Remove Bio-balls or not?

MarineDream said:
I was told to NEVER wash the Bio Balls for the bacteria that builds on them is needed for the tank to survive, but I'm guessing in other words that LR does the same job as bio balls; is that correct?
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When I had only bio-balls I would wash 25% of them during every water change, but not all.
 
MarineDream said:
I was told to NEVER wash the Bio Balls for the bacteria that builds on them is needed for the tank to survive, but I'm guessing in other words that LR does the same job as bio balls; is that correct?

If so, to better my cycling I will take out my bioballs and add LR rubble. Except, my LFS doesn't have small or "golf ball size" of LR, is there other alternatives into replacing the bioballs?
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if u rinse them in freshwater the bacteria die if u use the tank water u are removing in the water change it doesnt. and u can buy big rock pieces and break them up with a hammer.
 
Wouldn't the same bacteria that lives on the live rock live on the bio balls in your filter?

I guess I just don't understand what the difference is? A nitrate factory would pretty much be anything that detritus can get caught in, which could be bio balls, bio wheels, LR or LS.

Anyone have a super-good link on the subject?

Thanks!
 
The tank that I'm still slowly ridding my bio-balls of has about 180lbs. of LR, not including the refugium. I also use filter pads. I remember when I joined this site it was to see what options I had as far as reducing my nitrates, which were the highest I've ever seen.

After lots of reading and asking questions, I started washing about 25% of my bio-balls in tank water during my water changes. I also rinsed my pads off in tank water and stopped replacing them as much as I used to. I was used to my smaller tanks where there are no bio-balls (just Penguin and Aquaclear filters) and my nitrates weren't high at all.

In doing the above I have noticed a significant drop in my nitrates, but tend to "blame" that on a few other things I've done since then as well- one which was adding a lot more macroalgae in my under-cabinet refugium. The plumbing, basics and work to a larger tank seemed much more daunting than my smaller tanks however I quickly realized that the tank has also remained consistently much more stable in the long run with not as much maintenance.

I'm still, slowly, removing my bio-balls and replacing them with rock rubble. In the mean time, I'm still washing portions of the bio-balls I have left. I'm not touching the rubble that I put in. I would say in about a month's time, I should have them all out. I have never noticed a spike in my ammonia or nitrites but I have noticed a decrease in my nitrates. I think with the amount of rock I have, the fact I use filter pads, the added water volume my sump and refugium add, and the fact that I've been doing the process slowly and partially, that I'm affecting very little bacteria at all.


By the way, good read there atnixon. Now you're "bashing" out the links, eh? :D
 
i can't find LR rubber here..... any idea to replace the bio ball???
 
smash it???? ...........
 
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