To wet/dry or not to wet/dry

[stevestank]

Thanks in advance for comments. I have read a few folks from this forum suggest getting rid of my Eheim 2229 wet/dry filter because they are known to generate nitrates.

Question 1: Wouldn't any biological filter generate nitrates through nitrification of ammonias into nitrites and finally to nitrates? Ammonia is constantly produced in our aquariums. I know live rock and sand tend to house nitrifying bacteria. What's the difference?

Question 2: will nitrates be kept low enough if one of the 3 media trays in the Eheim contains Kent nitrate sponge media? The second tray has filter pad, a micron bag of high quality rinsed carbon, and a little effisubstrat. The third tray contains effisubstrate media.

Question 3: How much ability does a protein skimmer have to grab a hold of nitrate compounds and export them from my system?

Other benefits to the Eheim is an ebb/flow of current over my corals through the spraybar mounted inside the tank.

I do water changes and test my nitrates at .1ppm. Is that too much?

Final analysis... :should I really ditch my Eheim?

[bond007069]

gone
no one liked my answer

[itZme]

Your question is nicely worded and seems like you have thought it out but I think you would get much more qualified and faster advice if you posted in the RC Lighting,Filtration and Other section (http://reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=212&daysprune=1000&sortorder=&sortfield=lastpost&perpage=25&pagenumber=1) .

I still feel that you will receive almost unanimous advice to remove the wet/dry filter. Some designs of wet/dry filters will actually allow you to remove the media and keep it as a functioning sump/refugium. Hope you are lucky enough to have that type.

HTH
-- Kevin

[stevestank]

Right now I'm keeping about 20 lbs of live rock, a bunch of live sand, some skeletal corals including a basketball size hunk of pipeorgan coral. I have 8 hermits, 2 snails, two shrimp, a six line wrasse, 3 clowns, a cup coral, and a devils hand coral. I'm looking to buy about 40 more pounds of rock and some nice corals along with a flame angel, royal gramma, and a starfish/more clean-up crew. I wonder if I'm going to run into a nitrate problem with the above stock given my filtration/media/ etc...

[stevestank]

I took your advise itzme. Thanks.

[cmador]

What size tank? Nevermind...I see your other thread ...72 bowfront.

[stevestank]

75 gallon

[Rizing]

the skimmer exports solids before they break down and become nitrates, the wet/dry and filters inside will clog very vast and will begin to rot that solid material in them. once the filter is all saturated youll be making alot of nitrates. however if youre filter wasnt trapping them then they would be getting exported through either the skimmer, clean up crew, or water change. you can keep the wet dry, just clean it weekly at LEAST. i tried running a canister on my reef when i was new. thing would clog within a day and have very low throughput causing low oxygen in the canister. when i would open it ohhh gawd the smell, it was horrid


oh ya and ive got a half a jar of nitrate spong id love to dump off on someone as it doesnt do dittly :)

[Thurge]

You are ringt in that the breakdown process on a wet dry, and all filters for that matter, is ammonia>Nitrite>nitrate. What makes the Live Rock method different si that deep inside the rock are anaerobic bacteria that can take the Nitrate and further refine it into N2 and O2 gas.