Bio Balls or No Bio Balls

[Keith Russell]

This is my first post to this website so let me say in advance thanks for any input!
I have a 45 gallon reef. 1.5 years old. with about 75 pounds of live rock. I have been running a canister filter and am changing to a "sump" type filter. Actually it's a wet/dry that I am converting. I have split the large section of the wet/dry in half. So I have the bio balls chamber, a section for the skimmer, and a section for the return pump which is a 775 GPH return.
My questions are;
1. Should I leave the Bio Balls and Add live rock, or leave it empty?
2. Also the section of the filter where the bulkhead empties can I add some of the media from the
canister to help along the cycling.

 

[Reeferdood]

Hello and......

As far as bio balls are concerned they are one of many different types of filtration employed by hobbyists. To keep them or not is solely your choice, many people still use them. My advise would be to make sure you clean the filter mesh often as it will clog up. As far as using any media from the canister, that tank should be well cycled by now so it would be unnecessary IMHO...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I cannot see any reason to keep them.

 

[Keith Russell]

Thank you so much for your response. What about the sponge filter that is between the bio-ball chamber and the skimmer chamber. Would you keep it or toss it?

 

[Reeferdood]

As long as you keep it clean it will serve it's purpose. If you place a filter pad on the rack on top then perhaps you could toss it.

 

[OriginalUserName]

Ditch them. Your rock will be plenty.

 

[User1]

AC/DC...big balls... but off topic. No, remove them.

 

[User1]

AC/DC...big balls... but off topic. No, remove them.

 

[brandon429]

I agree with Randy, and would also add its neutral impact if you do keep them.

Any form of surface area we use in a reef tank beyond the minimum requirements to meet ammonia oxidation reqmnts are also extra cleaning requirements to avoid being detritus traps, hence the nitrate factory terminology. To have a bunch of bioballs is no more impactful, and easier to clean, than a typical normal deep sand bed in the display which takes in all the fish waste pretty much forever and stores it and Ive never seen a reef that depends on the surface of bioballs in 100% of applications except for fish production work they're likely redundant.

at least bio balls can be cleaned. to have them or not is the same as having too much live rock past the req'd amnts, or too much sand. Its very rare that people's live rock arrangements reduce nitrate vs produce it, hence all the countless carbon offsets and filtration schemes involving plants we use today.

BB are actually easier to rid of gunk moreso than live rock and sand.

Me, I wouldn't use them, I only use live rock n sand.

 

[OriginalUserName]

Whose got the bio-est balls of them all?

I agree with Randy, and would also add its neutral impact if you do keep them.

Any form of surface area we use in a reef tank beyond the minimum requirements to meet ammonia oxidation reqmnts are also extra cleaning requirements to avoid being detritus traps, hence the nitrate factory terminology. To have a bunch of bioballs is no more impactful, and easier to clean, than a typical normal deep sand bed in the display which takes in all the fish waste pretty much forever and stores it and Ive never seen a reef that depends on the surface of bioballs in 100% of applications except for fish production work they're likely redundant.

at least bio balls can be cleaned. to have them or not is the same as having too much live rock past the req'd amnts, or too much sand. Its very rare that people's live rock arrangements reduce nitrate vs produce it, hence all the countless carbon offsets and filtration schemes involving plants we use today.

BB are actually easier to rid of gunk moreso than live rock and sand.

Me, I wouldn't use them, I only use live rock n sand.

The ability to clean them defeats the purpose anyway.

 

[brandon429]

the requirement to clean them

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thank you so much for your response. What about the sponge filter that is between the bio-ball chamber and the skimmer chamber. Would you keep it or toss it?

i personally didn't ever have a mechanical filter like that, but some folks use filter socks and it may serve a similar purpose.

 

[Retro Reefer]

I wouldn’t use them in that configuration but submerged they provide additional surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow the same as rock or ceramic type bio media that people use, not as much surface area but much easier to clean and they don’t leach aluminum into water like has been reported with ceramic bio media... I have used them in every reef I have set up since the 80’s and my current build will also have them in the sump.

 

[alton]

My take on your wetdry/trickle filter. With having a drip tray and not using bio balls it will be very loud from the splashing of water. Since there is not a second section to control micro bubbles, if you remove the foam you may have an issue? Just make sure to use the blue filter pad and change it as needed to keep the bio balls clean. Personally I never liked that style of wetdry or those particular bio balls.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Rock alternative / supplement...? Just a suggestion for your sump, instead of the bio balls. Best wishes