Bio balls in internal overflow

[volcomstone]

Anybody here have bio balls in their internal overflow? A tank that I bought has two drains in the internal overflow and has bio balls hovering above it where eggcrate separates the two and so the balls do not clog the drain. Any disadvantages of keeping bio balls in the internal overflow? Is this commonly done?

FYI...I will be using a wet/dry which will already have bio balls in it as well.

 

[srikamaraja]

I think it sounds like a great idea! Keep the biological media suspended in the area of highest water flow.

 

[volcomstone]

I think it sounds like a great idea! Keep the biological media suspended in the area of highest water flow.

Thanks for the input.

Anybody else with inputs?

 

[volcomstone]

Bump

 

[sdadlani]

I was just thinking about the same thing today....

bump

 

[colinrobinson]

i have them in my hang-on overflows and my buddy has it in his internal overflows besides extra bio media it also cuts down on noise

 

[nguyenz]

I have it in my internal overflow as well. It is like a wet and dry and it makes the water flowing down to your sump more quiet. Without the bio balls, it will sound like a river flowing in your living room.

 

[HarlanAshmore]

why not have some sponge in there instead to trap bits of crap that you can easily rince a few times aweek to stopp buildup of crap in your sump

 

[Ramesh]

I was going to do it with my 240g but because of the top bracing partly covering the overflow box which is in the right hand coner, once I put them in I wouldn't be able to ever get them out.
I would also need to add a drip plate for even water flow over the media.
In the end I didn't do it because of the servicing/cleaning and removing issues with my setup.
I think it is a great idea for adding media if you can clean and get the balls out just in case of a blockage.

 

[volcomstone]

why not have some sponge in there instead to trap bits of crap that you can easily rince a few times aweek to stopp buildup of crap in your sump

I was thinking about doing this too. It's just that the tank I bought looks to already be setup for bio balls to in the internal overflow. Maybe I can add filter fabric at the bottom of the bio balls before it drains.

I was going to do it with my 240g but because of the top bracing partly covering the overflow box which is in the right hand coner, once I put them in I wouldn't be able to ever get them out.
I would also need to add a drip plate for even water flow over the media.
In the end I didn't do it because of the servicing/cleaning and removing issues with my setup.
I think it is a great idea for adding media if you can clean and get the balls out just in case of a blockage.

For me it's a little easier since my internal overflow is fully exposed top side for me to grab things and move things around inside of it. Only problem is that the tank + stand is a bit tall around 60" and I probably won't be able to get even water flow on the bio balls.