Upgrading, need advice on removal of Bio Balls

[mojojones]

Hi everyone, I have come across a beautiful tank I want to buy. The description is below. I have some questions on the filter: I do not want the Bio Balls, so can I remove them from the sump, and what do I replace them with, live rock, filter media, or what? Add a skimmer? All advice will be highly appreciated. I will be buying it without any of the livestock, only the live rock, the fish listed are in it now but will not be bought with the tank.

-----DESCRIPTION:-----

* NICE TANK ABOUT 80 gallons EXCELLENT CONDITION

* DIMENSION : 48 L x 18 W x 22 H
* VERY NICE AND EXPENSIVE LIGHTING SYSTEM: "LUNAR AQUA LIGHT" - FEATURES : 48 inch compact fluorescent and lunar blue-moon-glow LED light fixture/Two 65 watt True Actinic 03 Blue compact fluroescent lamps straight-pin base with on/off switch and 6-foot power cord/Two 65 watt 10,000k daylight compact fluroescent lamps straight-pin base with on/off switch and 6-foot power cord/Four 3/4 watt Lunar Blue-Moon-Glow LED lamps with on/off switch and 6-foot power cord/Two built-n removable electornic ballasts/High-capacity built in removable cooling fan/Sleek designer-black aluminum housing(7.75"W x 3"H)/Highly Polished Refelctor/Removable acrylic lens cover/Easy-to-install mounting legs

* 3 YEAR OLD CYCLED WATER(THE OLDER THE BETTER)
* OVER 100 POUNDS OF 3 YEAR OLD CURED LIVE ROCK(THE OLDER THE BETTER)
* A LOT OF LIVE SAND
* FILTER SYSTEM : "MEGA FLOW" - High Volume Flow/Quiet Operation/Pre-Drilled Temperd Bottom Glass.."ALL-GLASS AQUARIUM" - SUMP/ OVER FLOW BOX(I HAVE A VERY STRONG PUMP AND ALL TUBING FOR THE FILTRATION)

* 2 VERY STRONG POWER HEADS

* GREAT STRONG HEATER FOR THE WINTER
* FREEZER FISH FOOD(BRINE SHRIMP..ETC) ALSO MARINE FLAKES

* 2 Full bottles of Novaqua and Amquel

* ALL ACESSORIES...hydrometer..nets...tubes...a few 5 gallon buckets...and much MORE...and fish listed below

* Scoptis Tang (1)

* Yellow Tang (1)

* Coral Beauty (1)

* Tomato Clownfish (1)

* Dartfish/Firefish (1)

* Green Bird Wrasse(1)

* Cardinal Fish (1)

* Emerild Crabs(3)

* Super Tongan Nassarius Snail(SAND CLEANERS) (ALOT)

* Turbo Sea Snails (ALOT)

* Hermit Crab (A S**** LOAD)

[mojojones]

Also, all the corals have been removed.

[Llewellyn]

I'm curious about everyone's input on this also. . .I got a live reef tank a couple of months ago, which after a small mini-cycle after the move is doing very well. I have been advised by a couple of my LFSs to gradually replace the bioballs with live rock. I haven't done it yet, because I wanted more info before I did it and also wanted the tank to settle a bit before messing with it too much. Could replacing the bioballs with live rock start another cycle? (Sorry mojojones, didn't mean to hijack, but I've been curious about this myself also).

[Ninong]

I'm curious about everyone's input on this also. . .I got a live reef tank a couple of months ago, which after a small mini-cycle after the move is doing very well. I have been advised by a couple of my LFSs to gradually replace the bioballs with live rock. I haven't done it yet, because I wanted more info before I did it and also wanted the tank to settle a bit before messing with it too much. Could replacing the bioballs with live rock start another cycle? (Sorry mojojones, didn't mean to hijack, but I've been curious about this myself also).

If you have a reef tank, then you have live rock in the tank. Therefore, there is no need for bioballs in the sump. You should remove about 1/3 of them every other week until they are all gone. There is really no need to put live rock into your sump if you have an adequate amount of live rock in your aquarium, especially if you also have a nice sand bed.

[Trickster]

myself I would replace the sump I don't feel the wet/dry sumps r any good, and either way remove all the bioballs. I had my sump made at my lfs with refugium & Eco Systems miracle mud. A grow light over it through the main light off cycle & your stylin. Sump ran less to have made then purchasing a ready made one. You don't need live rock in the sump & u don't need 1lb rock per gal. with the mud.

IMO

[metalhead]

I'm curious about everyone's input on this also. . .I got a live reef tank a couple of months ago, which after a small mini-cycle after the move is doing very well. I have been advised by a couple of my LFSs to gradually replace the bioballs with live rock. I haven't done it yet, because I wanted more info before I did it and also wanted the tank to settle a bit before messing with it too much. Could replacing the bioballs with live rock start another cycle? (Sorry mojojones, didn't mean to hijack, but I've been curious about this myself also).

Get rid of the bio-balls!!! Like Ninong suggests not all at once but a little at a time over a nice period of time.

Other than that just do whatever works for you... If you need to break up bubbles on the return, or you're short rock in the display then add rock to the sump. If you're short on sand in the display then add a DSB to the sump or add a fuge with a DSB, etc...

The possibilities are endless and most are worthwhile...