Bio-Balls and Cycling

[nickkohrn]

After watching Dr. Tim Hovanec’s recent MACNA talk about cycling, I have been thinking about how I’m going to cycle my frag system. So, I’d like to know if you are in a similar situation, and what your plans are.

In his talk, he discussed the use of bio-balls, and he provided an explanation about why he thinks they are better than the ceramic products that have grown in popularity, such as MarinePure. This has led me to look into bio-balls, and I may incorporate them into the cycle, only adding ceramic media after the cycle has completed.

My reason for this is that the cycle may progress more efficiently, which is based on his explanation of a process that uses them. Only after the cycle completes will I add ceramic media so that denitrifying bacteria can be gong populating it. I used the largest MarinePure brick in a previous system, and I had to dose sodium nitrate to maintain a detectable level of nitrates, so I do believe that a ceramic product like that has its place, but not during the process of cycling an aquarium.

I’m curious to know if you have recently watched Dr. Tim’s presentation and set up a new system. If so, did you consider any of his recommendations?

 

[Retro Reefer]

I have cycled all my new tanks with bioballs out of a established systems.. IMO they get a bad rap as nitrate factory’s, I still use as many as I can stuff in my sumps

 

[Gareth elliott]

I would use both ceramic media and bioballs personally. The are a lot anoxic areas of even the large pore seachem matrix than bio balls. I also still use bio balls, but currently just my fw systems.
Currently i use nylon dish scrubbers to cycle my qt tanks, very similar to bio balls but cheaper and i dont feel bad throwing away if need to lol.

 

[Retro Reefer]

Old school baby ;Hilarious

 

[nickkohrn]

I have cycled all my new tanks with bioballs out of a established systems.. IMO they get a bad rap as nitrate factory’s, I still use as many as I can stuff in my sumps

Do you allow them to float, or do you employ ways to keep them submerged?

I’m thinking about cycling with bio-balls and later adding ceramic media for denitrification purposes. In the meantime, I’m trying to learn about ways that others have bio-balls configured within their systems.

 

[Retro Reefer]

Do you allow them to float, or do you employ ways to keep them submerged?

I’m thinking about cycling with bio-balls and later adding ceramic media for denitrification purposes. In the meantime, I’m trying to learn about ways that others have bio-balls configured within their systems.

I don’t use them in a “dry” tower like the above picture anymore but try to keep them submerged if possible, my current tank has a really small sump but I made a box out of egg crate that I filled with bioballs, a large mesh bag that’s filled and a small AOI satellite tank that’s plumbed into the system has all the filter compartments filled with them.. I will note my LFS has a huge sump that all their tanks are plumbed into and it’s full of floating bioballs.

Don’t mind the mess ;Facepalm

My current tank powered by bioballs

 

[brandon429]

Question
If you instantly removed bio balls offline, which parameter would change

 

[Retro Reefer]

Question
If you instantly removed bio balls offline, which parameter would change

if your asking me, in my system I would say nothing the back bone of my tank is ocean farmed rock. the balls where used initially to seed tank before I added rock but now are just extra biological media which will hopefully help handle any potential system spikes, they are also a ideal habitat for all kinds of critters such as pods and pineapple sponges.

 

[brandon429]

Excellent system those corals are sharp and healthy, no algae infested you’ve really found the tune, even the sump area /walls crevices are clean and balanced

 

[Retro Reefer]

Excellent system those corals are sharp and healthy, no algae infested you’ve really found the tune, even the sump area /walls crevices are clean and balanced

Thank you, Tank is only about a year and a half old so it’s still kinda finding its way.. I do have plenty of algae but very little grows on my rocks, mostly back glass and anything plastic so I can easily manage it.