HELP with Wet dry filter? Can macro go in here???

usmcwife · 05/18/2006, 09:43 PM

Hi There!
Please please give me some ideas!!!! I have a wet dry sump for my 75 gallon tank, Right now it has bioballs in there, and I have heard that this is not good with live rock. Is there something better I should put in there? The problem is that it has three chambers, one is where the water comes in from the overflow, then it flows up into some filter pads to strain out debris, then it drips down into the bioballs then through the bottom of that chamber through a sponge to chamber three where it is pumped back into the aquarium. Here is the link to the picture, What can I do to make this a good setup for a reef tank??? thank you so much for your help. I am totally clueless about this.

Tiara

http://www.aquariumbeauty.com/displa...50&PID=Froogle

Sk8r · 05/18/2006, 10:05 PM

OK, I'll bite, but don't take advice just from me---I'm still new to this kind of system. First, you've got a lot of live rock. It's not getting enough to eat because your bioballs are taking part of it. But if you take the bioballs out suddenly, all this 'food' pours in on your rock and sand which aren't 'live' enough yet to digest it: result---big spike. So take them out a couple of balls a day until they're all gone. That way the bacteria in your LR and sand can multiply fast enough to keep up and take over. Ditto get rid of all your filter pads and sponges, one at a time: same thing as bioballs. If you start getting a lot of particulates in your tank, put a pad in for about 3 hours and then take it out and toss it. That chamber can be used for a refugium: put cheatomorpha weed in it and use a light. If it can escape into the other chambers, get some needlework plastic canvas and screen the exit so it can't get out and into your pump.

Next, you need a protein skimmer. The in-sump is less prone to leaks. I use an Urchin in my 52 gallon and am pretty happy with it. The skimmer does the rest of what the bioballs used to do: it froths up the water and causes the proteins to froth right out and up a tube where the muck can be collected, leaving your water clean. Or as clean as it ought to be. Then a heater. Then your return pump, and so back up to your tank.
Hope that helps. But there are people who know this equipment much better than I do.

Blown 346 · 05/18/2006, 11:31 PM

Bio balls will hold detritus( food and waste) which will cause a nitrate spike and ammonia and then you will have algae problems.
You will want to take out 4 or 5 bio balls a week until they are all gone, by doing this slowly you will be removing bacteria but not enough to cause a cycle. ifyou do this to fast you will have a cycle since there isnt enough bacteria to handle what is in the tank.

Liverock can take palce of the bio balls.

usmcwife · 05/18/2006, 11:38 PM

Thank you guys so much for the replies! So I CAN grow some sort of algae in there? Even though it wouldn't be subrerged at all times? What type would be my best bet? Thanks again!

Tiara

Blown 346 · 05/19/2006, 10:25 PM

I would go for Chaeto, it is the most forgiving and is real easyto care for. Just give it water flow and light and it will be happy.

An3 · 05/19/2006, 10:56 PM

i have basically the same filter....so just take the bio balls out slowly and put macroa-algae in that chamber where the bio-balls where.......doesnt the macro-algae or live rock have to be completly submerged or not?

jag911 · 05/20/2006, 06:13 AM

grr, i'm frustrated at this column. A newbie, of course, hears so many different things along the line. I'm trying to do what's best for the tank but get frustrated by dilemma's like this. LFS, local experts, and even the two books i bought say trickle w/d filters with bb's are the way to go 100% best thing ever invented!

Then this site continues to go against that by saying they're bad for reef and should be replaced with refugiums that hvae some sort of plant in them.

I sort of understand the idea of keeping more "stuff" in the water for the bacteria on the live rock to eat instead of on the bb's in the basement... I guess i'm just trying to figure out why the disparit opinions? Which one should I really do for my tank (which is FOWLR only at the moment until thorough cycling)? If i do decide to start pulling the bb's from the trickle, what do i have to do to the w/d combo to make it a refugium? What plant(s) would i put in this new refugium to help (where do i get em)?

Puffdragon · 05/20/2006, 09:39 AM

You can do either. The refugium gives you a way to grow food for your fish and other livestock. As for buying the plants, many LFS
often have them. Also look on the internet on ebay. Where in the midwest do you live? If in Indiana, I can get you some.

05/18/2006, 09:43 PM	#1
usmcwife Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 44	HELP with Wet dry filter? Can macro go in here??? Hi There! Please please give me some ideas!!!! I have a wet dry sump for my 75 gallon tank, Right now it has bioballs in there, and I have heard that this is not good with live rock. Is there something better I should put in there? The problem is that it has three chambers, one is where the water comes in from the overflow, then it flows up into some filter pads to strain out debris, then it drips down into the bioballs then through the bottom of that chamber through a sponge to chamber three where it is pumped back into the aquarium. Here is the link to the picture, What can I do to make this a good setup for a reef tank??? thank you so much for your help. I am totally clueless about this. Tiara http://www.aquariumbeauty.com/displa...50&PID=Froogle

05/18/2006, 10:05 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	OK, I'll bite, but don't take advice just from me---I'm still new to this kind of system. First, you've got a lot of live rock. It's not getting enough to eat because your bioballs are taking part of it. But if you take the bioballs out suddenly, all this 'food' pours in on your rock and sand which aren't 'live' enough yet to digest it: result---big spike. So take them out a couple of balls a day until they're all gone. That way the bacteria in your LR and sand can multiply fast enough to keep up and take over. Ditto get rid of all your filter pads and sponges, one at a time: same thing as bioballs. If you start getting a lot of particulates in your tank, put a pad in for about 3 hours and then take it out and toss it. That chamber can be used for a refugium: put cheatomorpha weed in it and use a light. If it can escape into the other chambers, get some needlework plastic canvas and screen the exit so it can't get out and into your pump. Next, you need a protein skimmer. The in-sump is less prone to leaks. I use an Urchin in my 52 gallon and am pretty happy with it. The skimmer does the rest of what the bioballs used to do: it froths up the water and causes the proteins to froth right out and up a tube where the muck can be collected, leaving your water clean. Or as clean as it ought to be. Then a heater. Then your return pump, and so back up to your tank. Hope that helps. But there are people who know this equipment much better than I do. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

05/19/2006, 10:56 PM	#6
An3 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: staten island Posts: 97	i have basically the same filter....so just take the bio balls out slowly and put macroa-algae in that chamber where the bio-balls where.......doesnt the macro-algae or live rock have to be completly submerged or not? __________________ Anthony Current Tank Info: 72 bowfront rr

05/20/2006, 06:13 AM	#7
jag911 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: ks Posts: 45	grr, i'm frustrated at this column. A newbie, of course, hears so many different things along the line. I'm trying to do what's best for the tank but get frustrated by dilemma's like this. LFS, local experts, and even the two books i bought say trickle w/d filters with bb's are the way to go 100% best thing ever invented! Then this site continues to go against that by saying they're bad for reef and should be replaced with refugiums that hvae some sort of plant in them. I sort of understand the idea of keeping more "stuff" in the water for the bacteria on the live rock to eat instead of on the bb's in the basement... I guess i'm just trying to figure out why the disparit opinions? Which one should I really do for my tank (which is FOWLR only at the moment until thorough cycling)? If i do decide to start pulling the bb's from the trickle, what do i have to do to the w/d combo to make it a refugium? What plant(s) would i put in this new refugium to help (where do i get em)? __________________ just keep swimming just keep swimming swimming swimming Current Tank Info: 46b/ barely reef

05/20/2006, 09:39 AM	#8
Puffdragon Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 297	You can do either. The refugium gives you a way to grow food for your fish and other livestock. As for buying the plants, many LFS often have them. Also look on the internet on ebay. Where in the midwest do you live? If in Indiana, I can get you some. __________________ The definition of an expert "Someone who has done something for so long that they can not see a new way to do things." Current Tank Info: 350 gallon mixed reef system

05/18/2006, 11:31 PM	#3
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	Bio balls will hold detritus( food and waste) which will cause a nitrate spike and ammonia and then you will have algae problems. You will want to take out 4 or 5 bio balls a week until they are all gone, by doing this slowly you will be removing bacteria but not enough to cause a cycle. ifyou do this to fast you will have a cycle since there isnt enough bacteria to handle what is in the tank. Liverock can take palce of the bio balls.

05/18/2006, 11:38 PM	#4
usmcwife Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 44	Thank you guys so much for the replies! So I CAN grow some sort of algae in there? Even though it wouldn't be subrerged at all times? What type would be my best bet? Thanks again! Tiara

05/19/2006, 10:25 PM	#5
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	I would go for Chaeto, it is the most forgiving and is real easyto care for. Just give it water flow and light and it will be happy.