Wet/Dry filter question(s)

[jeffreyyy]

OKay,
I try and do research through the "posts" here at the forum before I ask but I'm finding pieces of info that is starting to confuse me...and no that is not hard to do.
I see that most people here say to get rid of the bio-balls and replace them with what? I think I've seen a filter sock and live rock. If you replace the bio-balls with LR is the LR the bio-filter? or is now a fugium?
Another thing is that my tank is a corner over-flow but only has holes at the top and not at the middle and bottom. Should/could I make more holes because the way I see it is if my water drops below the over-flow then my wet/dry with my PS and meg 12 will run dry and burn up. But, on the other hand if I do drill more holes then I could be in for a flood if my power goes out and I am not home to catch it.
Man, am I making any sence?
Here's my measurements:
I'm 5'10 195lbs...just kidding

my tank is a 120g
large wet/dry with two intakes
Kent Marine Nat. PS
meg 12 for return
FOWLR
PCompacts
tanks not running yet just trying to get everything first.
Thanks again,
Jeff

 

[chrgerondavins]

i wonder also

 

[lexluethar]

As for the bioballs - I'm sure you will hear different opinions on this. People think you should get rid of bioballs because they cause "nitrates". This isn't true, what causes nitrates is decaying things (food, fish, stuff). The real trick of using bioballs (and LR rubble for this matter) is having proper filtration before the water gets the the chamber that has the bioballs. So you need filter floss or something to trap debris before it gets to this point. So bioballs DO NOT create nitrates, they are just a place that debris builds up because people have inadequate filtrations.
You can use either LR rubble or bioballs, the thing that matters here is surface area. Bioballs are shaped weird because they allow the most surface area possible - which is what you are trying to do. On this surface area beneficial bacteria populate. This is why LR is good to have too, because it is porous and has a lot of places that the bacteria can populate and colonize. So it is really a preference thing, i would go with bioballs because there is more surface area.
If you use LR it doesn't make it a refugium. Once you add some plant life in there and some more sand / LR, then it beomes a refugium. Really a fuge is created to reduce the nitrates in a tank. How you ask? By adding thinks like more LR (remember that bacteria and surface area), LS, and plant life (which will feed off of the nitrates).
As for the overflow issue - i'm not totally sure what you can do. There are a few threads about what to do in case of a power outage, and honestly, since i don't have an overflow or pumping system i haven't read them in detail. There is some way to cut the suction created (i think you kinda started talking about it). I wouldn't drill holes in the current overflow because once the water stops pumping into the main tank, and the water drains out to reduce the water level then your want won't drain through the overflow anymore (b/c the water level is reduced and YOU DID NOT drill holes lower in the overflow ).
The issue is the pump coming from your wet/dry now having the water drain back into that.
Hope this helps a bit.