bio-balls & phos absorb

[robin.gordon1]

whilst trying to cure my algae problem I added a pouch of phosphate absorber
to the sump and some filter floss 9nto the media chamber of the prizm
skimmer. from doing this, the skimmer has started to produce a much better
residue. it's less thick (more fluid) and much more of it. the water seems
a lot clearer but the algae hasn't gone yet.
I was reading on another post that you shouldn't have bio-balls in the same
tank/system. are there any good reasons for me to dump my bio-balls?
someone else had suggested doing this a long time ago but I'm not sure how
good this info is.

Robin

[Mort]

"robin.gordon1" > wrote in message
...
> whilst trying to cure my algae problem I added a pouch of phosphate
absorber
> to the sump and some filter floss 9nto the media chamber of the prizm
> skimmer. from doing this, the skimmer has started to produce a much better
> residue. it's less thick (more fluid) and much more of it. the water
seems
> a lot clearer but the algae hasn't gone yet.
> I was reading on another post that you shouldn't have bio-balls in the
same
> tank/system. are there any good reasons for me to dump my bio-balls?
> someone else had suggested doing this a long time ago but I'm not sure how
> good this info is.
>
> Robin
>
>

How large is the tank and how much LR do you have?

I removed the bioballs from my system once I had the recommended 1 to 1.5lbs
of LR per gallon of water.

However, I did it SLOWLY! Maybe a handful or two per day.

From what I have read, the b ad thing about bio balls is that the create a
lot of nitrates which is bad for a reef.

If you have a fish only system, then it's not as big of a deal.

hth

~Mort

[robin.gordon1]

my tank is a 36"x18"x15" main tank with a 36"x18"x12" sump. I have around
20kg of live rock with just a few corals in it.
I have two 402 powerheads for circulation (ends) and two 301 powerheads in
the middle to circulate around the central rockwork.
the nitrate was a problem for a while but all my tests tell me it's less
than 5ppm but the algae is still very bad but I'm getting there.
so are the bio-balls all bad . they do seem to collect a lot of debris and
have to be maintained a lot. I don't understand why as I have a sponge
compartment first and then onto the rest of the sump.

Robin

"robin.gordon1" > wrote in message
...
> whilst trying to cure my algae problem I added a pouch of phosphate
absorber
> to the sump and some filter floss 9nto the media chamber of the prizm
> skimmer. from doing this, the skimmer has started to produce a much better
> residue. it's less thick (more fluid) and much more of it. the water
seems
> a lot clearer but the algae hasn't gone yet.
> I was reading on another post that you shouldn't have bio-balls in the
same
> tank/system. are there any good reasons for me to dump my bio-balls?
> someone else had suggested doing this a long time ago but I'm not sure how
> good this info is.
>
> Robin
>
>

[CapFusion]

"robin.gordon1" > wrote in message
...
> my tank is a 36"x18"x15" main tank with a 36"x18"x12" sump. I have around
> 20kg of live rock with just a few corals in it.
> I have two 402 powerheads for circulation (ends) and two 301 powerheads in
> the middle to circulate around the central rockwork.
> the nitrate was a problem for a while but all my tests tell me it's less
> than 5ppm but the algae is still very bad but I'm getting there.
> so are the bio-balls all bad . they do seem to collect a lot of debris and
> have to be maintained a lot. I don't understand why as I have a sponge
> compartment first and then onto the rest of the sump.

When you have sponge and BIOS-balls, then you have two area will cause
nitrate. You will need to remove the sponge and slowly remove the BIOS-ball.
The reason you remove slowly is to have your other natural filteration to
adapt to those changing level nutrient (nitrate).
You mainly need is LR / LS and PS as a natural way of remove the nitrate in
your tank.

Your BIOS-balls and Sponge will contain bacteria that will break-down Amonia
/ Nitrite > Nitrate product. This is where it end. Those trap waste / detris
etc will decay and break down nutrient.

Algae can be considered as part of filteration. What it does is to obsorb
nutrient and this promote it growth. People look at it as weed [human
point-of-view]. To remove weed, you need shrimp / crab etc that will eat
algae [janitoral crew as they commonly called].
The above mention is natural way of removing nutrient except for the Protien
Skimmer.

CapFusion,...

[robin.gordon1]

yeah I have started by removing the sponge as I had already noticed that if
the sponges weren't cleaned every other day then the nitrates rise very
quickly but the bio balls seem to catch a lot of detritus from the tank
instead. I'm panning a big water change but cant figure whether to remove
the bio-balls from one chamber at a time or from all the chambers a little
at a time.
would a higher output pump help my system, I'm currently using a RIO 1700
thinking that this would do but it seems I got a dud one that wont switch on
and off on its own. I have to shake the unit or strip it start the impeller
by hand and then rebuild the unit and dump it in the sump pretty quick.

Robin

[CapFusion]

"robin.gordon1" > wrote in message
...
> yeah I have started by removing the sponge as I had already noticed that
if
> the sponges weren't cleaned every other day then the nitrates rise very
> quickly but the bio balls seem to catch a lot of detritus from the tank
> instead. I'm panning a big water change but cant figure whether to remove
> the bio-balls from one chamber at a time or from all the chambers a little
> at a time.
> would a higher output pump help my system, I'm currently using a RIO 1700
> thinking that this would do but it seems I got a dud one that wont switch
on
> and off on its own. I have to shake the unit or strip it start the
impeller
> by hand and then rebuild the unit and dump it in the sump pretty quick.
>

Coming from RIO pump, this consider normal especially 1700. The smaller 600
that I have seem to turn on when there power (juice) to it. Back to
BIOS-ball. You simply need to slowly remove those BIOS-ball so your natural
filter will slowly catch up. You can remove any part from each chamber or
one chamber. It all up to you but BUT you have to do it slowly. This is the
only catch.

CapFusion,...