Wet Dry Filtration question

[harryb18]

I have a 90 gallon reef aquarium with a wet dry system, I've just been told that I should only use my live rock as a biological filter. I do not have a sump or refugium but if I get rid of the wet dry I could probably put a sump/refugium in its place. My question is, Is this the best way to go?

 

[marrone]

You can take your wet/dry system and make it into a sump. Depending on the wet/dry system you maybe able to add a refug in it. Use can use Live rock in the sump, biology filteration, or leave the sump empty except for a skimmer. The Live rock in the tank will be your biology filter.

The problem with most wet/dry is that they produce nitrates and unless you have some thing in them to remove the nitrates it will turn into a problem in a reef tank. When they first came out wet/dry filter included de-nitrate units in them. The current wet/dry filters don't have those units anymore.

Most wet/dry filters usually use bio-balls, if you replace the bio-balls with live rock or get rid of them altogether, you will then turn your wet/dry filter into a sump.

 

[reefman]

most reefs here either have a sump, refug. or both. if u have good live rocks. thats all the bio filtration u need. if i have to choose, i would make it a refug with live sand n macro algea with lighting.

 

[harryb18]

making it into a refuge with live sand and micro algae sounds ok to me, but what do I do with my Protein skimmer?

 

[marrone]

You need to put a picutre of what your wet/dry looks like or a link of a picture of your wet/dry filter.

Depending on your wet/dry filter, the skimmer can go into the filter itself. You could also go with a hang on skimmer if you sump can't handle the skimmer.

Then again if you system is working correctly you don't need to change things.

 

[masterswimmer]

making it into a refuge with live sand and micro algae sounds ok to me, but what do I do with my Protein skimmer?

Great info from everyone. Let me add though, you want to put macro algae into your fuge, not micro algae. There is both kinds. Micro is the nuisance algae. Macro is used for nutrient uptake and export, such as cheatomorpha and the various caulerpa's.

Pix would help an aweful lot.

Russ

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

You could put your PS in the sump if it fits, Like Russ said take some pics and post em for better ideas from us

 

[carpediem212]

Great post guys learning lots