bio ball placement

[bukster]

just curious. but why is it best to have u'r bio balls or pot scrubbers or whatever your using 2/3's above water? if bacteria grows better on the media when it's above the submersion line why put a third of it below?
dr. joe?

 

[Wolf3101]

It's better to have ALL of the bio-media above the water line in a wet/ dry system PROVIDED you have a good water flow and distribution over all of the media. This is not always possable however in most sump designs and the 'WET' third can provide a nice security blanket in case your water distribution isn't quite what you'd like.

 

[tunerX]

You want the bio-balls above the water line so they get lots of aeration. The media just needs to be damp.

I have the bottom of mine submersed because I have the pump inside the sump so need a higher water line. Some people do it because they want the extra couple gallons of water volume.

 

[ziggy2]

Just look at the name. Wet and Dry. That's the key to the whole thing. The aeration of the bio balls promotes the BB growth.

 

[bukster]

k thanks guys. everything i know about aerobic bacteria told me that but i just keep hearing over and over how you should have a third under the water line. just needed a lil reassurance i guess. thanks again

 

[Dr Joe]

And there are several bacteria that lend themselves to full submersion and die in the absence.

 

[bukster]

dr joe, in your opinion what is the best way to do it? is it worth having some submersed to keep the anaerobic bacteria? or should i just let em grow on my substrate, glass, and everything else in my tank and keep my bioballs all outta water to lend themselves to the other bacterias?

 

[tunerX]

Submersed bioballs don't create an anaerobic environment. The wet/dry is designed to house nitrosoma and nitrososoma bacterias. These are the ones that convert ammonia to nitrites, and nitrites to nitrates.

The anaerobic ones usually require full submersion and no dissolved oxygen in the water. Something that a wet/dry cannot accomplish.

 

[Dr Joe]

I would keep 1/3 submerged if possible (minimum two layers of bio-balls).

Is there a problem doing this?

with tunerX, except that I would have said Nitrosoma spp. and Nitrobacter spp. , And these are the two main bacteria that do the conversion process (these's also Assimilation and Dissimilation).

"Submersed bioballs don't create an anaerobic environment", unless kept in an oxygen depleted environment.

Dr Joe

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[bukster]

ok thanks. there's no problem doing this i'm just curious. i'm one of those people not satisfied with knowing to do it. i wanna know why to do it. like i'm sure you are