Wet/Dry filter Bio Balls?

Discussion in 'Filters, Pumps, etc..' started by Fastlife, Mar 6, 2005.

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  1. Fastlife

    Fastlife Fire Worm

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    Hello there i have a question about wet/dry filter. I know that these filter with the bio ball in are a Nitrate Factory. Some people say to remove them completly. I was wondering if i replaced my bio ball with some crushed corals that i have, would that raise my calcium level? Or will it do nothing? Has anyone tried this? Will it work? Or will it just be another form of High Nitrates.
     
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  3. JohnO

    JohnO Moderator

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    I dont think that replacing the bioballs with crushed coral will make any difference. How large in size is the CC?

    John
     
  4. Fastlife

    Fastlife Fire Worm

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    I have a few . One is about the size of a foot ball , one half that size and 3 smaller ones. I was planing on breaking them for that use if it has any good use.
     
  5. Black_Raven

    Black_Raven Scooter Blennie

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    You might want to try removing the bio balls, and adding live rock rubble and raising the water level so the rock is covered, or convert it into a refuge.
     
  6. Fastlife

    Fastlife Fire Worm

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    Well i have a 15 gal. tank that i am going to make into a refugium. So that is that, but i was reading and they mentioned that in a calcium reactor you can use crushed coral or shell( i know its because of the lower PH with the CO2). I thought by adding the crushed coral it would help to raise the calcium level.
     
  7. Black_Raven

    Black_Raven Scooter Blennie

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    Sorry, I don't know enough about calcium reactors.
     
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  9. JohnO

    JohnO Moderator

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    I really don't think you will get much benefit from crushing the coral and using it instead of the bioballs :)

    You wont get any calcium because ( as you mentioned ) the PH will be all wrong so all you will be left with is a mechanical filter media. You may as well just leave them the size they are and use them in your refugium.

    John


    [quote author=Fastlife link=board=General;num=1110149200;start=0#2 date=03/07/05 at 17:43:46]I have a few . One is about the size of a foot ball , one half that size and 3 smaller ones. I was planing on breaking them for that use if it has any good use.[/quote]
     
  10. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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    I agree.
    And crushed coral will clog more too.
     
  11. Fastlife

    Fastlife Fire Worm

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    O.K. thanks for the info. I guess i will be putting back some bio balls. I am not going to put them all back because i noticed alot of brown stuff on the bottom of my wet/dry filter when i was cleaning it out. Any idea what that could be( the brown stuff)? Is it Nitrate build up?
     
  12. JohnO

    JohnO Moderator

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    Nope! :)

    Nitrate is a chemical compound not a solid. Probably will be under the general term of Detrius :) Ashes to ashes, dust to dust

    John