Making a wet/dry

[silkks11]

How can I make a wet/dry filter with miricle mud and bio balls? <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" /> <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" /> <img src="graemlins//uhuh.gif" border="0" alt="[U-Huh]" />

 

[colorado_reef]

Why would you want both?
Have you thought of just running a refugium?
They can be made very inexspensive!
If you have L/R you probably don't even need BioBalls.
But if you remove them do it slowly

 

[maui]

Colorado_Reef,
Do suggest slowly removing bio balls even if a tank is less than a year old? Doesn't it need to mature and then slowly do something like that? When do you know it's time?

 

[colorado_reef]

It depends on how much L/R you have.
If you have 1 to 1 1/2 pouns per gallon
IMO you would not even need to start with any bioballs. The L/R and L/S is enough!
But if you started with them and have plenty of L/R then I would remove them slowly.
You could also leave them in but they can be a nitrate trap. I really can'tsay from experience
if it is bad to have them. I just know you can start and maintain a reef without them!!!

 

[fallen04]

ecofilters use bioballs in the first chamber to catch large pieces of detrius then when it breaks down it slowly feeds the algae in the miracle mud in the next chamber. works like a dream

 

[fallen04]

ecofilters use bioballs in the first chamber to catch large pieces of detrius then when it breaks down it slowly feeds the algae in the miracle mud in the next chamber. works like a dream

 

[silkks11]

But how do I make an ecosytem filter in say a 29 gallon tank? <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />

 

[fallen04]

well you can buy one from your lfs or on the net just look for ecofilter.com. or you can look at what they are and build one from a picture or by looking at one at your lfs. when you see them they are not that complicated but they work better than any other filter i have ever used. i dont check levels in my tank because this system takes care of everything except calcium.. the miracle mud needs to be replaced once every year and a half about 50%.