge is the best way to go. I have one on my reef and I havent had to change the water in almost a year.
but! a fuge is the best way to go. I have one on my reef and I havent had to change the water in almost a year.
maxxattk
Fresh, New Reefer Smell
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YourWrasseIsMine
Non-member
kevinpratt823
Non-member
You really can't do a DSB(deep sand bed) in #2 because the water exits through the sponge down low and the sand would cover it. If you were to use it, I have a similar setup that sits in the first tier bin of my 3 tier sump system, I stacked floss pad and eggcrate alternately over the existing eggcrate for initial mech filtration and my skimmer pump sits in what you have marked 3, but then it overflows into the sump system and on to a fu and back into another sump. I have a complete sump/fug/skimmer setup under my 180 also. You are more than welcome to come see some of what I've done and if I can help at all I'd be glad to. I'm in Canton, shoot me a PM if you like.
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YourWrasseIsMine
Non-member
what if i take the sponge and put it at the top of #1? live rock under it with a sand bed?
You probablly don't want the sponge at all, it will act as a "nitrate factory" just like the bio balls.
Also, you can't put much of anything in #1 because the water level will only be a couple of inches up into the #1 section (remember that you have to allow room for the water level in the sump to rise when the return pump is shut off/power goes out, or else the sump will overflow).
Also, you can't put much of anything in #1 because the water level will only be a couple of inches up into the #1 section (remember that you have to allow room for the water level in the sump to rise when the return pump is shut off/power goes out, or else the sump will overflow).
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