bioballs create nitrates? No. But neglect does

johnnybass

If that is so ,and I stick with the bioballs I should take them out and clean them once a mo.?

Trishfish

I guess I don't understand what you mean. The purpose of bioballs is to create additional surface area for the "good" bacteria to colonize. If you clean them you will destroy the bacteria.

musho3210

yes and no, bio-balls create nitrates since all the waste is filtered out mechanically in the bio-balls. If left unnoticed they will become a nitrate factory and continually produce nitrates, even if the fish-load is small. The best way to go with this is to clean them like you said but try not to clean all at once. Maybe clean 1/3-1/2 a month by placing it in a bucket of old tank water and slowly stir them around, then put them back where all the other ones and make note of where you put them, the next month clean the ones you didnt clean and go like that. As CRM said in another post, bio-balls dont create nitrate, its being neglectful of the bio-balls that create nitrate.

johnnybass

I did.nt say that it's a reef tank this about 50 lbs. of live rock. Should I still clean the balls about 1/2 @ a time?

musho3210

yeah, it still creats nitrates and not all fish can stand a high nitrates.

caferacermike

With some live rock in the tank I'd look at changing your wet dry to accept filter socks. Wash them once a week and you'll have a really good mech filter to go along with the biological rock filtration. Your 50lbs of rock are probably way better at bio conversion then 10g of bioballs.

johnnybass

caferacermike Do you meen to get rid of the bioballs for the filter socks?

usmc121581

Yes remove them and forget about them.

nbassis

I am not understanding you all. Why would you ever want to wash the bioballs. Are you kidding me. This is a saltwater tank yes. you never touch the bioballs. Just let everything sit. Give your tank a year and everything will be fine. DO not ever rinse your bioballs. Just touching them kills all the good suff on them. Just change the filter you ahev above the balls every month or so.

usmc121581

Bi-balls cause high nitrates so you should never use them anyway. I dont know one person personnal that uses bioballs on a saltwater tank.