BIO Balls and high nitrate

[Caige]

I have a 34gallon tank... only a few months old. I have a cleaner crew and just a couple of zoo's. However, I have NEVER been able to get my nitrates below 20. Even after 50% water changes... and it's not from feeding too much.

After reading some articles and forums, i'm thinking it's my bags of BIO balls. I have 5 small bags of BIO balls that came with the tank (Solana aquarium). However, a lot of what i'm reading says that these BIO balls can cause high nitrate and I should change out with LR rubble.

Do you all agree with this? and if I do, can I make a quick swap or do I need to maybe take one bag out and add some rubble... wait a couple of weeks and then take another bag out and add rubble?

Local LHF sold me a "cell-pore Biocartridge" which they suggested I used instead of LR rubble... said I should put it in the tank WITH THE BIO balls and just leave it like that.

Thoughts???

 

[melosu58]

If it was me I would go with the rubble. With the bio balls being that new I would not think they would be dirty enough to create that much nitrates. What kind of water are you using for top off water and PWC water. I would maybe do a water test on your PWC water to make sure you are not adding it. JMO

 

[Caige]

My parameters have been very consistant. Here they are:

Temp - 77 to 80
PH - 8.3
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 20
KH - 179ppm
SG 1.024
Phosphate 0
Calcium - 360 to 400ppm

I have always used "Red Sea" water (ready made) from my local LHF for water changes.... conduct AT LEAST one every 2 weeks. However, I just went with a new Salt water (ready made) from my LHF -- but haven't used it yet.

My top off from evaporation water is always RO/DI from my local LHF.

Thanks for your input and help!

 

[Caige]

Oh, and I have tested my Red Sea before performing the PWC, and everything is fine.

 

[melosu58]

Also you know 20 is not that all fired high. Yes 0 is the goal but sometimes it can not be reached. As long as it is 20 or less I would not worry too much. There`s alot of folks out there that wish they were around 20. The rest of the parameters look fine.

 

[Caige]

Yeah I know... just weird how I have almost nothing in the tank but still can't get below 20... makes me nervous that when I do start loading it up - my Nitrates will sky rocket!

So if I do replace BIO balls... thing I can do it all at one time or do I need to do a little at a time? you ever heard of that "cell-pore bio cartridge" instead of rubble?

Thanks again!

 

[melosu58]

I`ve never heard of it. Maybe someone else has. Yes I would just replace them all. Make sure the LR rubble is submerged.

 

[roka64]

I haven't heard of that product either...but I'm guessing the LR rubble will be cheaper.
How much LR do you have in there now and what fish?
If you have a heavy bioload, I would replace the bioballs slowly.

 

[Caige]

i have about 45lb's of LR in there now.. (tank is 34gal).. I have had for a couple months a cleaning crew which consists of 10 nassarius snails, 4 Turbo snails, 5 Hermit crabs and 2 emerald crabs... and had 2 peppermint shrimp - but emeralds ate them!

Within the last week I also added:

1 small green zoo
1 small leather finger zoo
1 frogspawn (med)
1 lettuce slug
1 feather duster.

 

[CaptainAhab]

Nitrates greater than 20 .. I'm a member of that club

 

[Fierro Nights]

the water your using for the changes may have nitrates in it already, i had that problem with nitrItes, it was in my water supply and it took me a while to figure it out.

i dont think bioballs should get any more dirty then LR if your water passes though a filter.

my bioballs are not wet dry, they just sit in a section of my supt where the return line is, the majority of my bio filtration i think comes from the ceramaic rings inside of a filter chamber.

a good use for a bioball i have found is get a 1gallon water jug make sure its not from milk, cut the bottom off and shove it upside down into your sump for your water inline, get a bioball and it fits perfectly on the inside where the water will come out then layer filter media on top of this, cut out some filter media that is larger that you need and place this peice on the bottom so that it goes up the sides, then stack filter media w/in that piece and have your return water income go through this filter.

i just cleaned mine last night after a week, it had collected alot of the sand dust from when added more sand over the past few days.

if you dont have sump, consider getting one, they keep alot of the unsightly hoses out of the main tank, especially if you have a small tank, and it allows for a small fuge.