So, this is actually a Wet/Dry...

[Mostly Rock]

I've been using Hang-On Back and Canister filters in FW for years, so when I bought my 75gal w/ "sump" (used) and brought my new "sump" to my LFS to make sure everything was good to go, I was already pointing in the wrong direction. I listened to PodCast #46 today while on my way to a service call and had a forehead slapper moment. So I actually have a Wet/Dry Nitrate Factory. OK, so now I know one of my primary reasons for a consistent 35ppm Nitrate issue is the BioBalls, and I'll slowly take them out as Rob described... but when I get them all out, what then? Do I just leave it empty? Should I put live rock in there? If I do, should I put lights down there or leave it in the dark? I have had my new skimmer (CLPS-150) running for a few days now, so I think pulling out the BioBalls will help big time. I also only have a 1 to 2 inch sand bed... Would you recommend adding a few bags of sand to a tank that's been up for over a year? Would the inevitable could adversely effect the fauna? No corals yet, but I do have a decent amount of fish and inverts. I think I would also have to turn off the pumps and skimmer for a few hours, but that shouldn't really hurt anything I currently have in the tank... maybe? Switching from African Cichlids to SW with the intent to go reef is bad enough, but going from being very sure of my knowledge base to being completely ignorant is unnerving.

The pic is my tank, not my filter

[Mostly Rock]

Also, Salifert tesk kits are quite a bit more expensive than some others, what makes them better than other test's like the 6-in-1 Quick Dip Test Kit?

[CarmieJo]

Hi Mike and to TR!

I use a converted wet/dry as a sump/refugium, keeping macro in the section that would have housed bio-balls and some fist size chunks of rock under the shelf.



If you are just using it as a sump with LR but no macro you won't need lights. Depending on the size of your wet/dry you could use a section of it for a DSB or you could rig up a remote DSB in a 5 gallon bucket. If I was adding sand to an established tank I would only add about 1/2" at a time. The easiest way to do so is to use a piece of rigid tubing (3/4"-1" works well) with a funnel taped to the top. You can easily point the rigid tube to where you want the sand to go and it minimizes the sand storm.

I use API kits for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, Salifert for Ca, alkalinity and PO4 and Seachem Reef Status for Mg. Hach and Elos also have good reputations. The test strips are inaccurate. For instance, you may find that your nitrate is 10 or 75. Some test strips only give you "measurements" like high, low and acceptable or give you such wide ranges that it is almost the same thing.