Has anyone used this product...

Active Filter Media Balls: Azoo Biological, Mechanical, and Chemical Filtration (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=15440&Ntt=azoo&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2004&Nty=1)

There was a blurb about it in the last Fostersmith Catalog I recieved. It sounds like a good Idea, but then again, being new to salt water anything written up well would probalby sound like a good idea. and I know the goal of any company is to turn a profit.

I would be using it to replace the standard Bio Balls in a 14 g Bio Cube which has been in the cycle process for aproximately 1 week. so figuring 2-3 week point before i could change them out after being ordered and waiting for shipping.

any advice?

I would remove all the bio balls and replace them nothing. Or possibly a light and some cheato. Bio balls are a huge contributer to nitrates.

I agree, ditch the bio-balls. Also make sure that you keep the sponges cleaned or you will have problems nitrates.

Don't the bioballs contain most the bacteria? The coversion of NitRite and Ammonia take place there.

If he takes the bio balls out won't he risk a rise in the much more deadly toxins?


I would remove all the bio balls and replace them nothing. Or possibly a light and some cheato. Bio balls are a huge contributer to nitrates.

If they're in an established filter, they need to be removed over time to allow the bacterial colonies in the rock and sand to build up to take over. The problem with bio-balls is, they're TOO good at what they do. They're very efficient at converting ammonia and nitrite, but the bacteria that removes nitrate is anaerobic, and will not live on bio-balls. That, coupled with their propensity for trapping and holding detritus make them pretty much a very efficient nitrate factory.

If they're in an established filter, they need to be removed over time to allow the bacterial colonies in the rock and sand to build up to take over. The problem with bio-balls is, they're TOO good at what they do. They're very efficient at converting ammonia and nitrite, but the bacteria that removes nitrate is anaerobic, and will not live on bio-balls. That, coupled with their propensity for trapping and holding detritus make them pretty much a very efficient nitrate factory.

^^^ what he said ^^^

What if you have a FO w/inverts and NO live rock? Would you recommend to take the bio balls out and hose them down every so often?

I have a 60 gallon sump full of them. They are off the sump floor. The sump has a acrylic insert with holes. Its about 3 inches above the floor of the sump. All the balls are actually out of the water. They are bathed by a large drip plate. The balls are very clean but under them on the bottom of the sump I can see some algae film. I could probably suck that out, maybe thats where the NItrates are.



If they're in an established filter, they need to be removed over time to allow the bacterial colonies in the rock and sand to build up to take over. The problem with bio-balls is, they're TOO good at what they do. They're very efficient at converting ammonia and nitrite, but the bacteria that removes nitrate is anaerobic, and will not live on bio-balls. That, coupled with their propensity for trapping and holding detritus make them pretty much a very efficient nitrate factory.

I wouldn't hose them down, but it may be a good idea to swich themn around in some tank water every once inn a while to remove any trapped detritus. I wouldn't remove them from a FO tank, as removinf ammonia and nitrite are what's important. FO or full blown reef, everyone should clean their sump from time to time.

everyone should clean their sump from time to time.

Just did that 3 days ago ... *patting self on back*

Yeah, I'm due. I should practice what I preach, huh :rotfl:

didn't anybody ready the actual question...

It was about Azoo Active Filter Media Balls

These are not plastic bio-balls. They are rocks of some nature that are good for a year in the water. I've not used them but have contemplated it.

Dragline have you used them? You posted this question first...

Anybody have experience with them?

Michael

First of all if you read the ingredients you will see that are all mostly SiO2, silicon dioxide, sand! It does not say how the product is used up, does it dissolve over time (unlikely since it is sand) or is it just that you consider it spent at the end of a year? Since it probably does not dissolve how do you know that the water is getting to the things that are supposed to be going into your tank? Even more important, how do you know that you need these things in your tank? If you read the list you will see there are several ions like titanium and lithium that I don't think a hobbyist test kit exists for. I recommend that you never dose what you don't or can't test for. Finally if the silver, which is touted as minimizing microbial pathogen growth, (it is true silver is an anti-microbial agent) actually releases enough silver ions to minimize pathogens it would also minimize beneficial microbes and kill your biological filtration. They aren't anything I would use in my tank.

didn't anybody ready the actual question...

It was about Azoo Active Filter Media Balls

These are not plastic bio-balls. They are rocks of some nature that are good for a year in the water. I've not used them but have contemplated it.

Dragline have you used them? You posted this question first...

Anybody have experience with them?

Michael

Woah there Michael - calm down - this isn't Reef Central! :D

Now about those Active Filter Media Balls - do you really want to use something called "Far Infrared-Rays"? Or how about "Anion" - that claims to help "neutralize free-radicals"? I guess if they meant it would safley kill a flatworm infestation, we'd have something here! Sounds a little fishy to me ... and not in a good way. :(

wow what a beautiful crock of s%$T..lol
why didn't i think of that!

Someone modify this charcoal brisket for me so i can bombard it with FIR & mix in abit of calcium powders ect ect.

Like all things, lets look at the structure first.

First thing to wet the taste buds.. FIR or Far Infrared Radiation - ol my god im melting thing.....:rotfl:

wavelength spectrum of light, close, mid (like mid strength beer) and far.
Far has a wavelength spectrum of 4 - 1k microns. Dont ask me what this means cause you have the internet for the committed:p

Let there be heat i say, why, cause this wavelength penetrates the furthest & excites molecules efficiently. With these jittery molecules comes healthy cells, with these healthy cells come healthy metabolisms, with healthy metabolisms comes healthy replication and so on and so forth.
Question is these rocks, who bombards them, for what duration, what is the half life saturation & what proximity is needed. Anyways , moving on...


Ca & Mg, no contest, we're not worthy! :shout:

silver ion, no first we'll tackle the anion, it will become apparent in the time it takes me to drink this beer ok.

Anion, "dont be negative, opps you have no choice in the matter".

Ions that are negatively charged are called anions, aka darth vader. Where as possitivly charge are called cations aka lukeiamyourfather. The way i remember it is an anion......

*this orange im holding is the ion, the hair on my head is the polarity melon shifting thinghttp://www.alexander-oberg.de/smileys/Haeh.gif & each respective direction adds or subtracts election thingies. lol - **rubs orange like a mad man in one direction on my melon** An-d its gone" negative attraction *i didn't think i was that ugly*, so its anion.

*rubs the melon in the other direction* "Cat-ch" you have a positive cation. * i feel sexy again:o*

Add or take a few electrons, a splash of vodka & you have Lego blocks of life :D
anyways, someone else can shed some light on the purpose of this,
Because this statement Anion helps neutralize free-radicals with anti-oxidant properties;

Just doesn't make sense to me, what structure are they refering in the first place that is negativly charged? Plus using it as a stand alone???. Basicly you have an abundant source of negative releasing ions & anything positive within the field will become bonded. Once bonded you have another structure, Its not the same as O3 oxidization so clarification might be needed.

Now gets us to part B
silver ion, take all of what carmie said, & the fact that its a possitive ion. Bond unknown negative anion with positive cation silver & you have an atomic sink hole that the silver can bond with- thus there's your anti-whatevers that being in close atomic proximity with silver produces. Just maybe this is used in conjunction & marketed as such, who know. Let me know what you guys think.

Let me know what you guys think.
I think I'd like a double of what you're drinking, Veriann!!! :rotfl: :rotfl:

How can you not love this Aussie???


!!!

Could not have said it better. Though I fear we are giving way too much time and energy to these magic balls, which is what they should have called them if they wanted to move some product!

i would have called them "sump turds"

whats the V special ingrediant??? , imagine the lab coat thats been handling it for the last 2 months trying to reverse engineer the formula ahmuahahahahahahaha.........hahahahamahahahahamaha haha.*cough*

That never gets old for me! - editors note - if you can read this my diversion has worked & that 6pack of beer you were chillin in the fridge is now gonski.

i would have called them "sump turds"

whats the V special ingrediant??? , imagine the lab coat thats been handling it for the last 2 months trying to reverse engineer the formula ahmuahahahahahahaha.........hahahahamahahahahamaha haha.*cough*

That never gets old for me! - editors note - if you can read this my diversion has worked & that 6pack of beer you were chillin in the fridge is now gonski.

You win ... again. (Sigh) I can only aspire to your wit and wisdom, V.

lol sure!
you keep up easy:up: