wet dry vs refugium

bigpotd · 09-06-2007, 02:15 PM

I have heard conflicting things about wet drys vs refugiums. Some people are saying that a wet dry turns into a "nitrate factory"? What does this mean and is it true?

BigAl07 · 09-06-2007, 02:25 PM

Wet/dry (or just about any type of filter system) can easily turn into a Nitrate Factory because it allows for (is designed for) the removal of and build up of detritus from your tank. What happens is this product breaks down and starts the whole nitrogen cycle. This isn't overly harmful in a FO or FOWLR system but inverts are very sensitive to levels of Nitrates that otherwise aren't a concern. Anytime you allow detritus to build up it will go from Mild to WILD on your Nitrate levels. I hope this sheds some light on this issue.

I built and added a refugium to my tank 2 months after setting up the tank and I can honestly say it's one of the 2 best things I've ever done for my reef tank. It's a Win-WIN situation.

Allen

Dentoid · 09-06-2007, 02:47 PM

Ditto! Refugium or bust!

bigpotd · 09-07-2007, 05:06 PM

Quote:

I built and added a refugium to my tank 2 months after setting up the tank and I can honestly say it's one of the 2 best things I've ever done for my reef tank.

thanks BigAl, but now i need to know, what was the other?

framerguy · 09-07-2007, 07:05 PM

from an experience point of view, I've had both. I first set up my reef in July 06 with a trickle filter and bioballs. Never could get the nitrates down. They stayed 10-20. I removed the bioballs over a 4 week period, installed at the time a 30g fuge (now it's 55g) and nitrates are 0-.025.

Quote:

thanks BigAl, but now i need to know, what was the other?

I was curious about that too.

reefman420 · 09-07-2007, 07:37 PM

well a wet dry accumulated detrius,and organic matter creating nitrates...this goes for any other mech. filter with pads or sponges...i am running a 30 gallon refuge on a 75 with a 4 inch dsb,this is for the production of anerobic bacteria.with mangroves and a big ball of cheato.the mangroves and macro eat the nitrates their for eliminateing them..i only run my skimmer and my fuge for filtration

DrHank · 09-07-2007, 07:51 PM

He's probably going to say he either, bought a RO/DI filter or got a better skimmer. I'd vote for the RO/DI unit.

reefman420 · 09-07-2007, 07:52 PM

i second that....lol

Melanie · 09-07-2007, 07:53 PM

I liked my wet dry with bioballs when I only had fish and no live rock. Once I converted to a reef tank, I removed all the bioballs and put some LR rubble in there. Just a little so as not to trap detritus.

I have a fuge but it's brand spankin' new so I can't really comment on whether or not I like it. It IS something interesting to look at when the tank is dark! (I keep the lights on opposite schedule.)

Melanie · 09-07-2007, 07:54 PM

Best thing I did for my tank was probably upgrade my skimmer or add 90 lbs. of LR. he he he.

09-06-2007, 02:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
bigpotd Tubeworm Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: southern california Posts: 26 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	wet dry vs refugium I have heard conflicting things about wet drys vs refugiums. Some people are saying that a wet dry turns into a "nitrate factory"? What does this mean and is it true? __________________ 55 g 80lbs of fiji rock 3" of crushed coral (big mistake) CPR CycloneBio-Filter CY192 -included skimmer 1 Giant serpent star 1 Coral Banded shrimp 30 hermits 1 emerald crab 1 med yellow tang that bullied everything else to death

09-06-2007, 02:25 PM	#2 (permalink)
BigAl07 Reef Addict (hopeless) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 10,619 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: wet dry vs refugium Wet/dry (or just about any type of filter system) can easily turn into a Nitrate Factory because it allows for (is designed for) the removal of and build up of detritus from your tank. What happens is this product breaks down and starts the whole nitrogen cycle. This isn't overly harmful in a FO or FOWLR system but inverts are very sensitive to levels of Nitrates that otherwise aren't a concern. Anytime you allow detritus to build up it will go from Mild to WILD on your Nitrate levels. I hope this sheds some light on this issue. I built and added a refugium to my tank 2 months after setting up the tank and I can honestly say it's one of the 2 best things I've ever done for my reef tank. It's a Win-WIN situation. Allen __________________ Allen Allen's testimonial . . ."Let Me help you help YOURSELF" (Click Here) with a SW set up there is one basic fundamental rule that we ALL should follow *When in doubt... wait it out. This means take it slow and let the tank "develop" and don't rush it. Time is your friend Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef Reef Balls & Cakes Debt Free & Change your Family Tree!!

09-06-2007, 02:47 PM	#3 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10,239 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: wet dry vs refugium Ditto! Refugium or bust! __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

09-07-2007, 07:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
reefman420 Elegance coral Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: minneapolis Posts: 1,085 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: wet dry vs refugium well a wet dry accumulated detrius,and organic matter creating nitrates...this goes for any other mech. filter with pads or sponges...i am running a 30 gallon refuge on a 75 with a 4 inch dsb,this is for the production of anerobic bacteria.with mangroves and a big ball of cheato.the mangroves and macro eat the nitrates their for eliminateing them..i only run my skimmer and my fuge for filtration __________________ 155 oceanic bow front,20 long refuge packed with caluerpa and mangroves,40 gallon sump,175lbs LR,3x250 watt xm 10ks,aqua-c remora,and pro-clear 150 skimmers sailfin tang,kole tang,royal gramma,cinnimon clown,2xpink skunk clowns,six line wrasse,mandarin, 155 bow coral-orange montipora cap,superman monti cap,scripps green polyped staghorn,ORA pink poccilipora,ORA blue millipora,green slimer,yellow UK acro,pink birdsnest,armor of god zoas,various zoas and shrooms,hammer,frogspawn,clove polyps,favite,fancey toadstool,reg toadstool,yellow leather,purple leather,devils hand,2 types xenia,ricordea florida,ricordea yuma,kenya tree,galaxia,bubble coral,button polyps inverts are lots of snails and hermits,crocea clam,maxima clam and seabae anemone,rbta

09-07-2007, 07:51 PM	#7 (permalink)
DrHank Golden Moray Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Crestview, FL Posts: 2,251 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: wet dry vs refugium He's probably going to say he either, bought a RO/DI filter or got a better skimmer. I'd vote for the RO/DI unit. __________________ Jim Dr Hank's 210 Build: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...nks-tanks.html Dr Hank's 155 Bowfront:http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-bowfront.html

09-07-2007, 07:52 PM	#8 (permalink)
reefman420 Elegance coral Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: minneapolis Posts: 1,085 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: wet dry vs refugium i second that....lol __________________ 155 oceanic bow front,20 long refuge packed with caluerpa and mangroves,40 gallon sump,175lbs LR,3x250 watt xm 10ks,aqua-c remora,and pro-clear 150 skimmers sailfin tang,kole tang,royal gramma,cinnimon clown,2xpink skunk clowns,six line wrasse,mandarin, 155 bow coral-orange montipora cap,superman monti cap,scripps green polyped staghorn,ORA pink poccilipora,ORA blue millipora,green slimer,yellow UK acro,pink birdsnest,armor of god zoas,various zoas and shrooms,hammer,frogspawn,clove polyps,favite,fancey toadstool,reg toadstool,yellow leather,purple leather,devils hand,2 types xenia,ricordea florida,ricordea yuma,kenya tree,galaxia,bubble coral,button polyps inverts are lots of snails and hermits,crocea clam,maxima clam and seabae anemone,rbta

09-07-2007, 07:53 PM	#9 (permalink)
Melanie Golden Moray Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Naples, Florida Posts: 2,120 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: wet dry vs refugium I liked my wet dry with bioballs when I only had fish and no live rock. Once I converted to a reef tank, I removed all the bioballs and put some LR rubble in there. Just a little so as not to trap detritus. I have a fuge but it's brand spankin' new so I can't really comment on whether or not I like it. It IS something interesting to look at when the tank is dark! (I keep the lights on opposite schedule.) __________________ My Reef Journey Latest Recap My Videos My Flickr Photos Pres. of Dork Club I love ScubaDrew and North East Coral! Read why HERE...

09-07-2007, 07:54 PM	#10 (permalink)
Melanie Golden Moray Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Naples, Florida Posts: 2,120 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: wet dry vs refugium Best thing I did for my tank was probably upgrade my skimmer or add 90 lbs. of LR. he he he. __________________ My Reef Journey Latest Recap My Videos My Flickr Photos Pres. of Dork Club I love ScubaDrew and North East Coral! Read why HERE...

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