Hopefully a simple question about bio load

[ScottC]

Is there a way to increase the available bio load on a reef tank? There is a lot of discussion about how many fish can be placed in a given size tank. Is there a way to increase the amount of fish you can have by modifying the filtration system? Thanks in advance.

Scott

[Irisservice]

There are a couple of ways you can do it.
Increase skimmer size
Increase sump size
The addition of a Nitrate Reducer
More water changes
the addition of a refugium

[Chryocon]

Easiest way is to increase the surface area, in other words, a refugium....the next easiest thing to do would be to increase the gas exchange on the surface and then increase the oxygen count in the water....but remember, even if you can technically support the bioload for larger fish, they still have to fit in your tank....

[phistio]

personally i would think the easiest way to expand the bio-load capacity would be to increase total volume...and again, personally i think the easiest way to do that is to increase the sump size.

[fishfreek]

Just a note on this based upon another discussion going on in another thread.

Increasing your bio capacity by adding additinal filtration equipment is fine as long as that equipment does not fail and/or the power does not go down for a period longer than just a few hours.

Should your powergrid fail due to weather or other reasons and your tank be without power for an extended period of time the extra bio capacity given to you by that equipment will be lost.

With that said the only way I would want to safely increase my bio capacity would be to add additonal live rock and live sand in the sump or in a secondary refugium style tank. But note that during a power failure those areas will in effect be cut off from the main tank unless you have some battery powered water pumps circulating the water around them.

[Samurai]

Just remember that even if you have incredible filtration and bio-load capabilites, you still only have so much room :|.