Water level in wet/dry

[trillionaire]

I have a standard wet/dry with the bio-balls on the left and the sump on the right. The bio-balls have a tray under them that keeps them about four inches above the bottom. My question is am I supposed to keep the water level below the balls? Or can I fill it all the way to the top (doesn't doing this defeat the purpose of wet/dry). I haven't had any problems with keeping the water level low except for that I'm now adding a skimmer in the right part of the wet/dry and I think it needs a depper water level than 4 inches. Thanks for your help.

 

[sonny]

Having some of the bioballs submerged is not really that big of a deal, but the submerged balls will not be as efficient as the ones that have more oxygen/air. It won't kill the bacteria, it just won't have as much oxygen to use. I don't use bioballs in a reef, as they don't help with removing nitrates, they only add to them. Using live rock and sand in the tank is all you need for biofiltration, plus you will get the complete cycle of ammonia to nitrogen gas if you have a deep sand bed. I do use bioballs in my fish only tank.
Sonny

 

[mr . salty]

The main thing that determins how deep you can keep the water level in a sump is how much water flows back into it when you unplug the pump...If your water is too high,the sump will overflow if you were ever to loose power.Test this by unplugging the pump,,,Then add water till it is about 1-2 inches from overflowing..Then restart the pump.When the level in the sump stops dropping.and all is working properly,Mark this new water level...This mark will be your MAX level...Do not fill the sump over this level...The balls that are compleatly submerged will not be as efficient as the unsubmerged ones,,,But they will still be good bio media...

 

[twoobem]

I keep the water level at the bottom of the bio balls.
Flooding goes both ways...If your return stops working and the sump is pumped into your tank!!! it is helpful if your tank can hold you sump...