Wet Dry or Regular sump?
- Thread starter drillsar
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Bio-balls will help with filtration, but you must maintain them as with any other mechanical type (sorta a biological type too, in essence) of filtration.
Most wet/dry sumps sold at the lfs afford room for a skimmer.
Many around here would say the same setup, with the bio-balls removed and live rock in their place are a better solution.
With proper maintenance, the bio-balls are an acceptable solution.
Any way you slice n dice it, the sump (and that's what a bio-ball setup is) has to contain some measure of mechanical/biological filtration, be it bio-balls and a couple of grates and foam, or a series of baffles and live rock and some foam (or mesh, or bags of this n that, or both and there's always something else someone comes up with!).
There's lots of arguements any which way.. lots of pros and cons for all of the above.
Figure out what works for your bank-roll and maintenance ability and stick with it.
Consistency in maints is really the biggest thing.
IMHO of course..
Most wet/dry sumps sold at the lfs afford room for a skimmer.
Many around here would say the same setup, with the bio-balls removed and live rock in their place are a better solution.
With proper maintenance, the bio-balls are an acceptable solution.
Any way you slice n dice it, the sump (and that's what a bio-ball setup is) has to contain some measure of mechanical/biological filtration, be it bio-balls and a couple of grates and foam, or a series of baffles and live rock and some foam (or mesh, or bags of this n that, or both and there's always something else someone comes up with!).
There's lots of arguements any which way.. lots of pros and cons for all of the above.
Figure out what works for your bank-roll and maintenance ability and stick with it.
Consistency in maints is really the biggest thing.
IMHO of course..
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
A wet/dry setup will help with 2 of the 3 problems in the Nitrogen cycle. It will have the surface area to be colonized by the bacteria that break down ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate. It will not have the anoxic area to colonize the bacteria that breakdown nitrate to nitrogen. LR is porous and there are anoxic areas in the deep pores and crevices where these types of bacteria can grow.
If you replace the bioballs with LR make sure it is all submerged at all times. Forget the dry part of the wet/dry and turn it into a sump.
Of course the nitrates can be eliminated with meticulous care and weekly PWC or several other methods (fuge with macro algae, etc.)
If you replace the bioballs with LR make sure it is all submerged at all times. Forget the dry part of the wet/dry and turn it into a sump.
Of course the nitrates can be eliminated with meticulous care and weekly PWC or several other methods (fuge with macro algae, etc.)
AMANIQU77
Aquarium Advice Freak
So in essence, are you suggesting that LR's can help control the level of nitrates because they can harbor nitrate-eating bacteria?
jaiden
Aquarium Advice FINatic
yeah. LR eats 'ate to some degree. bioballs don't. From what I've read, most people use regular sumps. Wet/dry is more expensive anyway from what I've seen.
AMANIQU77
Aquarium Advice Freak
Cool! Thank you for that info.
lando
Aquarium Advice Addict
I converted my "wet/dry" to a sump by removing the bioballs, replacing them with LR rubble and keeping the rubble completely submerged with water. It is still important to maintain a regular water changing schedule.
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
I did the same as Lando for while, then I wanted a larger sump to put a new skimmer in, etc. I sold the wet/dry on eBay and got a 30gal sump.
Regular PWCs are still necessary to replace trace elements.
Regular PWCs are still necessary to replace trace elements.
jaiden
Aquarium Advice FINatic
possible, but probably pointless. If you keep them clean it won't hurt.
more LR is always a good thing.
more LR is always a good thing.
