Hey y'all, just joined up. I've joined a few boards now, reading and researching as much as possible. I JUST started my saltwater 'adventure' converting a 46-gallon tank to a saltwater reef. I've had a bit of experience in freshwater and always wanted a saltwater, and finally decided to 'dive'in :tongue2:
SO I'm in 'cycling' mode for the next couple of weeks or so...just gonna ask lots of questions and learn as much as possible, I don't want to make a huge investment only to have it all come crashing down due to lack of knowledge. Currently I have 40 lbs. of live rock, a protein skimmer, 2 106 gpm maxi-jet pumps and one maxi-jet 900 pump.
I DO have a question about the "bio-balls"-I read in other forums that I should take them out and replace them with a chunk of live rock. IF I clean the filter/tank weekly, can I get by without removing them?

welcome aboard ... to answer your question about the bio balls ...

you CAN leave them if they are cleaned religiously, but that much cleaning gets old quick, IMHO. i would take them out and add the LR rubble. if the bio balls stay in there and you decide to slack off on the cleaning they will become a nitrate factory, and we try to keep nitrates as LOW as possible in our systems.

can you give us a detailed description of your setup ?? we will be able to help you more if we know all of this.

sump ?? flow ?? lighting ?? skimmer type ?? ect.

Welcome, glad to have you!

I'll agree with Bobby Re: the bio balls. I will say though, that LR rubble can be just as bad. You'll need to keep it submerged, not in a wet/dry area like you sometimes see bio-balls in, and you'll still need to blow the detritus off the LR rubble, or you'll still get an increase in nitrates.

You've found a really great forum, with very friendly folks. We're allways happy to help however we can.

Currently I have 40 lbs. of live rock, a protein skimmer, 2 106 gpm maxi-jet pumps and one maxi-jet 900 pump.
I DO have a question about the "bio-balls"-I read in other forums that I should take them out and replace them with a chunk of live rock. IF I clean the filter/tank weekly, can I get by without removing them?

Welcome to TR!

Rubble is a better form factor for filling available sump chambers, but I would rather see you yank the bio-balls and get more LR for your Sump or DT. I would recommend 1 to 1.5 lbs of LR per gallon on tank capacity. Right now you could use 6<->26 lbs more of LR. A properly maintained DSB also seems to be recommended for de-nitrification.

I just stuffed two of my sump shambers with LR rubble, but I wonder if I would be better off with larger pieces that might allow for some anaerobic activity deep within the rock. Hehe...I should cut two bricks out of large pieces of LR and slide them into the sump chambers...:)

fresh meat lol welcome to TR

Hi Ironman and :welcome: to TR.

I have caluerpa in the bioball chamber of my sump. :)

welcome aboard ... to answer your question about the bio balls ...

you CAN leave them if they are cleaned religiously, but that much cleaning gets old quick, IMHO. i would take them out and add the LR rubble. if the bio balls stay in there and you decide to slack off on the cleaning they will become a nitrate factory, and we try to keep nitrates as LOW as possible in our systems.

can you give us a detailed description of your setup ?? we will be able to help you more if we know all of this.

sump ?? flow ?? lighting ?? skimmer type ?? ect.


Thanks y'all! I appreciate the help!!

Bobby-I have one of these for my lighting :
http://www.coralreefecosystems.com/images/aqualight-53502.jpg

I'm using a Proclear Aquatic systems 75 gallon sump and MPS 75 protein skimmer (from the same company)-I just installed a maxi-jet 900 on the back of the tank to direct the flow against the front and thereby creating more current those are all hooked up to a wave-maker, that alternately runs the pumps every minute or so. I have dual-timers that turn the lights on according to time of day.

Couldn't I just buy a piece of live rock and stick in there? or do I need to crumble it up??


here's a few pictures:

http://home.comcast.net/~ga0358/Pictures/aqua1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~ga0358/Pictures/aqua2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~ga0358/Pictures/aqua3.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~ga0358/Pictures/aqua4.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~ga0358/Pictures/aqua5.jpg

how big is your sump ?? enough room for a 5 gallon bucket ??

you could just drop a few extra pieces of LR in the sump here and there. i probably have (over a couple of years) added a little over 100lbs of LR to my sump. of course my sump is BIG, but the more rock you can get in there (and still perform maint.) the better.

You just have to be careful adding the rock because if it is not cured you will have die off which will raise the ammonia level in your tank. You could drop a piece of cured rock in there no problem. It would not need to be rubble sized but it needs to be submerged all the time. You might want to check the forums at Atlanta Reef Club (http://www.atlantareefclub.org/) and see if you can find some there. Buying it from an established tank means that it is cured (and you will get a better price than at the LFS.)

or you can add one piece at a time, and it will not have very much of an impact on the parameters, but that is always a LITTLE risky. it depends on you overall tank volume, BTW.

:welcome: to TR

i have used filter socks before(easier to clean) but like anything you will have to keep them cleaned up.

I'm using a Proclear Aquatic systems 75 gallon sump

do you have enough room in there for a 5 gallon bucket ?? if so i would HIGHLY recommend a RDSB (remote deep sand bed). in my system they (i have 2) have helped filter better than anything i have ever tried.

Id like to see that actually, remote anything is great, just look at me:tongue2:, couldn't get any more remote!

your neighbors arent mick dundee and walter are they? lol

Good evening all,

I am also a brand new member of the community (my very first post). I use bio balls as well and have a question. How often should you clean them? Right now I have 160 pounds of live rock in the tank and five gallons of bio balls in the sump.

:welcome: to TR.

nolenrr, i would clean them every week RELIGIOUSLY !!

V, have you seen my RDSB's ?? check "my 125 SPS tank" thread.

Hello Robert & :welcome: to TR!

With your FOWLR tank I think that you are OK with the bio-balls as long as you keep them clean. What kind of substrate do you have?

I'd love to see pictures of your setup.