wet/dry question

dviper150 · 03/21/2010, 02:40 PM

I haven't removed my wet/dry yet but I will be getting a new skimmer by early next month and to make room for it, I might need to take out my wet/dry to make room for the skimmer. I have using the wet/dry with bioballs for about 6 months now and If I do end up removing the bioballs and setting up a better skimmer and refugium in its place, will it effect the tank in any way? I know the bioballs have beneficial bacteria on them now so by removing them all at once, will the water levels change? Thanks.

75gsalt · 03/21/2010, 02:42 PM

Remove the bio balls very slowly over the course of several weeks. Are you planning on putting LR in place of the bio balls?

dviper150 · 03/21/2010, 02:47 PM

My original plan was to add 2 20 gallon tanks under my tank. Set one up as a refugium and the other just for a skimmer. The skimmer is 24 inches high and i have about 26 inches of height under my tank. I can't elevate the skimmer and therefore I won't be able to get the water to fall into the wet/dry through gravity. I can only elevate the refugium tank so it falls into the skimmer tank and then from their back to the main DT. I will probably need to remove the wet/dry all at once. So would this be a good idea? any alternative to this?

Sisterlimonpot · 03/21/2010, 03:43 PM

How much live rock do you have? and what size is your display tank? What is your bioload? If you already have enough live rock you can start removing the balls right now (a little at a time) and allow the LR to take over the process.

dviper150 · 03/21/2010, 03:46 PM

I would say I have roughly 90lbs of liverock and 140 lbs of live sand in a 150 gallon tank. Probably isn't much but I will be adding more to the refugium.

Sisterlimonpot · 03/21/2010, 03:58 PM

As long as you don't have a heavy bioload you can start removing those balls right now and not have any effect on your system. start getting your sump/skimmer section ready to go.
Good luck

cloak · 03/21/2010, 04:02 PM

You know what the profanity removed of it is though, you can keep a successfull reef with bioballs.

Husbandry.

Mounda · 03/21/2010, 04:17 PM

I wouldn't remove the bioballs all at one time, you could cause an imbalance after all they host a lot of beneficial bacteria, get some live rock and remove them bit by bit.

cloak · 03/21/2010, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloak

You know what the profanity removed of it is though, you can keep a successfull reef with bioballs.

Husbandry.

The truth hurts sometimes.

I apologize MalHavoc. Had to get my point across.

Cheers.

03/21/2010, 02:40 PM	#1
dviper150 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: College Station, TX Posts: 2,799	wet/dry question I haven't removed my wet/dry yet but I will be getting a new skimmer by early next month and to make room for it, I might need to take out my wet/dry to make room for the skimmer. I have using the wet/dry with bioballs for about 6 months now and If I do end up removing the bioballs and setting up a better skimmer and refugium in its place, will it effect the tank in any way? I know the bioballs have beneficial bacteria on them now so by removing them all at once, will the water levels change? Thanks. __________________ When in doubt, always have a way out.

03/21/2010, 02:42 PM	#2
75gsalt Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Southeast Kansas Posts: 286	Remove the bio balls very slowly over the course of several weeks. Are you planning on putting LR in place of the bio balls? __________________ 75 ga. reef 20 gal. sump corals GSP assorted Polyps Zoos PomPom Xenia Waving Hand Xenia Blue Mushroom Toadstool Leather Current Tank Info: 75g. reef 125 lbs. live rock 90lbs. live sand 1 Clown small Regal Tang 20 Nass. Snails Turbos hermit

03/21/2010, 02:47 PM	#3
dviper150 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: College Station, TX Posts: 2,799	My original plan was to add 2 20 gallon tanks under my tank. Set one up as a refugium and the other just for a skimmer. The skimmer is 24 inches high and i have about 26 inches of height under my tank. I can't elevate the skimmer and therefore I won't be able to get the water to fall into the wet/dry through gravity. I can only elevate the refugium tank so it falls into the skimmer tank and then from their back to the main DT. I will probably need to remove the wet/dry all at once. So would this be a good idea? any alternative to this? __________________ When in doubt, always have a way out.

03/21/2010, 03:43 PM	#4
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	How much live rock do you have? and what size is your display tank? What is your bioload? If you already have enough live rock you can start removing the balls right now (a little at a time) and allow the LR to take over the process. __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

03/21/2010, 03:46 PM	#5
dviper150 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: College Station, TX Posts: 2,799	I would say I have roughly 90lbs of liverock and 140 lbs of live sand in a 150 gallon tank. Probably isn't much but I will be adding more to the refugium. __________________ When in doubt, always have a way out.

03/21/2010, 03:58 PM	#6
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	As long as you don't have a heavy bioload you can start removing those balls right now and not have any effect on your system. start getting your sump/skimmer section ready to go. Good luck __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

03/21/2010, 04:02 PM	#7
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	You know what the profanity removed of it is though, you can keep a successfull reef with bioballs. Husbandry. Last edited by MalHavoc; 03/21/2010 at 04:10 PM. Reason: Profanity removed. Do it again, and you'll be on the outside looking in.

03/21/2010, 04:17 PM	#8
Mounda Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 452	I wouldn't remove the bioballs all at one time, you could cause an imbalance after all they host a lot of beneficial bacteria, get some live rock and remove them bit by bit.