Bio Balls OUT!~

[Anonymous]

Well, after a few months of dealing with algae, I've decided to remove my bio balls today. I hope this is the ticket. I also got a foxface and a bicolor blenny, and 15 chestnut turbos today too. I'm going on a full tilt charge! Wish me luck!

 

[Anonymous]

Would you like a good luck or bad luck wish? :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

Would you like a good luck or bad luck wish? :wink:

A cookie would be nice.

 

[Anonymous]

Good Luck!!

 

[Anonymous]

good luck. what kind of cookies do you like.

 

[Anonymous]

Luck!

 

[Anonymous]

nevermind

 

[Anonymous]

nevermind

MALLOMARS - It's the fall!

Eh..

Hey,
Has anyone experience a difference once you removed BBs? Just wondering if you'll see a significant difference and how long will it take?

Skimming like crazy, a really light fish load for a 55g tank.

 

[Anonymous]

My brother-in-law has a bak-pak and I advised him to take out his bio media. So he finally did and it caused alot of micro bubbles. I told him to wait it out and see if it straightens out. After a couple of weeks, it wouldn't skim and the bubbles were still there and his corals were looking crappy. He bought more bio media and everything is back to normal.

 

[Anonymous]

My brother-in-law has a bak-pak and I advised him to take out his bio media. So he finally did and it caused alot of micro bubbles. I told him to wait it out and see if it straightens out. After a couple of weeks, it wouldn't skim and the bubbles were still there and his corals were looking crappy. He bought more bio media and everything is back to normal.

EEK. Ok. I'll keep them in the basement just in case then. Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

Just curious, Crissy, how big is his tank?

 

[Anonymous]

36 ga.

 

[Anonymous]

36 ga.

Ok, and the bakpak is a hang on skimmer right? (trying to remember)

 

[Anonymous]

Yes. CPR bak-pak.

 

[Anonymous]

Hmm. Wonder why it wouldn't skim... I've got a needle wheel in the sump... I'll keep an eye out on it.

 

[Anonymous]

'Just checked it... skimming really well. :? Also, when I took the BBs out I scooped up the gunk on the bottom of the sump (turn off returns,etc). So now it's really clean. I'm hoping the skimmer will be more effective since there's not balls to go through and maybe catch some of that stuff.

 

[Anonymous]

Wings, just an observation, watch your parameters after removing the bioballs, have observed that the removal of carbon that was left for over 3 months in 2 seperate tanks here resulted in a mini-cycle as the carbon had become a bacteria colony in the interim. Changing the balance caused both systems to 'wobble' while new bacteria established to fill the gap left by the removal of the bacteria. I'm sure that it will be the same with the bioballs, especially if you had a lot of them. Some time ago someone here was also removing his and was advised to do it in stages- seemed like good advice to me at the time...

Oh, heres your cookie....(lemon cream)

 

[Anonymous]

Ditto andy37.

BUT (there is always a but), I removed my bioballs in one swoop too (when my sump cracked). I did not notice any "wobble". The balls were about a year old at the time.

FWIW - I did not have much of an algea problem beforehand though.

 

[Anonymous]

Wings, just an observation, watch your parameters after removing the bioballs, have observed that the removal of carbon that was left for over 3 months in 2 seperate tanks here resulted in a mini-cycle as the carbon had become a bacteria colony in the interim. Changing the balance caused both systems to 'wobble' while new bacteria established to fill the gap left by the removal of the bacteria. I'm sure that it will be the same with the bioballs, especially if you had a lot of them. Some time ago someone here was also removing his and was advised to do it in stages- seemed like good advice to me at the time...

Oh, heres your cookie....(lemon cream)

That might be what happened to my bro-in-law's tank.

 

[Anonymous]

Wings, just an observation, watch your parameters after removing the bioballs, have observed that the removal of carbon that was left for over 3 months in 2 seperate tanks here resulted in a mini-cycle as the carbon had become a bacteria colony in the interim. Changing the balance caused both systems to 'wobble' while new bacteria established to fill the gap left by the removal of the bacteria. I'm sure that it will be the same with the bioballs, especially if you had a lot of them. Some time ago someone here was also removing his and was advised to do it in stages- seemed like good advice to me at the time...

Oh, heres your cookie....(lemon cream)

:lol: Thanks! I have plenty of the LR in main tank, so I'm not too worried about "dumping". I'm just glad my skimmer is still working. Crissy had me a bit nervous. Everything looks good today - so far, anyway.