What is best media to place in wet dry filter?

[edmund36]

Should I use bio balls or just place more live rock in it. I want to minimize my nitrate levels?

 

[JulesVane]

I believe if you use bio-balls OR LR, it will increase nitrate levels by trapping and accumulating stuff in there that you don't want to build up. I use the tray (egg crate) to hold my Chemi Pure Elite, Purigen and Nitrate Sponge.

 

[BigAl07]

Are you running a REEF tank or FO or FOWLR?


Do you have Live Rock and Live Sand? If so how much?

How long has the tank been up and running?

What is the size of tank and current stocking level?

What are your current test results which make you worry about your Nitrate (NO3) levels? While ZERO is a goal it's rarely achieved in our tanks until they become fairly mature and "stable".


Live Rock, Live Rock Rubble, Bio-Balls, Bio-Rings, Bio-Pellets or any other "bio-media" can and will very easily become a detritus trap. Instead of letting the detritus become filtered out through filter media (sponge, sock, net etc) it collects and is broken down very quickly into Ammonia (NH3/NH4), Nitrite (NO2) and then Nitrate (NO3). But ALL of these are unable to complete the process and your NO3 levels tend to Sky Rocket because they aren't able to convert NO3 into . This is not "as" bad in a FO or FOWLR tank but REEF tanks like zero or near ZERO NO3 levels. I like to see anything less than 10 and less than 5 makes Allen really