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Nails12 
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 Topic: Bioballs or no Bioballs
Posted: July 07 2012 at 2:49pm |
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I have heard mixed reviews from the people i have talked to about having bioballs in the overflow? I know some biocubes have them. I currently have them on my 75. On my 75 i cannot get my nitrates lower than 10. (My guess is do to the bioballs, i could be wrong though) I do have macro growing in the sump. I know the LR/ LS does most of the bacterial filtration, but do bioballs benifit the system or kill the system? Thank.
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Dion Richins
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Posted: July 07 2012 at 4:07pm |
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Bio balls can benefit the system as long as they are cleaned periodically. IF left alone they become a detritus and nitrate trap that will leach out .
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Nails12
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Posted: July 07 2012 at 8:56pm |
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Yeah thats what i figured... How often would you say clean them out?? Every other month??? Or??? Cause too soon and they are a waste because they dont get enough bacteria in them...
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CrimsRayne
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Posted: July 07 2012 at 9:33pm |
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I think the reason most people end up getting rid of the bio balls is that by the time the good bacteria builds up so does the stuff that leaches nitrates... I could be wrong, but that's what I remember from many years ago. Also why I haven't ever used them in a saltwater tank. They are great for freshwater though.
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Nails12
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Posted: July 08 2012 at 12:41pm |
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Yeah, i think i wil get rid of them, hopefully this will get rid of my nitrates that never go away. THANKS
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: July 09 2012 at 7:25pm |
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Nitrates of 10 ppm?
I'll bet that your coral all look great, right?
Save yourself some worry. Stop testing Nitrates.
Yes, remove the bioballs. They have absolutely no use and are actually detrimental in a reef aquarium.
They don't "leach" Nitrates, they provide a place for the kind of bacteria that eat Ammonia and Nitrites and excrete Nitrates. They do this so well that they overload the natural biofiltration. You are correct, if it weren't for the algae, Nitrates would be much higher in this tank.
Manufactured tanks come with bioballs for the people that set them up as freshwater tanks.
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Jake Pehrson
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Posted: July 10 2012 at 11:02am |
I agree. I would remove the bioballs.
They don't exactly leach nitrates, but they do provide a lot of surface area for nitrifying bacteria to grow. It doesn't really take that long for the bacteria to populate the balls, so they almost immediately become a nitrate factory.
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Nails12
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Posted: July 10 2012 at 11:25am |
I just cant get it below 10ppm...Before i do water change its at like 15... So again not bad at all... But yeah corals are all happy! I will be taking them out when i move the tank this sunday.. Thanks i appreciate it.
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