DSB and established FO tanks?

[Josh's Reef]

Is it possible to add a DSB to an established FO tank that has a matured wet dry, or does the wet dry have the same effect on the DSB as it would on live rock(competing for nutrients)?

 

[fishteacher73]

No, with a DSB you set up a anoxic zone(a low O2 zone) that allows a bacteria(I've forgotten the name off hand) that will break down nitrates, a process that does not occur in your wet/dry. So you can run them both, the DSB will essentiall be a denirtification filter, which in a FO tank may not be that neccessary, as long as you do normal water changes and skim the water.

 

[Anonymous]

Anaerobic bacteria are what you are referring to, and you don't need to skim a FO tank if you do regular water changes. Especially if you maintain the hardier species - hell I kept FO tanks with great success for years before I know what a skimmer was. It's not a bad idea to run one though...delicate species will apprecaite it.

Jim