wet/dry filter or power filter?

[jbirdy]

I have a 55 gal tank with 2 inches of live sand, about 20 pounds of tufa rock and live plants.
In the tank, I have 7 fish (perc clown, cardinal, gramma, worm goby, midas goby, firefish, dotty- all small), tube worm, about 6 snails, a shrimp, 2 crabs, starfish, and about 15 small hermit crabs.
All readings are good (amnonia 0, ph 8.4, nitrate 0, nitrite 0). I have an Emperor filter with boiwheels and 1 powerhead.
I just recently removed the wet/dry filter and replaced with the Emperor. I was told at my LFS that I should go back to the wet/dry because it acts as a cushion in case there is a disease outbreak or something causes an amnonia spike.
What do you think?
Thanks

 

[wamp]

Well, it won't help a disease outbreak...
If your levels are all at 0, why did you remove it? Seems strange to break what ain't broke?
I think wet/drys in combination with a DSB or Lots of live rock are OK. They rock or sand will help break down nitrates and the Wet/Dry will handle the ammonia, as will the rock.
A redundent system never hurts...

 

[rabid frog]

I have a wet/dry or a sump what ever you want to call it there is a pic on my pics addy.. I keep some live rock in the bottom of it and it seems to work good. It also has the bio balls in it but today I read on here to remove the bio balls? Is there a certain reason why...

 

[channah]

I have read on many other numerous boards to remove the bio-balls because they will only trap junk, and increase nitrate levels. I think if your water is prefiltered well, this isn't a concern. I have a predator tank, and I really don't want 100 lbs of live rock to take up all the room in the tank, so I am certainly leaving the balls in...

 

[pbuckler]

I too have heard about bio-balls being harmful, and I have to say they are not. I have been running bio-balls in my refugium for a few months now and I do not have any problems with my tank. My levels are superb and I have great coral growth. Some people say bio-balls just leach nitrates into the system but I have to strongly disagree. I really like the extra filtration, they will catch the occasional pieces of macroalgae flowing to my pump and keep them out of my tank. Maybe I am ok because I have a refugium with a lot of algae growing, to absorb the nitrates. Well, bio-balls are working for me so I'll stick with 'em.

 

[jbirdy]

So If people are running tanks with no bioballs, I guess the small bio wheels on my emperor and inside tank surface area is enough biological. ?????????
Again all my readings are OK (as posted above)
I removed my tidepool Wet Dry because:
1.It was too noisy
2. I hated the way floating food went right in the overflow