material in the wet/dry sump

Is there any biological benefit to adding any cleaners or algea in the sump area of a wet/dry system? I've heard that adding snails and making it into a refugium type may benefit the tank.

 

I wouldn't place macroalgae into the sump of your wet/dry unless you have it lit somehow. If you did, I don't see how it could hurt anything.

 

Well I have noticed that the water covering the pump side appears stagnet on the surface,but the tank appears to be doing well. I have had that side open but will cover it due to too much evaporation. Ive just added the live rock last weekend and have been cycling with nothing in it. Slow and steady.

 

For what its worth never cover a tank to slow the evaporation rates tanks need to breath also . water is cheap compared to other problems and fixes..And if the water looks stagnate then you may have the water to deep in the sump ? about 5 inches max is all you really need this allow it to bubble and tumble and mix around As they say only still waters run deep and that is sooo true. Thats why I just shake my head when I see people running sumps with a water level like a main tank level all to get a few more gallons they tank of water volume LO I'd rather have 73 gallons of well oxygenated and skimmed water then 79 gallons of lesser quality water . less is sometimes more or better

 

I've kept the water in the sump to the level line indicated on the acrylic but I think that I am evaporating too much water out because my tank is in the basement. I've been fighting the dehumidifier and having to add water daily to the tank. I've let the water go below the level line and have had micro bubbles shooting into the tank. I have an RO system and keep "new"water around to add in when necessary. Its really not an issue to do it. I'm more concerned about being a normal practice for my system. Maybe the sump pump is not working correctly because I am not gettting the tumbling effect that you mentioned.?