Steve... there really isn't a reason why bio balls should become a nitrate factory. The problem lies with people who don't keep their balls clean. I personally run a Berlin system which I feel is less maintenance, but I do believe that a properly maintained wet-dry does a good job.
Check out this article:
Quote:
Why blame bio-balls for nitrate problems when it's not their fault?
How often have you read postings or email from aquarists who complain about their bio-balls going bad? The quickest and most often suggested solution we see to this problem is to, get rid of the bio-balls, now!! This is ridiculous. It is NOT the bio-balls contained in a wet/dry trickle or other type of biological filter that have gone "bad", but just like with an undergravel filter, it is the "lack of proper maintenance" that turns them into a nitrate factory.
It is only when bio-balls as well as other similar types of biological filtration mediums are allowed to become dirty and encrusted or embedded with broken down matter or dissolved organic compounds (DOCs) that they then start to contribute to the accumulation of nitrate in a saltwater aquarium or reef tank system.
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Read the rest of this article by Debbie & Stan Hauter here: http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/wet.../aa062103a.htm