Wet/dry question

[urodude]

I'm cycling a new 360 gallon fish only tank. The wet dry came with a nice thick black sponge pad for the drip tray. Its been over two months and my nitrites are still high.
Looking at the trickling through the bioballs, it seems that the thick pad absorbs much of the water focusing it centrally through a small area, such that many of the bioballs don't seem to be getting wet.
When I removed the pad, the scene was totally different. Water covered the entire drip tray and subsequently distributes to the entire chamber.
I wonder if my cycle is delayed as a result of less surface area for bacteria to form and nitrite conversion to occur.
Should I leave the pad off the tray altogether, or buy a thinner blue pad? Any thoughts? Thanks

 

[tropills]

Originally Posted by Urodude
I'm cycling a new 360 gallon fish only tank. The wet dry came with a nice thick black sponge pad for the drip tray. Its been over two months and my nitrites are still high.
Looking at the trickling through the bioballs, it seems that the thick pad absorbs much of the water focusing it centrally through a small area, such that many of the bioballs don't seem to be getting wet.
When I removed the pad, the scene was totally different. Water covered the entire drip tray and subsequently distributes to the entire chamber.
I wonder if my cycle is delayed as a result of less surface area for bacteria to form and nitrite conversion to occur.
Should I leave the pad off the tray altogether, or buy a thinner blue pad? Any thoughts? Thanks
Those thick sponge filter pads are what I think bad news . take it out and lay in some poly filter media. it will increase water flow and help with bacteria growth. just my 2 cents

 

[fishntx]

i agree. i have taken mine out and rely on a filter pad in my overflow box. this still slows water flow but it lets water flow evenly over the bio balls

 

[saltfan]

Get some pvc and connect it to the outlet, slot it open in a bunch of different spot so that the water has some direction to it, then it will go all over the pad and down rather than in one spot. You kinda want the pvc into a T off the outlet into the box.