Removing my bioballs!?!?

[roryb24]

i have the 14g biocube and im removing the bioballs a handfull a day and i wanted to know if it would work if i just added the stock biocube carbon filter in the bioballs place with a air stone to make the water move through the carbon filter??i dont wanna go the route of LR ruble and cheto. so has anyone heard of this or am i the first to try??

any comments or advice would help!

 

[roryb24]

any help would be great!?!?

 

[smarsh7903]

I don't like bioballs. They don't have enough surface area imo. If u want long term bio filtration I would either put your carbon pad and not replace it (too much trouble with carbon...I never use it) or loosely pack it with filter floss (best route). Don't replace the bioballs all at once and you won't need an aerator if you pack the media loosely.

Sent from my X10a using Aquarium

 

[roryb24]

well i was going to take the bioballs out about 5 a day and then i was going to add the carbon filter to chamber 2 where the bioballs were and add a air stone to get some water flow to move it through the carbon filter does this sound like it will work>??

 

[smarsh7903]

It should but I don't know why you need the airstone. The filter you are using should have sufficient water flow. how does your setup work

Sent from my X10a using Aquarium

 

[roryb24]

what do you mean by how does it work??
14g biocube
protien skimmer in chamber 3 going to put carbon filter in chmber 2 and i have return pump in chamber 1

i have good water flow i have a circulation pump 250gph
but i thought the bioballs needed to go i heard they were for FW not SW

 

[iDream]

They can be used for either, but they are known to become nitrate factories. Most replace them with LR rubble, not the carbon filter though.

If/when you remove them do it very slow, they are holding a decent chunk of your beneficial bacteria, removing them quickly could cause problems

 

[Scarfish]

Bioballs are a breeding ground for nitrates

 

[roryb24]

yeah i was having a problem with nitrates so i decided to take them out i have half of them out and my nitrates went from 40ppm to 20ppm in 2 days so everything is working good im only taking out about 6 at a time every 3 days

 

[mdaniel2882]

sounds like a good plan. you don't need the air stone and the carbon is a good plan. maybe put some GFO in there too.

 

[roryb24]

Im probally gonna go with some cheto and LR. maybe even slip the carbon filter in there too im not real sure yet ill keep studying up on it see if there is any benefits from it. whats does GFO stand for??

 

[mdaniel2882]

GFO - granulated ferric oxide - phosphate remover