Bio Ball Question

[rayjay]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Denitrification is a process to remove nitrates not create them. In this case bio-balls are used in a low flow and low oxygen environment which can in theory reduce nitrates provided the conditions are right.

Nitrification is the process which creates nitrate from ammonia. In this case bio-balls are used in a higher flow with high oxygen environment such as a wet-dry system. This is the type of system to avoid as it's too efficient at creating nitrates and can end up creating a build up of nitrates which is hard to deal with in typical salt setups.

Very simply put, aerobic bacteria convert ammonia to nitrite and other aerobic bacteria convert nitrite to nitrate.
Now at this point, the nitrate requires anaerobic bacteria to convert the nitrates into gas and other by products so bio balls cannot convert nitrates.
Live rock can convert nitrates with the anaerobic bacteria in the depths of the rock where there is no oxygen, or, a sand bed of sufficient depth to eliminate oxygen can also do the same thing.