redline Posted September 21, 2002 Share Posted September 21, 2002 I read on some website that a guy was using plastic practice golf whiffle balls instead of bioballs in his trickle filter. Does anyone out there employ this tactic or have any opinions on why or why not this would work or not work. Link to comment
Brianc_4 Posted September 21, 2002 Share Posted September 21, 2002 Bio balls are just pieces of plastic with a lot of surface area for bacteria to grow. Any plastic used in place of bio balls, will grow bacteria in a wet/dry enviornment. The more surface area, the more opportunity and space for bacteria to establish. Why would you want to use bio balls in a reef.? It will convert your ammonia into nitrate. If you have have more ammonia in your tank than your LS/LR can break down into harmless nitrogen and oxygen, perhaps you should look for the reason for the high ammonia in the first place. With outside biological filtration your just trading high ammonia for high nitrates, pick your poisin.??? Link to comment
printerdown01 Posted September 21, 2002 Share Posted September 21, 2002 I'll pick nitrates... since ammonia is deadly and nitrates encourage coal growth -tee hee... sorry couldn't resist, you set it up... *on a more serious note: you will also see a growth of algae when nitrates are high, but they are not really deadly. Thus, they are not a poison, so there was really only one poison to choose :-D -and therefore it was an easy choice! ***sorry, but I can be a smart a$$ when I'm really tired... Link to comment
Dave ESPI Posted September 21, 2002 Share Posted September 21, 2002 get some "BASE" Live rock. Use it fer the Wet Dry filtration. Ferget teh biobalz. the LR will atleast remove the nurtients. Bioballs is just surface area. Link to comment
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