wet/dry on a reef

[larrynews]

i now have 90 reef that is 5 years old with a wet dry, skimmer, heater uv, 2x400mh and 2x96w pc. i think i might get this used 125 drilled dual over flow, and it has a wet/dry on it but then take all my other stuff and put it in that. but i have been told that a wet dry is not good on a reef, why is that. oh i also have taken out the bio-balls and have live rubble rock in its place and that would also move to the new wet/dry. any and all help is welcome. the reason i cant use the 90 as a sump is i have a 55 fish only. that i will be moving those guys to the 90. and i told my wife i would see the 55 to help pay for the new one.

 

[nordy]

I can't give you an "expert" opinion on using a wet/dry on a reef tank, but can share my personal experience with using a wet/dry bio ball equipped system on my 55 gal reef. I have a frogspawn, torch, hammer, 2 brain corals, bubble coral, toadstool, galaxea, GSP, trumpet, a really nice ric rock, clove polyp, some nice zoanthid rocks from the Solomons, a number of different zoa polyps in various locations in the tank, frilly mushrooms, an RBTA, striped mushroom, blue/green mushrooms, feather duster, hermits of various sizes, live hermit food (oops, I mean snails!), a couple of emerald crabs, a sally lightfoot crab, a good amount of coralline algae, a favite coral, three damsels, a LMB, a couple of clowns, one of whom is hosting the RBTA, and they are all doing great. I have a lot of LR, a canister filter, chiller, and I do 20% water changes every week or two.
I just kept the wet dry when I went from fowlr to reef last year and it seems to be working. I can't claim that it is the best system for a reef tank or anything like that, but for me, it does work and works well. 'Course, it does need a little maintenance, but hey, this is sw and that's kinda a given in this hobby!

 

[bill109]

i have a wetdry on my 90..
if you can keep the top filter floss clean i dont think you will have a problem.. i keep mine clean and it had done nothing but made my water crystal clearrr
all my coals and fish seem to like it..
you could add lr rubble in place.. but if its really needed is the question..
i have heard thrat a filter sock is better so maybe if i see anyproblems i will mod mine to fit that. but on the other side have heard filter sock flodding a sump cus it got so clogged..
as for me the wet dry is on my side!

 

[aquaguy24]

i have a wet/dry also on my 90g.. its just a little more cleaning that u have to do so nitrates don't build up in the sponges or bio balls..i have limited space in my wet/dry so i have a HOB fuge which is working out well for me..y don't u use the 55g as a sump..u'll have plenty of room to work with..

 

[jmesmcm]

I had run a wet dry on my reef but once I had enough rock I just removed the bio-balls and ran it as a sump instead. I have heard that the bioballs can end become nitrate factories is one of the reasons why people don't like WD filters on reefs. I never had a problem with that but can see how it could happen. My bigger issue with the wet dry was before I had live rock, when I lost power while away for a weekend and my bioballs crahsed and caused a huge cycle of my established tank killing almost everything in the tank. No more bioballs after that (I didn't have live rock when this happened).

 

[larrynews]

so since i already have rock in the place of the bio balls and i have 200 lbs. or rock in the main tank that is 5 years old i should be ok????

 

[jmesmcm]

Should be fine.