Help on Converting Wet Dry to a Sump

Thought it'd be easier to just start a new thread, hope that is alright?

So i hear from many that a wet dry filtration system is NOT the way to go.

Since I am getting one as part of my tank, I was wondering if I can convert this into a sump where I will keep my heater / protien skimmer in it.

If I simply remove the bio balls would this suffice?

 

Anyone?

 

I have a proclear 300 and I have taken the bio balls out and put in a small clump of macro algae where the bios balls were. I purchased a cheap light fixture from Lowes. I put in a fluorescent 6500k or 6700K light bulb in it. I cant remember for sure which one. I have the light shining in one side of the sump onto the side of macro algae. I just put in the algae over the weekend so I can't give you any real results yet.

I would also like to see any other ideas people have for a setup like this.
From what I have read this seemed to be the best fix for me right now. The wet/dry came with the aquarium when I purchased it.

Hope this helps some.

 

Chances are, you already have a sump. Not all skimmers can fit on sumps. Some skimmers are designed to hang on display tanks. Most of us go with an in sump skimmer to create space. You gotta make sure your sump is big enough to fit a skimmer & pump also. Some heaters are also to long to fit in sumps. If you want to remove bio balls make sure you have live rock in the tank to support your bacteria. I personally use 2lb rock per gal & use a sock & skimmer for filtration. But that can get pricey. i believe most people use 1-2 lb/ per gl. What size tank you have? How much live rock you have? What do you plan keeping in tank?

 

I was thinking about doing something similar but wasn't sure if it would be effective or not.

Any one else have an opinion on this?

 

So far I have ordered 80lb of base rock and 80 lb of sand and plan to do a cycle by adding a live rock and a cup of sand from a friends tank. I havnt recieved the tank and sump / wet dry yet but I believe it is a setup in the sense of a wet dry trickle and a section to house the protein skimmer inside the sump area. I was thinking as the "Armour" above mentioned taking the bioballs out and placing chaeto their instead with a light outside of the setup to help the cheato grow. Does this sound efficient or should I just stick to the whole wet dry setup as is with the bio balls and all?

Its a 72G bowfront so 80 lbs of rock should be enough correct? I can always add more. As far as live stock goes, I was thinking a pair of O. Clowns, a royal gramma, maybe a wrasse and a few other fish. But that hasn't been decided yet and I will make sure I try to do as much research as possible before adding a single fish.

 

The bio balls are for filtration & it houses beneficial bacteria. So basically if you don't have very much live rock or any when starting out then you want the bio. But your getting plenty of rock. But you might want a mechanical filtration (sock) to help remove detritus. Otherwise you can get a buildup of detritus & your phosphates will slowly build. The chaeto will help eat waste in the tank & keep nitrates down. Basically your growing your own algae but it's easier to control in a sump than algae that grows all over your tank. But once you setup tank & it cycles. Add one fish then wait a month or so. Your rock will take a bit to become live & to be able to filter your water.