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02-15-2007, 07:35 PM
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#11 (permalink)
| | Plankton
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 4
Karma: 1
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I have heard that bio balls are better for fresh water tanks than salt water. If you want a good filtration system in your sump, add live rock to it.
The bio balls would go above the water level, if you choose to use them. Live rock would go below the water level.
I have live rock in my sump. Since I never started with bio balls, I can't say which one is better for keeping nitrates down. From what I've researched, live rock is supposed to do the better job though.
Joe | 
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02-15-2007, 07:40 PM
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#12 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Elizabethtown, IN Age: 40
Posts: 3,086
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jmattingly  I have heard that bio balls are better for fresh water tanks than salt water. If you want a good filtration system in your sump, add live rock to it.
The bio balls would go above the water level, if you choose to use them. Live rock would go below the water level.
I have live rock in my sump. Since I never started with bio balls, I can't say which one is better for keeping nitrates down. From what I've researched, live rock is supposed to do the better job though.
Joe | They came witht the tank I just purchased so I was debating putting them back in the sump. I believe I am just going to rip the walls out of the sump and make my own baffles up and just throw some LR in there. _________ Scott 265g (Peninsula)
3x400w MH's, 4x95w Actinics, AAT Lunar Lights, OM 4-way CL, PM Bullet 3 Skimmer, DelZone Eclipse 1 O3 Generator, WavySea Plus for return, AAT Kalk Reactor, KNOP Ca Reactor w/PM Second Chamber, TradeWinds Chiller, ACIII Controller, Oceanus ATO, PM PO4 Reactor, 75g Sump, 30g Fuge Born March 5, 2007 My 265 Gal. Tank Thread " REAL TIME TANK STATS "   | |
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02-15-2007, 09:27 PM
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#13 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 52
Karma: 52
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interesting discussion here as the guys back home are very anti bio balls i will be using them in my retail facility as they are good in building themselves up fast to convert waste in a retail set up but will be sticking to a dsb in my main system....will watch this thread for the outcome... | |
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02-15-2007, 09:58 PM
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#14 (permalink)
| | Corkscrew Tentacle Anemone
Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Miami,Fl
Posts: 737
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The problem with Bio Balls is that people dont maintain them and clean a portion of them regularly. There just like socks or other kind of floss material, if you dont clean them they are going to add nitrates to your tank. Bio balls were the norm back then before refugiums became more popular. I personally am not going to use them in my new setup because i dont plan on doing the maintenance they require. Its like everything else they have their pros and cons. Just my opinion.  _________ 90 gallon tank with center overflows, 44 gallon custom sump/fuge, Tek T5 retrofit 4x54 bulbs, Reef Octopus nw200 protein skimmer, Iwaki WMD40RLXT return pump (changed to panworld 100pxx),Knop c ca reactor, PA light house controller.
Click: Real-Time Stats 
^^ Testing it out! Ill add more param.. later. | |
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02-16-2007, 01:13 PM
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#16 (permalink)
| | Long-fin Bannerfish
Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: St. Louis
Posts: 1,611
  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bawest | Yikes....those foam filled ones would be an absolute nightmare. I can't imagine having to open up each of the little balls to rinse out the sponges.
On the carbon ones, how would you keep track of which balls need new carbon? I suppose you could use 3 different colors of fingernail polish. This month change out red, next month change out yellow, etc. but it seems like a hassle to me.
You could use the ceramic ones if you wanted but detritus is bound to get into those too and would require cleaning. _________ Curt  | |
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02-20-2007, 05:39 PM
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#17 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 59
Karma: 3
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I'm building a sump for my 90g tank and I don't know whether to use bio-balls or a filter sock or both. This is my first sump I have ever built to please help. | |
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02-20-2007, 06:54 PM
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#18 (permalink)
| | Long-fin Bannerfish
Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: St. Louis
Posts: 1,611
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fishyz I'm building a sump for my 90g tank and I don't know whether to use bio-balls or a filter sock or both. This is my first sump I have ever built to please help. | I used both. I had a filter sock that was regularly replaced to keep the bioballs and the sump clean. | |
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02-21-2007, 01:20 PM
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#19 (permalink)
| | KingFish
Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Pt. Richmond, Ca. Age: 38
Posts: 7,339
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I have personally never seen the need to clean bio-balls.
I have about a 6 pound turtle that creates waste like a college student after a night of drinking and a 2am Taco Bell run...
this guy should be a bio-ball killer but the balls LOOK fine to me. I have a thick pad in a tray above the balls that I rinse out every 2 water changes. That has been working for me over the last year or so with no issues. No chem tests to back up this up though. | |
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02-21-2007, 01:35 PM
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#20 (permalink)
| | Sea Dragon
Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: miami Age: 23
Posts: 514
Karma: 74
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why not replace the bio balls with LR? would it make a difference, i mean in the sump? ive seen people do this but i have not seen tests to back this up. ive been following this thread because i am going to set up a proclear 75 and i dont know if im going to replace the balls with LR.
_________
15 gallon aga
20 pounds lr
35 pounds ls
Current Power quad 96 watt retrofit
ZooMed Powersweep 214
Aquaclear 70 moded into refugium
two trumpet corals (1 light blue, 1 lime green)
star pollyps (pink base with yellow tips, and regular green)
various mushrooms (over 5 types)
metalic green frogspawn
sea mat (aka button polyps)
2 false percs
1 cherub angel (2 1/2 years old)
2 blue legged hermits
2 turbos
2 margarita snails
2 Astrea snails
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