How many bio balls does it take?

Is there a general concensus what to start out with or use? I know there are variables like a no rock tank and such. Also, is there a % of bio balls to LBs of rock, and, or, sand ratio? I dont want to throw 100 balls in and hope for the best. Unfortionatly I dont know how much rock I will have because I am going to make my own. I could end up with a little or a lot. More than likely sand in the main tank 1"-2" and not sure how big I am going to make the fuge. All floating variables right now, but, if there is some rule of thumb to work with, that would help.

 

Where do you plan on placing these bioballs?

 

Alot of folks just replace the Bio Balls with live rock rubble, since your making your own. you could just make a bunch of smaller pieces and save some money on the bio balls.

 

Heh heh, this is a trap isnt it? I know what your up to, lol. Okay, honestly I dont know. All I know is that once my tank cycles and I stick my home made dead rock in there, I am not going to have a lot of bio filteration. I will have a fuge up and running, but, I am sure thats not going to be enough until my rock gets seeded and growing real good, what, a year-ish or so? The general concensus is refuge --> skimmer ---> sump, but, you know me. Now, before I say anymore, i will say I have at least 3 different plans/setups in mind, so, dont think I am stuck on just one. Anyhoo...still coming up with ideas, but, was thinking, for now, make a seperate chamber wet/dry with bio balls, running a line to the skimmer section (not sure if I need to do that or just run it to the sump), then have it setup as stated above refuge --> skimmer --> sump.

I have a 49 wide I.D. stand (not together yet so plans can change) so I could theoreticly have a 12x? wet/dry setup to set beside my 36" wide refuge/sump.

As the rock matures, I would yoke out a bio ball here and there. Would probably end up keeping a few in the end though, maybe, cause, i wants to have a lot of fishys.

 

No not a trap but thanks for the chuckle anyhow. Unless we know where/how you're going to use these bioballs, it's not very easy to answer the question. They do very well in a wet/dry system but other than that, I'm not sure what other applications they can be used in besides in a denitrator coil. Your rock should only take about 2-4 months to become seeded with the necessary bacteria, assuming you cycle the tank in such a way that that bacteria has a continual food supply to prevent "starvation". As for setting up a refugium, I wouldn't put any plants in it until your tank is several months old as the plants won't have much to consume until you get something in the main tank that's going to produce alot of continuous phosphates and nitrates (plant food).

 

I don't use bio-balls in my systems at all. There is speculation out there, that in addition to housing beneficial bacteria, they can also trap debris, etc. if the water is not properly prefilterd. This in theory could lead to Nitrate issues.

I'd just make sure you have plenty of live rock in there, and you will be good to go.

 

amcarrig:

Well, talking out me bum and trying to make sence in the last post, I thought maybe when you popped in on this one, you were a waiting me, with sound advice of course ;D .

all:
The way my funds are going and steps I will be taking, things will progress slowly. I am trying to get the tank up and running first while making rock. By the time I get ingredients for the rock, I am counting on being 2 weeks into cycling. Then, its going to take what, another 4 weeks to pull out all the extra ph from the made rock? In that time I am waiting on the rock to even be ready for the tank, I will need something to support my fishy, nemo of course. Heck, i still have to save for a skimmer! I would do just a basic wet/dry for the time being.

 

In that case, put as many bio-balls in the "dry" section of the wet/dry as possible. As long as you don't overfeed your tank too much, you should be able to leave the bioballs in there "forever". If you find that you do overfeed and have a nitrate problem as a result, as long as you clean the bioballs once in a while by rinsing with salt water, you shouldn't have any problems with them.

 

kay, thaks, but, is there a minimum I should use, and whats a good type to get? I am sure all of them would work, but, i have seen them with little burs, like a sea urchin, golf ball shaped with slats and ruote (wagon wheel shape pasta). I know anything is better than nothing, but, since I am gonna buy these suckas, which would be the best?