Need some advice

I have a 29g biocube and have been reading a lot on the bioballs becoming nitrate factories. I want to remove them and put a skimmer in the second chamber(Tunze nano or CPR SR3). Is this a good idea to do? My nitrates have never been below 20ppm and I do not overfeed and I do regular water changes with my RO/DI. I have had my tank running for 9 months and I can't think of anything else but the bioballs being the culprit. SHOULD I GET RID OF THEM AND GET THE SKIMMER in the second chamber, and just have the original filters made for the biocube in the first chamber? I did get the little protein skimmer for the biocube but it really doesn't pull much out.

 

You can keep the bioballs if you like but you must rinse them thoroughly every other week. You should also do the same for the rest of the filter area. Filter media should be changed every other week also. Make sure you do not have detritus build up in the tank on the rocks also. Skimmers allow for easier removal of nitrate causing chemicals but still require routine maintenance often to keep your nitrates down.

 

how big and how many fish do you have?


have you tried dosing vodka/sugar or using biopellets?

 

If you remove the bio-balls, remove about 1/4 every couple days to allow the system to adjust. Personally I would remove them.

IMO the Tunze 9002 is the way to go. Quiet and effecent.

 

Yeah I think the bioballs need to go, thanks for all your replies. I have been reading some more and came across InTank and seen that they make media baskets. What do all of you think about going that route?

 

Whoops wrong forum.

 

Anyone know about the media baskets and fuge from mediabaskets.com. I'm thinking this could solve my problems, I could either go with media basket and skimmer or media basket and fuge. What do you all think I should do?

 

Me I would go with the fuge and skimmer, those are much more important than a media rack IMO.

 

If that is the case then should I just turn the second chamber into a fuge? Then were would the skimmer go?

Everyone has great ideas, but that's the problem, they are all great. If I need a fuge and skimmer without any mods to the biocube, how is that possible, I do not want to modify at all.

 

Sump it.