[lindsay]

Did any one spot the plastic bio balls in Claytons sump on his tank build and what he had to say about how they will not add to any nitrate readings,he makes a very good point.

[ben]

ive not read it yet,

but we hear so many people say about how their nitrates decrease when they remove the balls they have in their sump.

[bobba fett]

I have a layer of bioballs about 3 inches deep floating in the first compartment of my sump, Mainly there to break up the water as it comes down from the durso and knock out the trickling sound.

They are all submerged or just breaking the surface.

Nitrate is unreadable on a Salifert test

[Tony B]

The main points to consider here, is the system bioload (the potential to create nitrate) and the system's de-nitrification abilities.

There are a few reefkeepers who I trust that have experienced a fall in nitrate after removing bioballs.

I would avoid employing them.

[karnivor]

TBH, for the life of me, I fail to see how a few plastic whatsits can have much effect either way in a reef, considering the massive surface areas that are already available to bacteria on the rocks and gravel. maybe they have a small value if used in a trickle bed, but I would even question that unless the bed was force fed air.

You may as well fill your filter with plastic scouring pads.

[ben]

isnt it the fact they trap so much dirt and people tend not to clean them regularly enough?

[bobba fett]

Mine don't trap dirt as they always have high flow, personally I used them as a noise baffle rather than for any filtration purposes

[Blacktip]

Hard to argue with Claytons system. I'll try it in my new system. I didn't understand how the bios helped gas exchange?

[tommo]

Bioballs with a decent flow rate over them help gas exchange by actually spreading the water over themselves producing a monstrous surface area over which 100% saturation of water with air can be more easily achieved.

They are highly beneficial to a reef system. They provide an optimum sirface for nitrifying bacterias which is a good thing IMO but this has led to repute of issues with nitrate. If you look at people that remove bioballs and claim nitrate goes with them, you will probably find, that in reality it is the fact that they are spending more time on their aquarium and making an effort to remove nitrate that is beinging the nitrate down rather than the bioballs' absence!

I wouldn't employ them either Tony!

Reef dust winds me up

Tom