biological filtration

[krkosiba]

Is it possible to have to much biological filteration? When using berlin filtration (live rock, live sand, protein skimmer). In the right quantities-2 pounds of live rock to every gallon. Are bio-balls needed in a wet/dry filter or would it just be overkill?

[krkosiba]

opps, I meant to put this in the filtration section.

[leebca]

Yes, it is possible to 'over-kill' in a LR system.

You want to take full advantage of the LR which includes converting nitrates to nitrogen gas -- the denitrification step in the nitrogen cycle. If the system is over equipped with bio balls, trickle filter or media biological canister filters, then the live rock doesn't get to do its full job. Nitrates will be produced faster and the LR can't handle those nitrates. In a FO or a FOWLR system, it isn't that important, since nitrates that don't get handled by the LR don't pose a problem to marine fishes.

You may however, get another opinion if/when a reef aquarium system is being considered.

[denhay14]

Yeah I took out all of my bio-balls and thinking about putting LR where the balls used to be. Saw that the balls end up being nitrate factories and got rid of them in a hurry.

[DarthClownfish]

LR exposed to air will create nitrates just as fast as bio balls. It takes longer to break down nitrates to nitrogen than it does to convert ammonia to nitrite then nitrate. So if you are too efficient in the first step, the second step can't keep up.

I really hate the term nitrate factory as I don't think its accurate. Bio balls after all don't create nitrates that are not already there. What they do IME is create a ceiling, a minimum nitrate level, beneath which you can never get. And as 0 nitrates is what you want on a reef, they are really not compatible with a reef setup

[denhay14]

So you think I shouldn't put the LR there? What should I do then because i've heard a lot of people take them out and put LR in their, but i'm open to other options don't really know what's good and bad yet?

[DarthClownfish]

You don't need anything in there. A lot of people put chaeto (chaetomorpha sp. algae) and a light to grow it. The live rock in the tank will handle the bio filtration load by itself. There are many more refugiums growing algae as sumps these days than trickle filters. Any filter media in there will create more problems than it solves.