skimmer in wet/dry?

dviper150 · 01/02/2010, 10:04 PM

I have a wet/dry filter under my 150 gallon and it has only 2 compartments. one for the bioballs which it currently has and the other one for the return pump. My question is how important are these bioballs? I don't have the skimmer setup yet and would like to set it up as soon as possible it is a coralife super skimmer. Can i take out the bioballs and put the skimmer in instead? which one is more important?

DC_40gallon · 01/02/2010, 10:07 PM

Bioballs will only cause you a long tern headache. They are a nitrate factory!

sedor · 01/02/2010, 10:10 PM

+1 remove the balls and add the skimmer. Modified wet/dry's make great sumps!

Seamus1 · 01/03/2010, 03:45 PM

+1 get rid of the bioballs, don't know anyone that runs them on a reef

210reefer · 01/03/2010, 04:44 PM

Agreed, I removed all by bioballs a few yrs ago and the nitrate levels became MUCH more stable in my fairly heavily stocked 210

dviper150 · 01/03/2010, 05:37 PM

I just removed the bioballs and placed the skimmer in there instead. I will see what improvements are made in water quality in the next few days. The skimmer is giving off a lot of bubbles back into the tank, is this normal for skimmers that are first put on tanks?

bertoni · 01/03/2010, 07:30 PM

Yes, that's normal. I'd start watching for an ammonia spike, though. Removing a biological filter abruptly can cause problems.

dviper150 · 01/03/2010, 07:42 PM

The bioballs were in the wet/dry for about a month so I don't think anything build up in there that can cause any major water problems.

01/02/2010, 10:04 PM	#1
dviper150 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: College Station, TX Posts: 2,799	skimmer in wet/dry? I have a wet/dry filter under my 150 gallon and it has only 2 compartments. one for the bioballs which it currently has and the other one for the return pump. My question is how important are these bioballs? I don't have the skimmer setup yet and would like to set it up as soon as possible it is a coralife super skimmer. Can i take out the bioballs and put the skimmer in instead? which one is more important? __________________ When in doubt, always have a way out.

01/02/2010, 10:10 PM	#3
sedor Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 4,689	+1 remove the balls and add the skimmer. Modified wet/dry's make great sumps! __________________ Ryan

01/03/2010, 05:37 PM	#6
dviper150 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: College Station, TX Posts: 2,799	I just removed the bioballs and placed the skimmer in there instead. I will see what improvements are made in water quality in the next few days. The skimmer is giving off a lot of bubbles back into the tank, is this normal for skimmers that are first put on tanks? __________________ When in doubt, always have a way out.

01/03/2010, 07:30 PM	#7
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Yes, that's normal. I'd start watching for an ammonia spike, though. Removing a biological filter abruptly can cause problems. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

01/03/2010, 07:42 PM	#8
dviper150 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: College Station, TX Posts: 2,799	The bioballs were in the wet/dry for about a month so I don't think anything build up in there that can cause any major water problems. __________________ When in doubt, always have a way out.

01/02/2010, 10:07 PM	#2
DC_40gallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,474	Bioballs will only cause you a long tern headache. They are a nitrate factory!

01/03/2010, 03:45 PM	#4
Seamus1 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Miami Posts: 172	+1 get rid of the bioballs, don't know anyone that runs them on a reef

01/03/2010, 04:44 PM	#5
210reefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 75	Agreed, I removed all by bioballs a few yrs ago and the nitrate levels became MUCH more stable in my fairly heavily stocked 210