Are Bio Balls nitrate factories?

[Salties Diner]

I have had a 60G FOWLR with a 17G sump set up for about 6 months. I am running a Deltec MC500 skimmer, 2x Sicce Voyager 4 power heads, 2x Eheim 2000 compact return pumps, one through a Resun CL-450 chiller. I change 10% RODI water and the 200 micron filter sock weekly and still have Nitrates at about 15-20ppm and recently inherited a Cyano slick! Could it be the 200 bio balls in the sump?

 

[ReefMadScientist]

Do you see Detritus build up within the pocket of the balls? That is the reason why most of us do not run bio-balls. I do not think that is the source of your Nitrate issue though.

If I were to guess, I'd say you either have too many fish and/or are over feeding. Over feeding, from my experience, has been the easiest #1 cause for Nitrates being high.

As for the Cyano slick, what are your po4 levels at? I am assuming you have some traces of it.

 

[Salties Diner]

Thank you for your reply RMS, I will have to remove them from the net bag and have a good look. Would that get past the filter sock easily? should I ever clean the balls?

I only have 3x fish, Coral banded shrimp, 2 x hermit crabs and a mix of snails. How often should I feed? I feed mainly pellets, flake, frozen blood worms and brine shrimp. (not at the same time)

Last time I checked PO4 it was about .25ppm, I will re test after work.

 

[ReefMadScientist]

No problem!

Ok your PO4 is high which can be causing your bacteria blooms on your rocks and sand.

It sounds like you may be overfeeding. To give you a insight on how much I feed I do the following:

Nori for my fish 2-3x a day (seaweed).
Brine Shrimp (half cube) at nights.

As for your bioballs, it can be a puzzle to your problem. You actually don't need to use them.

 

[RareEarthCorals]

Watch out cleaning your balls....!
It could cause a mini cycle. If your contemplating removing them replace them slowly with live rock rubble or Pond Matrix.

 

[Salties Diner]

Great info thanks guys.

One cube of frozen food typically last me 2-3 days, however I do put it in a cup with RODI water to melt it down and allow me to feed with a turkey baster. I then put it in the fridge for the next day/day after, could this be an issue?

 

[ReefMadScientist]

Watch out cleaning your balls....!

 

[RareEarthCorals]

thats funny right there...

 

[azjohnny]

One thing to remember with a wet/dry filter its job is to break down the ammonia to nitrite/nitrates. Since there is no anaerobic bacteria there is nothing to break down the nitrates to nitrogen.

 

[reefwiser]

Bio Balls by their design only support bacteria that removes ammonia from the water. Bacteria that need oxygen to live and consumer ammonia. Their by product is nitrate. The bacteria that consumes nitrate needs low oxygen levels and a slow water flow thru their material to consume the nitrate. Two different types of environments

 

[Salties Diner]

One thing to remember with a wet/dry filter its job is to break down the ammonia to nitrite/nitrates. Since there is no anaerobic bacteria there is nothing to break down the nitrates to nitrogen.

Bio Balls by their design only support bacteria that removes ammonia from the water. Bacteria that need oxygen to live and consumer ammonia. Their by product is nitrate. The bacteria that consumes nitrate needs low oxygen levels and a slow water flow thru their material to consume the nitrate. Two different types of environments

Thanks guys, your help is much appreciated.

 

[JasPR]

I'm certainly not the master expert of all reefing! BUT I do understand the nitrification cycle well and get frustrated with the ' understanding void' behind many questions about ammonia/nitrIte, nitrAte presence. Our glass boxes are not nature! But the biological principles of nature ARE present in our systems. That being said, bacteria will find its balance with the nutrition you provide ( or your animal provide). so you can't have MORE nitrate than the amount of ammonia that is being produced and converted. The idea that inorganic materials of plastic or ceramics can produce more or less nitrate is to not understand that balance exits in the system and media is merely substrate that the bacteria grow on. IF you don't have a purposely built biological conversion section in your sump, then the nitrification will take place elsewhere in your system-- you can't fool mother nature ( or her bacteria)! Trapping of organics is certainly a real thing that causes a different type of bacteria to grow. they can also produce nitrate as an end product but that is more a conversation about system eutrophication and maintenance needs rather than a production issue. Jasper