tammyjennings
Member
Are bio-balls necessary in a tank with live rock and live sand?
are bio-balls necessary
- Thread starter tammyjennings
- Start date
BoomerD
Well-Known Member
Bio-balls are not only NOT necessary, they are not recommended for use with reef tanks. As Miniatus mentioned above, they are so efficient at breaking ammonia into nitrite, into nitrate, unfortunately, they stop at that, and don't break nitrate into nitrogen gas...and they become major nitrate producing factories. Lots of live rock, (1-2 lbs/gallon) and a very efficient protein skimmer makes the best filtration for a reef...
tammyjennings
Member
thank you for the info. We have 125 gal tank, 100 lbs live rock , 1 inch live sand (plan to make that 3 inches this weekend). We have a large venuri skimmer. One more question ...talk to me about feeding...I have a juvinile tank, 4 damsels 2 shrimps, 2 goby, 1 blenny, 2 clowns and 5 serpent stars. Presently we are feeding small flake food 2 x per day and frozen premium food.
lcstorc
Well-Known Member
5 serpent stars? Sorry, but do you know how big they get? I have one in my 125 and frequently debate if I should keep even the one since he is so big. He is still a relative baby and from the end of one leg to the end of another is probably a foot or at least close. Sorry, but just had to mention it.
As to the bio-balls I agree with the above except to mention that most people say they are fine if you are going fowlr. If you want corals then I would definitely not get them. If they are already in the system then I would remove them but slowly. Probably break it into like 5 parts and take one part out each month or so. Keep an eye on your paramaters since removing them once established can start a small cycle. It did in my case anyway. Removing them did however eliminate the nitrate problem I was having in the tank.
Hope that helps.
As to the bio-balls I agree with the above except to mention that most people say they are fine if you are going fowlr. If you want corals then I would definitely not get them. If they are already in the system then I would remove them but slowly. Probably break it into like 5 parts and take one part out each month or so. Keep an eye on your paramaters since removing them once established can start a small cycle. It did in my case anyway. Removing them did however eliminate the nitrate problem I was having in the tank.
Hope that helps.
lcstorc
Well-Known Member
Hopefully you are spacing out the removal. I would to a couple of handfuls a month to give your lr a chance to pick up the filtration you are losing. I totally agree with removing them and did so myself but did it too quickly and lost a couple of fish in the process. Remember go slowly.
PhilOlsen
Has been struck by the ban stick
Absolutely