Should I take out my bioballs?

[glb]

Hi everyone. I have a 12g nano with the following stable parameters:

Kh: 8.5
Ca: 450
Mg: .1300
Nitrates: c. 10ppm
Phosphates: always zero

I also have filter sponges I clean weekly, seachem Denitrate and Seachem purigen in the sump areas I've been doing a lot of research about bioballs becoming nitrate factories and wonder if I really need them. I have all live rock in the tank and am disciplined with maintenance. The bioballs are really dirty. At the same time, the tank is stable, so should I leave well enough alone? I don't want to upset a stable system but I'm wondering if there's any way I can make it even better. Any comments would be helpful!


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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps, Acans and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

 

[shred5]

Yea remove them they do not belong in a reef. Just do it slowly.

 

[glb]

Should I replace them with something else?


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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps, Acans and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

 

[O.Buckshank]

You can use live rock rubble, or even Seachem Matrix. If you have room, I would even add a Polyfilter...


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[navila06]

boi-balls are great, i ran them for years and had zero issues with them, problem they cause is they get dirty and produce nitrates, as long as they get cleaned every once and a while they will be fine. Saying that I have taken all mine out and replaced with a filter sock only cause i like the way the sock clears the water. as far as them not belonging in a reef i would have to disagree. A shoe does not belong in a reef. Bio-balls can be placed in a reef.

Hi everyone. I have a 12g nano with the following stable parameters:

Kh: 8.5
Ca: 450
Mg: .1300
Nitrates: c. 10ppm
Phosphates: always zero

I also have filter sponges I clean weekly, seachem Denitrate and Seachem purigen in the sump areas I've been doing a lot of research about bioballs becoming nitrate factories and wonder if I really need them. I have all live rock in the tank and am disciplined with maintenance. The bioballs are really dirty. At the same time, the tank is stable, so should I leave well enough alone? I don't want to upset a stable system but I'm wondering if there's any way I can make it even better. Any comments would be helpful!


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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps, Acans and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

 

[shred5]

The reason bioballs don't work is they only provide space for aerobic bacteria (oxygen loving bacteria). These bacteria convert ammonia to nitrite then nitrate. They only provide for 1/2 the nitrogen cycle, they provide no space for anaerobic bacteria.

 

[glb]

So how would I use a filter sock in a nano?


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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps, Acans and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

 

[O.Buckshank]

The reason bioballs don't work is they only provide space for aerobic bacteria (oxygen loving bacteria). These bacteria convert ammonia to nitrite then nitrate. They only provide for 1/2 the nitrogen cycle, they provide no space for anaerobic bacteria.

This is why I like the Matrix, it is produce to be able to colonize aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, and is very effective in nano setups...




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[O.Buckshank]

So how would I use a filter sock in a nano?


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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps, Acans and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

You can only utilize a filter sock if you are running a sump, and I will assume with the size of your tank, you are not. So you really could not utilize a filter sock...


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