Waterbox Bio Balls vs MarinePure

[lisastarstuff]

I am mid way through cycling a new waterbox cube 20. My husband has had reef tanks for years now but this is the first tank I’ve done all on my own.

I started cycling with the bio balls that came with my tank and was recommended to switch out the bio balls for marinepure gems. I have not switched them yet but since I’m midway through cycling I don’t know the best way to go about it. Will adding them effect the cycle any? Should I add them and slowly take out the bio balls, just flat switch them out, or any other way?

I’ve tried searching and couldn’t find anything in particular to switching them out. Thanks so much!

 

[Spare time]

Removing what you have can mess up the cycle but I wouldn't add any bioballs as they are incredibly inefficient compared to quite literally all other biomedias

 

[alton]

A picture of your sump would be great. If it is a standard trickle filter bio balls are great at adding oxygen to the water, if they just laying in water they are worthless.

 

[Bosreef]

Don't remove the bio balls now.
If you put them in no worries but let your tank do your thing right now. You will loose beneficial bacteria if you remove them at this point, and will set you back in your cycle.

Figure out what your going to use for media if anything...... when your gonna replace them with something else do it slowly after about a month or two slowly I mean 1/4 of the. Media every week or so.

And if you are gonna use some sort of media put in in and then again slowly over time remove the bio balls.

Imo yes remove the bio balls

 

[AZMSGT]

Plastic Bio balls are 1980s technology and thinking. It works but there are better ways now. The biggest reason for the change is the amount of space the bio balls take up compared to other items. For instance a 2” x 2” (inch) bio block is the same surface area as 2’ x 2’ (Feet) of bio balls. Those are rough numbers and not exact.. just using those as an example.

Using items like Marine Pure blocks, brightwell blocks, bio pellets, siporax, matrix and just coral stone rubble are far better products and offer more surface area for bactiria to cultivate. What this does for you is you have more bacteria potential Per square inch. The more bacteria the heavier the load can be and still run a safe system.

Switching is easy but takes patience. This is what I would say is a safe method that will work with as little disruption to your system.

Leave what you already have in the tank or sump and let the cycle finish.
If you add new media now, it could slow things a little but not to big an issue. The key is leave what you already have in the tank/sump.
After the cycle is done this is the time to add a fish or two.
Don’t add any livestock during the cultivation of bacteria on new media.
After the cycle is finished and you have added new livestock add newer media to your system.
You want the new media in a high flow part of your sump it will start to cultivate bacteria faster in high flow.
Give it about a month to allow the bacteria to grow substantially on the new media. After that you can remove the plastic bio balls.
Here you can add another piece of livestock.
Remove the bio balls a little at a time.
Say once a week take out a handful. Do it during water changes just to make all your maintenance at the same time.